BPH is an acyronm for benign prostatic hyperplasia, also called benign prostatic hypertrophy. Many simply refer to it as an enlarged prostate. This condition occurs when the prostate gland of a man becomes enlarged to the point that he has urological symptoms. Many men take prescription medication to offset these ensuing symptoms, such as frequent urination and incomplete bladder emptying. Some men require surgery for BPH. The exact cause of this disorder remains unknown, but several theories exist.
Aging
The Urology Channel reports that more than 1/2 of men over age 60 have BPH. This figure increases to around 90 percent after age 70. The disorder is uncommon, however, in young men. For these reasons, some scientists feel that aging is one cause of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Sex Hormone Ratio Changes
As men age, testosterone levels decrease. At the same time, estrogen levels remain the same. This changes the ratio of testosterone to estrogen. It is theorized that this proportional increase in estrogen may signal factors that tell the cells in the prostate gland to make the gland larger.
Cell Awakening
Some scientists believe that benign prostatic hypertrophy occurs because some cells in the prostate gland are programmed early in life to awaken other cells later in life. The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse explains that these awakened cells may either cause the growth or make themselves more vulnerable to substances that cause the growth of the prostate gland.
Increased Chemical Level
Dihydrotestosterone is a chemical found in testosterone, a male hormone. Even as testosterone levels drop when a man ages, the dihyotestosterone level in his prostate gland increases. The prostate gland appears to store this chemical, and some scientists theorize that it is responsible for BPH. Men who do not have dihydrotestosterone do not get benign prostatic hyperplasia, lending credence to this theory.
