An enlarged prostate affects approximately six million adult males living in the United States, reports the National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Enlarged prostate is known technically as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. Although not a life-threatening condition, BPH can interfere with healthy sexual activity and urination. Soy is one healthy food that may influence the development and treatment of BPH.
BPH
BPH occurs when the prostate -- the semen-producing gland -- enlarges too much. While this is a common condition, the National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse notes that experts don't understand what causes BPH. However, risk factors for BPH include advanced age, family history of BPH and being Caucasian. Common medical treatments for BPH include applying heat, having ultrasound and undergoing surgery.
Evidence
Soybeans are rich in unique compounds known as soy isoflavones. Chemically, isoflavones resemble the hormone estrogen that your body makes naturally. A clinical research study published in the December 2007 issue of the "British Journal of Urology International" found that men who regularly consumed soy products had a 40 percent lower risk of developing BPH than men who seldom ate soy. The study involved a group of approximately 800 subjects. In an animal study published in the "Journal of Hygiene Research" in March 2009, a team of Chinese researchers found that soy isoflavones inhibited the growth of prostates afflicted with BPH.
Connection
The study in the "British Journal of Urology International" noted that excess levels of a hormone known as dihydrotestosterone, a close cousin of testosterone, can induce BPH. The isoflavones in soybeans block the enzyme responsible for producing dihydrotestosterone, and they block dihydrotestosterone from binding to the prostate. The researchers added that a particular isoflavone in soy, genistein, directly blocks the growth of prostate tissue.
Considerations
Although the consumption of soy products may reduce the risk of BPH, no human studies have tested soy as an intervention for BPH. Soy is not for everyone. Talk to your doctor before consuming soy regularly or taking soy isoflavone supplements. You can add more soy to your diet by consuming healthy foods such as tofu, tempeh, soybeans and soy-based meat alternatives.
References
- National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Kidney and Urologic Diseases Statistics for the United States
- National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Prostate Enlargement: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
- "Journal of Hygiene Research"; Effects of Soy Bean Isoflavone on Inhibition of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and the Expressions of NO and NOS of Rats; A. Yang, et al.; March 2009
- "British Journal of Urology International"; Dietary Patterns and Surgically Treated Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Case Control Study in Western Australia; G. Ambrosini, et al.; April 2009
