The disease can take you by surprise, particularly when there are no symptoms and you feel completely healthy. It always makes sense to understand your risk factors so that you can catch a problem early and resolve it before it becomes serious and chronic. One of the conditions that aging men should be careful about is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The condition is characterized by the enlargement of the prostate gland and is indicated by symptoms such as frequent urination, dribbling, weak flow, and increased toilet trips during the night. However, the symptoms may vary from person to person and you may have only a few or none of them even with a relatively advanced condition. Although BPH is non-cancerous, it still requires timely treatment. Here are the risk factors that indicate your chances of having it.
Age
Aging is perhaps the most common risk factor for BPH because the gland has the tendency to enlarge as you grow older, just like the greying of hair. The risk gets significantly higher as you step into the fifties while a vast majority of males will have it when they reach the eighties. Still, you may or may not have the symptoms that indicate the condition. It becomes important to get annual screenings right from the age of forty.
Ethnicity
Although men of all ethnic backgrounds may suffer from age-related prostate enlargement, a scientific recent study shows a higher incidence in Hispanic and black males as compared to their white counterparts. This may be linked with the genetic differences in different races or the prevalence of metabolic diseases in Latinos and African Americans.
Family history
Your chances of having an enlarged prostate also depend on your family history. The likelihood increases if someone in your immediate family, your father or brother, has the condition. You need to be more vigilant about the early signs of the problem runs in the family. Switching to supplements like ProstaGenix is a good idea to address the problem early. Additionally, your family history is something you should tell your doctor and they will probably ask as well.
Diabetes
Another BPH risk factor that you should not ignore is diabetes. Research studies show that the components of type 2 diabetes, namely high glucose levels, insulin resistance, and obesity, are responsible for increasing the progression of BPH. So you can expect the gland to enlarge quicker if you have chronic diabetes.
Obesity
The risk of developing prostate enlargement is closely correlated with a high body mass index (BMI) and greater waistline circumference. Also, obesity is linked with diabetes, which also increases your likelihood to get BPH. A sedentary lifestyle and sugar-high diet can be the real culprits. If you are obese, you should go the extra mile to manage your weight once you step in the middle age otherwise you will probably end up with prostate enlargement.
While these risk factors certainly indicate high probability, you cannot rely on them completely. You may still develop BPH even in their absence, so taking a proactive approach with regular checks and good care is the best thing to do.
