An Aspirin a Day May Help Prevent Enlarged Prostate
Older men who regularly take aspirin or a similar painkiller may help keep prostate enlargement at bay, according to a report in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
The common condition, called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), typically affects one of every four men ages 40 to 50 and almost half of those over 70, experts say.
An enlarged prostate can lead to frequent urination and other bothersome effects.
However, men who regularly took a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID) "had a reduction of 50 percent in enlargement and a 35 percent reduction in moderate to severe urinary problems," says Jenny St. Sauver, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic epidemiologist who led the study.
It did not matter which NSAID a man was taking: aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen (Aleve), or a more expensive cox-2 inhibitor such as Celebrex. Eighty percent were taking daily aspirin," says Dr. St. Sauver.
The study was prompted by several earlier studies that suggested a decreased risk of prostate cancer for men who took NSAIDs regularly.
This study included nearly 2,500 men living in the neighborhood of the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
Data on NSAID use and prostate enlargement arose from questionnaires the men completed every two years from 1990 to 2002.
There are several theories as to how NSAIDs might keep prostates from enlarging.
According to Dr. St. Sauver, the medications may reduce prostate cell growth or increase the natural death of these cells. Another theory credits the medications' anti-inflammatory activity.
The findings should not be seen as a green light for men to rush out and start taking these painkillers without consulting a physician first, the experts stress.
Men should always be cautious about taking NSAIDs, Dr. St. Sauver notes, because the medications raise risks for gastrointestinal bleeding.
"We would like to see the results of our study replicated," she explains. "If it can be, it would be important to figure out what kind of dose and what kind of timing would be proper."
The warning against indiscriminate use of NSAIDs was repeated in stronger terms by Eric Jacobs, Ph.D., senior epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society.
Dr. Jacobs headed a study last year that found that men who had taken NSAIDs regularly for a long period of time were at slightly decreased risk of developing prostate cancer.
"The important thing about NSAIDs in general is that they can have very serious side effects, gastrointestinal bleeding that can be fatal," says Dr. Jacobs. "We do not recommend using NSAIDs for cancer prevention."
Many of the men in the Mayo Clinic study were taking low-dose aspirin to protect against heart disease, he says.
"Currently, the decision about whether or not to take aspirin is based on balancing cardiovascular benefits with the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding," notes Dr. Jacobs.
"If someone is at high risk, the doctor can decide that the benefits outweigh the risk," he says. "Currently, cancer is not part of the risk-benefit ratio."
Always consult your physician for more information.
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BPH (also referred to as benign prostatic hypertrophy) is a condition in which the prostate gland becomes enlarged and may cause problems associated with urination.
BPH can raise PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels in the blood two to three times higher than the normal level.
An increased PSA level does not indicate cancer, but the higher the PSA level, the higher the chance of having cancer.
Some of the signs of BPH and prostate cancer are the same; however, having BPH does not seem to increase the chances of developing prostate cancer.
A man who has BPH may also have undetected prostate cancer at the same time or may develop prostate cancer in the future.
Therefore, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Cancer Society recommend that all men over 50 consult their physicians about having a digital rectal and PSA examination once a year to screen for prostate cancer.
The prostate goes through two main periods of growth. In early puberty, the prostate doubles in size. Then, around age 25, the prostate begins to grow again and continues to grow throughout most of a man's life.
The continuing enlargement of the prostate does not usually cause problems until later in life.
However, the second period of growth may, many years later, result in BPH. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), BPH rarely causes symptoms before age 40. The NIDDK states that more than half of men in their 60s have some symptoms of BPH and as many as 90 percent of men in their 70s and 80s have some symptoms of BPH.
As the prostate enlarges, it presses against the urethra and interferes with urination.
At the same time, the bladder wall becomes thicker and irritated, and begins to contract - even when it contains small amounts of urine - which causes more frequent urination.
And, as the bladder continues to weaken, it may not empty completely and leave some urine behind.
Blocking or narrowing of the urethra by the prostate, and partial emptying of the bladder, cause many of the problems associated with BPH.
The following are the most common symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia:
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leaking or dribbling of urine
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more frequent urination, especially at night
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urgency to urinate
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urine retention - inability to urinate
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a hesitant, interrupted, weak stream of urine
These problems may lead to one/more of the following:
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incontinence
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kidney damage
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bladder damage
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urinary tract infections
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bladder stones
The symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia may resemble other conditions or medical problems.
Always consult your physician for more information.
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