The Medical Condition That Increases Your Risk Of An Enlarged Prostate

An enlarged prostate often comes with age. Also referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the continuous growth of the prostate gland is thought to be the product of hormonal fluctuations, according to Comprehensive Urologic Care. However certain health conditions can also make a person more prone to developing BPH, including diabetes.

According to 2021 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 11% of people in the U.S. were reported to have diabetes. Urologist and pelvic surgeon Dr. Rena Malik explains in a YouTube video that people with the medical condition are 125% more likely to develop BPH. While some individuals are asymptomatic, other people with an enlarged prostate may experience after-dribble when peeing, a slow urine stream, urinary incontinence, nocturia, blood in the urine, and more. Yet Dr. Malik explains that having diabetes increases the risk of experiencing these lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) by more than 95%.

A number of factors are thought to be at play when it comes to the relationship between diabetes and an enlarged prostate. Insulin resistance, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), and hyperinsulinemia (high insulin levels) are thought to be a few of the main contributors, according to a 2015 update of research published in Current Urology Reports. The paper outlines how high levels of insulin in the body can boost sympathetic nerve activity and enhance prostate smooth muscle tone, which may block the outflow of urine — one characteristic associated with BPH.

Alternatively, because insulin is structurally similar to insulin-like growth factor (IGF), it can trigger the growth and proliferation of prostate cells. Another hypothesis is that having increased levels of insulin in the body is correlated with decreased levels of a protein known as sex hormone-binding globulin. This imbalance impacts prostate growth by allowing greater amounts of sex hormone to enter prostate cells. These same mechanisms and more were touched on in a 2022 meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Endocrinology, which showed an increase in lower urinary tract symptoms and prostate volume in patients with an enlarged prostate who were diagnosed with diabetes compared to those who did not have diabetes.

Dr. Rena Malik explains in the YouTube video that protecting ourselves against metabolic syndrome is one of the top ways to reduce the risk of developing an enlarged prostate. Sometimes alternatively referred to as insulin resistance syndrome, metabolic syndrome is a group of various health issues that make one more susceptible to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A person meets the diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome if they have three or more of the following five conditions: hypertension, high blood sugar, high triglyceride levels, low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, or excess abdominal weight.

While some factors are out of our control, keeping up with routine doctor appointments, getting regular physical activity, prioritizing sleep, refraining from smoking, keeping stress levels in check, and maintaining a healthy weight that is uniquely determined by you and your doctor are a few preventative strategies that can help lower one's risk for metabolic syndrome. In doing so, you may reduce your susceptibility to benign prostatic hyperplasia in relation to diabetes.