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Anyone with a prostate who lives long enough is likely to develop an enlarged prostate gland, a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). But the condition is different from prostate cancer, and treatment depends on a person's symptoms.
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At least half of people with an enlarged prostate don't have any symptoms at all, and they typically don't require treatment, urologist Don Arnold, II, MD, chief of surgery for Southern Illinois Healthcare Herrin Hospital and Southern Illinois Health Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, tells LIVESTRONG.com.
Many mild symptoms — such as a frequent or urgent need to urinate — can be managed without medications or surgery. Here, we'll look at home remedies that may help you manage symptoms and shrink an enlarged prostate naturally.
Warning
The symptoms of BPH can be similar to the symptoms of prostate cancer, so make sure to talk to your doctor about the proper screenings based on your risk factors.
1. Eat a Plant-Based Diet
The best diet for an enlarged prostate is a plant-based diet, says Elizabeth Swenor, DO, head of Henry Ford Health System's Lifestyle Integrative and Functional Medicine department.
"Decreasing animal-based foods [like red meat] is first-line therapy as far as decreasing prostate growth," she notes.
You'll want to prioritize the following foods:
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Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables, and fruits like cranberries are all high in antioxidants and reduce oxidative stress on cells, Dr. Swenor says. They're also rich in fiber, providing extra ammunition against inflammation.
The foods highest in antioxidants include:
- Red beans
- Cranberries
- Artichoke hearts
- Berries
- Prunes
- Apples
- Sweet cherries
Soy
Soy is another food that's good for BPH. As a phytoestrogen, it serves as a brake on testosterone production, explains Dr. Swenor. The hormone testosterone fuels prostate growth, says Dr. Arnold.
Foods containing soy include:
- Edamame
- Soy nuts
- Soymilk
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Miso
Starch-Resistant Foods
Green bananas are rich in fiber and, along with other foods high in resistant starch like lentils, green beans and kidney beans, feed the "good" organisms in our gut microbiome, says Dr. Swenor. This feeds into a complicated communication chain that eventually connects with the immune system and helps fight inflammation.
"A large prostate is an inflammatory process where cells are proliferating," she explains. (Take comfort in the fact that this doesn't equate with an excessive risk of prostate cancer.) .
2. Try Meditation
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If you've ever had to perform on stage, you know that anxiety can increase the urge to urinate. Nerves can be especially troublesome when you have an enlarged prostate and are already having symptoms like urinating at night (nocturia), straining to urinate and needing to go all the time.
Relaxation techniques like meditation can help, says Pedro Maria, MD, an attending physician in urology at Montefiore Health System in New York City. "It relaxes the overall body, and that can help you relax when you go the bathroom. You go more freely," Dr. Maria explains.
