Most men over 50 could have the risk of Benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH, which has lower urinary tract symptoms. It is hard to cure with medicines or surgery due to its serious side effects. So we need to look at long-term and safe-diet habbits to stop the progress of BPH. Which diets should we focus on? Let’s take a look, I am J. Jung.

Garlic. There are so many uses and studies for garlic, as you know already. Garlic helps lower cholesterol in the blood, and it is heart-protective, manages sexual function, anti-cancer, and so on. But garlic has its specialty in anti-inflammatory effects, proving efficacy for hyperplasia of prostate. 
Because garlic has various sulfur components such as allicin, alliin, S-allyl cysteine(SAC), S-allyl mercaptocysteine (SAMC), diallyl sulfide (DAS), diallyl disulfide (DADS) and diallyl trisulfide (DATS). Those organosulfur compounds have been suggested to play a role in the antioxidant and possibly chemo-preventive properties (1). It helps prevent prostate cancer and protect prostate health by improving immune system. 
In the study, scientists found many potential uses of galic. Researchers evaluated the efficacy of garlic to prove its suppressing effects on hyperplasia (2). As a result, the patients group administrated with garlic shows a decrease in weight ratio, suppressed inflammation, and regulated crucial indicators in the blood. Another research prove that garlic supplementation or its regular daily consumption might improve the disease parameters of the patients with BPH and even prostate cancer (3). Further inspections might be needed, but eating garlic has strong evidences in suppressing the progress of BPH.

Fish oil. Greasy fish such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon are rich in “Omega-3 fatty acids,” which help prostate health in many ways. Omega-3 has anti-inflammatory function, and it is also very effective in solid prostate cancer. Many data suggests that continuous inflammation (related cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase) link to hyperplasia seen in prostate is clear. Fish in mediterranean and eastern diet contain high intake of unsaturated fatty acid, which reduces inflammations.
And fish oil also inhibit excessive acculmulation of saturated fatty acids and cholestrols. These are diretly linked to prostate cancer while lipoproteins, triglycerides and free fatty acids are significantly high in the blood of prostate cancer patients (4). Still, it is also worth paying attention to the findings that excessive omega-3 increases the risk of prostate cancer. Moderate amount is recommended, at least once a week.

Green tea. Green tea is another potent anti-oxidant food; the ingredient, catechin, a polyphenolic compound contained in green tea, helps prostate health. Green tea catechins, so called GTCs, are a family of antioxidants. GTC shows effects in human prostate cancer as promising chemoprevention (5). GTCs interact with cellular targets, modulate gene expression, and interfere with proteostasis. Many of these are observed in lab levels. In a number of preclinical studies, catechin components have been found to induce apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation in the prostate (6). Now there are many clinical trials goes on about catechins against prostate disaeses, and shows impressive results (7).
Considering the recommended amount of catechins, eating about 3 to 5 cups of green tea daily is encouraged. However, since green tea’s fresh leaves contain approximately 4% caffeine, it can stimulate the bladder and cause urination-related symptoms, so be careful and reduce amount of green tea.

We have been looking at top 3 good foods which could reduce the symptoms of prostate disorder. Remember the foods I introduced, then go to store for today’s dinner.

References
1) Erdinç Devrim, Ilker Durak, Is garlic a promising food for benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer? Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2007, 1319 51, 1319 – 1323
2) Kyung-Sook Chung, Su-Jin Shin, Na Young Lee, Se-Yun Cheon, Wansu Park, Seung-Ho Sun, Hyo-Jin A. Anti-Proliferation Effects of Garlic (Allium sativum L.) on the Progression of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Phytotherapy research, Volume30, Issue7. July 2016, Pages 1197-1203
3) Durak, I., Yilmaz, E., Devrim, E., Perk, H., Kamaz, M., Consumption of aqueous garlic extract leads to significant improvement in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer, Nutr. Res. 2003, 23, 199 – 204
4) Xiaoying Wang a, Bingqian Sun a, Lengyun Wei a b, Xiao Jian a, Kai Shan b, Qingwen He a, Fengjiao Huang b, Xiaosong Ge a, Xiang Gao a, Ninghan Feng d, Yong Q Chen. Cholesterol and saturated fatty acids synergistically promote the malignant progression of prostate cancer. Neoplasia Volume 24, Issue 2, February 2022, Pages 86-97
5) Valeria Naponelli, Ileana Ramazzina,Chiara Lenzi,Saverio Bettuzzi, and Federica Rizzi. Green Tea Catechins for Prostate Cancer Prevention: Present Achievements and Future Challenges. Antioxidants 2017, 6(2), 26
6) Saverio Bettuzzi; Maurizio Brausi; Federica Rizzi; Giovanni Castagnetti; Giancarlo Peracchia; Arnaldo Corti. Chemoprevention of Human Prostate Cancer by Oral Administration of Green Tea Catechins in Volunteers with High-Grade Prostate Intraepithelial Neoplasia: A Preliminary Report from a One-Year Proof-of-Principle Study. EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PREVENTION| JANUARY 19 2006
7) Micali, Salvatore;Territo, Angelo;Pirola, Giacomo Maria;Ferrari, Nancy;Sighinolfi, Maria Chiara;Martorana, Eugenio;Bianchi, Giampaolo
Effect of green tea catechins in patients with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia: Results of a short-term double-blind placebo controlled phase II clinical trial. Arch. Ital. Urol. Andorol. 2017, vol 89, no 3
8) Overview of BPH: Symptom Relief with Dietary Polyphenols, Vitamins and Phytochemicals by Nutraceutical Supplements with Implications to the Prostate Microbiome, 2023, Int. J. Mol. Sci.
9) The impacts of metabolic syndrome and lifestyle on the prevalence of benign prostatic hyperplasia requiring treatment: historical cohort study of 130 454 men, 2018, BJUI
10) 박주연 약사. 세브란스 병원 약제부. 암예방에 탁월한 알리신과 오메가3. 대한약사저널