Who is at risk?

BPH becomes more common with age:

• It is uncommon before age 40.
• About half of men over age 50 have some degree of BPH.
• The likelihood continues to increase with advancing age. Other risk factors include obesity, family history, diabetes, and physical inactivity.

How is it diagnosed?

A healthcare provider may use:

• A review of your symptoms and medical history
• Physical examination, including a digital rectal exam
• Urine tests to rule out infection
• Blood tests, including a PSA test when appropriate
• Additional tests (such as bladder scans or urine flow tests) if needed

BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) is a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. It is one of the most common health conditions affecting men as they age. As the prostate enlarges, it can press on the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body), making urination more difficult.

Common symptoms

• Frequent urination, especially at night (nocturia)
• Sudden, urgent need to urinate
• Difficulty starting urination
• Weak or interrupted urine stream
• Dribbling at the end of urination
• Feeling that the bladder doesn’t empty completely
• In severe cases, inability to urinate (urinary retention), which is a medical emergency

Get adequate zinc

Good sources:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Shellfish (especially oysters)
• Lean beef
• Beans

Avoid high-dose zinc supplements unless recommended by a healthcare professional.

Nutrition can’t cure benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), but it may help reduce urinary symptoms, support overall prostate health, and lower the risk of symptom progression. A heart-healthy eating pattern is also associated with better urinary health.

Here are the key nutrition recommendations:

Eat more plant-based foods

Focus on:

• Vegetables (especially leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes)
• Fruits (berries, citrus, apples)
• Whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa)
• Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)

These foods provide fiber and antioxidants that support overall health.

Include healthy fats

Choose:

• Olive oil
• Avocados
• Nuts (walnuts, almonds)
• Seeds (flax, chia, pumpkin)

Limit saturated fats from fatty meats and processed foods, as diets high in saturated fat have been linked to worse BPH symptoms in some studies.

Eat foods rich in lycopene

Lycopene is an antioxidant associated with prostate health.
Sources include:

• Cooked tomatoes
• Tomato sauce
• Watermelon
• Pink grapefruit

Cooking tomatoes with a small amount of olive oil improves lycopene absorption.