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Prostatitis & Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy:
Nutritional Causes, Treatment Remedies & Prevention
Many practitioners and patients seem to think that Zinc is a cure-all for all prostate-related problems, or that
they all result from insufficient zinc intake, however only an enlarged prostate (Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy),
or BPH, is at times linked to below-normal levels of zinc. Subsequently, with some exceptions, nutritional
supplements used in the treatment of BPH will generally not work for Prostatitis, or may have to be avoided.
Prostatitis presents with above-normal, to typically very high cellular levels of zinc, and symptoms are
invariably worsened by either supplementing extra zinc, consuming foods that are high in zinc, or by any
other remedial aspect or dietary lifestyle that synergistically promotes greater zinc retention.
Some individuals claim that their condition improved after supplementing zinc, but it always turns out that
they either did not have Prostatitis in the first place - i.e. they self-diagnosed their condition, or they were
misdiagnosed by an unqualified practitioner.
However, even qualified urologists frequently disagree on the proper classification of the disorder and/or the
best course of treatment, unless a patient presents with a conclusive, lab-supported case of acute bacterial
Prostatitis. The reason is simply that the term "Prostatitis" over the years has become synonymous with a
variety of symptoms that include bacterial and non-bacterial Prostatitis, chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS),
proctalgia (rectal pain), pudendal nerve entrapment (PNE), interstitial cystitis, and also Benign Prostatic
Hypertrophy / BPH, for which zinc supplementation may actually be indicated and beneficial.
Commonly agreed upon causes of Bacterial Prostatitis include pathogens such as escherichia coli (E. coli),
found in about 90% of patients, or proteus, enterobacter, pseudomonas, streptococcus and staphylococcus,
serratia, untreated yeast infections and STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), and there are additional
considerations of tuberculosis (tuberculous prostatitis), and other viral or bacterial infections. However it is
agreed, that better than 90% of chronic prostate complaints are related to Non-Bacterial Prostatitis (with
negative laboratory findings, or no documented culture), for which antibiotic treatments are not effective or
indicated, and where generally no particular cause is found.
When non-specific rheumatoid-types of symptoms are experienced in addition to prostate pain, a low-level
systemic infection is suspect that may be the result of chronic sinus, tonsil, dental, or gum inflammation.
In those cases, all symptoms readily disappear when the problem area is identified and resolved.
While it is recognized that Prostatitis can generate Referred Pain (usually in the lower back), it may also
cause dental pain in the left upper or lower incisors, which coincides with flare-ups of Prostatitis. In turn,
all incisors are equally capable of triggering chronic Genitourinary Pain.
The left 1st + 2nd upper or lower incisors are prostate / uterine-specific, and the right 1st + 2nd upper or
lower incisors are bladder-specific, having the potential of causing chronic Prostatitis (left side), or interstitial
or chronic cystitis (right side). In a couple of patients I have been able to trace the cause to failed root
canal work, where their symptoms promptly and permanently disappeared following additional endodontic
intervention, with no other treatments or remedies required.
It is not unusual for some men to experience left-sided Sciatic Pain in addition to prostate pain and burning,
since most cases of non-surgical sciatica involve a zinc / potassium ratio conflict. Correcting the patient's
zinc / potassium ratio will not only resolve sciatic pain, but any related prostate pain as well, provided zinc
levels are normal. This can be accomplished through nutritional intervention (supplements, or some natural
remedies), chiropractic adjustments, or through needle, or needle-less electro-Acupuncture.
Although the use of acupuncture would appear to be symptomatic therapy, one of the long-term effects of
embedding needles in patients' ears for ongoing pain relief includes changes in a patient's chemical profile --
i.e. when the corresponding sciatic area in the ear was treated, there would eventually be a change with
cellular zinc and potassium levels. This would explain the permanent pain relief some patients experience
following certain types of acupuncture treatments, unlike - or in addition to - the supposed endorphin effect.
In some cases, stomach acid-lowering medications appear to help improve Prostatitis symptoms, which
is likely due to the calcium-retaining effect that many of these types of stomach remedies exhibit. Calcium
is not only a very potent zinc antagonist, but it has significant anti-inflammatory properties as well. When
taking larger amounts of calcium, it may be prudent to include higher doses of Vitamin D for its (prostate)
cancer-protective properties also.
Since mainstream medicine does not have a very good track record in the successful treatment of Chronic
Prostatitis (CP) - particularly abacterial varieties, many men look into Alternative Treatment Methods,
- including natural home remedies - trying to resolve their prostate problems, and they frequently end up
using a shotgun approach by combining all the advice gathered from various sources.
Remedies commonly recommended for prostatitis include Pygeum (from the bark of the African prune tree),
Stinging Nettle, and Goldenseal. There are also a few anecdotal success stories involving the use of
Cranberry Juice, or the flavonoid Quercetin. However, while adequate amounts of bioflavonoids (0 - 25
micromol/L) provide many health benefits, large amounts of quercetin (50 - 250 micromol/L), recommended
by some advocates for Prostatitis, have been found to induce cytotoxicity and DNA damage in a number of
rat studies.
Antibacterial remedies that have proven successful in the treatment of other inflammatory conditions may
be a consideration for Prostatitis sufferers who have not had much luck with any other "natural" remedies.
They include the regular intake of a higher dose of fresh or freeze-dried Garlic, Turmeric, Sulforaphane
caps, Mastic gum, and Probiotic (friendly bacteria) supplements, however if any of these cause bowel
disturbances, they may very likely worsen Prostatitis as well.
The herb Saw Palmetto, or Phytosterols are routinely recommended for the symptomatic treatment of
an Enlarged Prostate (BPH). While some practitioners recommend these for Prostatitis also, none of the
patients I have treated for Prostatitis and who had tried either saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, or other
sterols and sterolins, had found them to be helpful for that condition.
Since saw palmetto possesses alpha-5-reductase inhibitory activity (either inhibiting the conversion of testos-
terone to dihydrotestosterone, or blocking some effects of testosterone), its use has also been recommended
in the treatment of male-pattern hair loss.
Dietary treatments include the avoidance of foods high in zinc (shellfish, herring, organ meats, wheat germ,
soybeans, and some seeds and nuts), which for some men may be difficult to follow, so supplementing zinc
antagonists (see further below), may be a more convenient approach. There are claims that alcohol, coffee,
chocolate, and cola drinks have an adverse effect on Prostatitis as well.
While zinc is pro-inflammatory, Copper is anti-inflammatory and also a zinc antagonist, so for some of those
suffering from Prostatitis, a higher intake of copper-rich foods, or short-term copper supplementation can be
helpful. Unfortunately, a considerable percentage of the population suffers from copper overload, which would
therefore prohibit additional copper intake for most Prostatitis patients.
Due to the paired association of Potassium and Zinc, high potassium-containing foods or beverages should
also be avoided because of the pro-inflammatory effect of high potassium intake on the bladder, which often
has a negative effect on the prostate as well. For instance, chronic and acute bladder infections (cystitis)
necessitate a potassium-lowering approach, which will resolve most (non-structural) chronic, inflammatory
bladder problems, while interstitial cystitis (IC) requires a potassium-raising approach.
B-Complex has a zinc and potassium-raising effect, so higher amounts should not be supplemented.
However as mentioned above, this only applies to Prostatitis but not BPH, which may actually benefit from an
increase of B-Complex vitamins, including potassium. (for details, see "Zinc / Potassium" and "B-Complex").
In contrast to testicular cancer, which presents with very high cellular zinc levels (left side) or very high
cellular potassium levels (right side), Prostate Cancer is seen with both, excessive and deficient zinc levels,
in addition to elevated phosphate levels, so maintaining a normal phosphorus and zinc status is important
from a preventive aspect.
With testosterone being closely related to zinc metabolism, prostate cancer is also more prevalent with below-
normal free testosterone levels (more common), and above-normal free testosterone levels (less common),
which necessitates a similar preventive approach of trying to maintain normal testosterone levels throughout
one's lifetime, in addition to following general guidelines of inhibiting the aromatase enzyme to reduce estradiol.
Some practical, clinical considerations for the treatment of Prostatitis and BPH:
• Since there may be more than one possible cause, a detailed diary should be kept of one's daily food and
beverage intake, along with other activities (prolonged sitting...), to isolate, and subsequently help eliminate
all potential causes of either Chronic Prostatitis, occasional flare-ups of Prostatitis, and/or other prostate-
related problems, including symptoms accompanying an enlarged prostate (BPH).
• Lowering cellular Zinc Levels through diet or nutritional supplementation provides the most effective,
safest, and cheapest treatment approach for the great majority of Chronic Prostatitis sufferers, with the
most common zinc antagonists consisting of Vitamin C, Calcium + Vit D, Selenium, Folic Acid, Vitamin A,
Vitamin B1, and at times Iron - but rarely Copper, which should be individually matched.
• If digestive problems (i.e. bowel disturbances) accompany flare-ups of Prostatitis, then avoidance of the
dietary triggers that cause the bowel irritation may prevent episodes of prostatitis. Common bowel irritants
include foods containing a lot of hot spices (chili / black pepper, cajun, curry), a high Oxalic Acid content
(Swiss chard, rhubarb, spinach, beets / beet greens, or cocoa products), dairy products (except butter),
some nuts, or the use of sugar alcohols (sweeteners) such as xylitol or sorbitol. A higher intake of berries
(e.g. blueberries), can also cause flare-ups of Prostatitis in prone individuals.
If probiotics improve bowel functions, they may be helpful for Prostatitis also, however if they worsen bowel
functions, which can happen in those with a compromised immune system, they will also worsen Prostatitis.
• Foods contaminated with pathogens such as E.coli, that may be present on greens or lettuce (even after
careful washing), or in under-cooked meats, are a well-known trigger for Bacterial Prostatitis. If antibiotics
have failed to improve the symptoms of Bacterial Prostatitis, a combination of cranberry juice or extract, and
sulforaphane caps in the 500 mcg / day range - or 2,000 mcg twice a week - may be an option following an
initially higher dose of 2,000 - 6,000 mcg / day, until symptoms are brought under control.
The use of prostate and bacteria-specific Nosodes may be required in some resistant cases, which may
only be available through a medical practitioner. [Nosodes are remedies that are made up of pathogens or
diseased tissue of the same type as being treated, but are highly potentized to trigger an immune response].
• If left-sided sciatica accompanies prostate pain, providing relief for sciatica usually reduces prostate pain
as well. While supplementing zinc alone would theoretically help left-sided sciatica, this does not always
normalize a low zinc / high potassium ratio since increased zinc levels may boost potassium levels also,
so instead, one needs to supplement Chelated Chromium in the 1000 mcg - 3000 mcg range, since
chromium supports zinc retention, while lowering potassium at the same time. This will correct a patient's
zinc / potassium ratio, and with it any related spinal alignment problems.
However, zinc may be added if its levels are well below normal and if the pain is not due to Prostatitis.
Needle acupuncture, or especially needle-less electro-acupuncture may also be a treatment consideration,
which will simultaneously provide relief from sciatic and prostatic pain.
• If nutritional remedies are used to treat Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, then depending on its deficiency,
Chelated Zinc in the 10 mg - 100 mg range can be part of a formulation to help shrink the prostate, and may
include Saw Palmetto, Ginseng, Vitamin A, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Melatonin, Nettle Root extract, Pygeum
and others. With the exception of Prostatitis, eating Pumpkin Seeds regularly provides all-round benefits for
many urinary / prostate-related complaints, while many cold and allergy types-of medications have a
reputation of worsening symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
Since a declining testosterone / estrogen ratio is a major factor in the development of BPH, a more simplified
remedial approach - to reduce estradiol levels - consists of using 250 - 500 mg of Milk Thistle per day, along
with zinc (if still required) and potassium, which will not only resolve the symptoms of an enlarged prostate,
but reduce the risk of prostate cancer54 as well.
• Chronic Prostatitis can develop secondary to suffering from ongoing bouts of Interstitial Cystitis, in which
case - and unless interstitial cystitis is 'referred pain' related - a higher intake of supplemental potassium will
resolve the interstitial cystitis, and any symptoms related to Prostatitis.
Since the average adult male requires close to 5,000 mg or more of potassium per day, the actual amount
required through supplementation (to keep bladder / prostate-related symptoms under control), depends on
a patient's androgen status (DHEA), whose decline with age reduces potassium retention (requiring higher
intake), and they depend on how much potassium one gets from the diet.
A meal containing beans and potatoes may provide twice as much potassium as a meal consisting of rice
and chicken, so supplemental requirements could range from a few hundred mg, to over a couple of thousand
mg of potassium per day, depending also on other high-potassium sources consumed.
Excessive potassium intake may trigger symptoms ranging from frequent urination, to those of a bladder
infection (cystitis), which unfortunately are also similar to those symptoms experienced with a low potassium
status, except for a reduced volume of urine voided, and the potential of developing incontinence.
Just like acute, chronic, or interstitial cystitis go hand in hand with abnormally high, or abnormally low cellular
levels of potassium (save for structural causes), Prostatitis and Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy go hand in hand
with abnormally high cellular levels of zinc (prostatitis), and often below-normal cellular levels of zinc (BPH).
Instead, one can either follow a testosterone-boosting strategy to maintain normal zinc levels and use natural
remedies such as Puncture Vine (tribulus terrestris), wild green Oats (avena sativa), Ginseng, Nettle Root,
Muira Puama, or the flavonoid Chrysin (+ piperine, a pepper extract to help absorb chrysin), which will either
boost testosterone levels, or reduce SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin).
Or, as mentioned earlier, the treatment can simply consist of taking Milk Thistle to reduce estrogen (estradiol),
which is frequently just as effective to successfully treat Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, however with a history
of prostatitis, only potassium - but not zinc - may be added if necessary.
It is also recommended to prevent exposure to other dietary, or environmental sources of estrogen (hormone-
raised meat products, chemicals that mimic estrogen such as Bisphenol A), which are released when heating
foods or beverages in some plastic containers.
• Low zinc levels - particularly post middle age or andropause - frequently go hand in hand with lower
potassium levels, which can be a cause or contributing factor with Erectile Dysfunctions (impotence), and
a host of cardiac, urinary, or hormonal / metabolic health problems, including weight gain. Regular intake of
substances that negatively affect liver functions (Tylenol, marijuana, alcohol, many prescription drugs...), can
lead to the same consequences.
• Extra Zinc and/or Pantothenic Acid (Vit B5) in the 100 -1000 mg range may help resolve the occasional
presence of Blood in semen (hematospermia), if due to a low zinc / high phosphorus ratio.
Chronic bleeding from the Prostate is aggravated by insufficient calcium intake (or a low Ca / Mg ratio),
inadequate bioflavonoid and Vitamin C intake, a high intake of remedies or spices with blood-thinning
properties such as ginkgo biloba, fish oils, Vitamin E, garlic, turmeric, high oxalic acid sources (see above),
bromelain, alcohol, pomegranate juice, regular / high consumption of blueberries or juice, ginseng, and even
larger and regular amounts of heart-healthy foods such as walnuts and fish. Saw Palmetto prolongs bleeding
time, so it will worsen bleeding from the prostate also.
If side effects are not an issue, the drug Finasteride (Proscar) can be an effective treatment for bleeding
from the prostate55 by inhibiting the growth of small blood vessels within the prostate when due to Benign
Prostatic Hypertrophy.
Drug-less intervention consisting of Milk Thistle + Potassium will also resolve chronic BPH-related blood in
semen, and chronic BPH-related bleeding from the prostate, provided dietary or supplemental blood thinners
are avoided or adjusted. If blood thinners are prescribed, an adjustment to the dose will have to be made by
the attending physician.
• When starting out with normal zinc levels and a healthy prostate, and then - for whatever reason - one
begins to supplement high amounts of nutrients such as calcium, copper, selenium, Vitamin C, or folic acid,
this will over time create below-normal levels of zinc (unless zinc is on the high side to begin with), which
eventually will have negative implications on one's prostate.
The same situation applies in reverse. Even by supplementing an individually correct amount of zinc for
an enlarged prostate (BPH), one still has to deal with the potential antagonism of zinc on any of the above-
mentioned nutrients (zinc antagonists), which over time may get depleted, and as a result may require extra
supplementation as well.
• Long-distance driving - or otherwise prolonged sitting - can trigger prostate pain or burning in men whose
prostate has a tendency to swell, or has started to enlarge (usually post middle age), and where any undue
pressure, including from constipation, irritates the prostate. Getting one's favorite home or work chair custom
upholstered to create additional O or U-shaped padding on the seat will provide significant relief for many of
these patients by reducing the pressure from the central part of the seat to the perineum, which also benefits
those suffering from Pudendal Nerve Entrapment.
• Habitually holding one's urine is considered to be a possible contributing factor with Prostatitis by eventually
damaging the prostate, with the theory being that in addition to humans, housebroken dogs seem to develop
that condition as well.
• Empirical data suggests that frequent ejaculations are helpful to reduce flare-ups of Prostatitis, and a
number of research studies found that they also help reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
From personal, clinical experience, lowering zinc levels through dietary or supplemental intervention has
proven to be the most effective method to bring Prostatitis quickly under control, while an enlarged prostate
(Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy) may benefit from extra zinc intake, however the control of its symptoms
frequently requires the additional support of other prostate-specific remedies. ¤
When there is a history of Prostatitis, zinc should be used with caution when treating an enlarged
prostate, otherwise one may simply trade one set of symptoms (BPH) for another (Prostatitis).
___________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright © 2000-2012 Acu-Cell Disorders: Prostatitis & BPH
Copyright © 2000-2012 Acu-Cell Disorders: Prostatitis & BPH
Acu-Cell Disorders
Prostatitis & BPH
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Updated: 15. Jan. 2012