Diet for prostatitis
Diet should be one of the cornerstones of treatment for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Examining your diet is part of a whole-body approach to your health, especially since many causes of CP/CPPS and pelvic tension stem from
problems that take place outside of the prostate. Certain foods and allergies to foods can create reactions in your body in the form of inflammation, and this can contribute to pelvic tension and pain. That is why looking at diet when diagnosing and
treating CP/CPPS can help to eliminate inflammation.
Diet for prostatitis is part of the NPAT treatment program for CP/CPPS. NPAT stands for:
Natural treatments (ALCAT, elimination diets, and wheat-free diets) Phytotherapy (pollen and quercetin together with probiotics)
Alternative Treatments (acupuncture, prostate massage, pelvic rehabilitation and therapy)
Total body (exercise, chronic stress management, lifestyle)
It is important for you to figure out and avoid foods that can exacerbate your symptoms. Common foods that have been found to exacerbate prostatitis symptoms include the following:
Spicy foods
Hot peppers
Alcoholic beverages
Acidic foods
Wheat
Gluten
Caffeine
Hot peppers derive their spiciness from capsaicin, which can increase rectal sensitivity in people with irritable bowel syndrome, a condition frequently found in men with CP/CPPS. Read more on Foods to Avoid.
Bowel health and prostatitis seem to be connected. That is why eating foods containing probiotics or taking quality probiotic supplements is part of a healthy diet for prostatitis. Probiotics are the beneficial, or helpful, gut microflora and include
bacteria that normally reside in balance with other bacteria in the intestinal tract.
Other dietary causes of prostatitis could be related to a zinc deficiency or environmental pollutants like BPA (bisphenol-A), an ingredient in many plastic products and food containers such as canned foods, that seeps into the food supply.
Food intolerance or food allergies can also contribute to prostatitis. The symptoms of a food intolerance or allergy may include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, or abdominal pain. If you have a food intolerance you may also experience gas, bloating, headache,
cramps, irritability, and nervousness. A food allergy is an immune system response, and the symptoms generally can affect the entire body. In addition to the symptoms already named, a food allergy can cause hives, itchy skin, shortness of breath, a
sudden drop in blood pressure, and difficulty swallowing. Food intolerance symptoms can be uncomfortable, but food allergy symptoms can be life threatening.
It can be challenging to identify an allergy or food intolerance. You may not react to a particular food for a few hours or even days. Your reaction may be a worsening of prostatitis symptoms instead of the common symptoms you would associate with an
intolerance or allergy.
If you think that a food allergy or intolerance could be contributing to your prostatitis symptoms, try an elimination diet or consider undergoing allergy testing. Some tests like the ALCAT test do throw out false positives and can be costly, so trying
an elimination diet might be a good start.
Many men find that going on a wheat-free diet or trying a gluten-free diet can help them manage their prostatitis symptoms. Wheat and a protein in wheat called gluten can cause inflammation, which can damage the body and cause illness. A gluten-free diet
avoids barley, malt, triticale, and wheat.
In general, it is important to eat a healthy diet as part of managing your prostatitis. Avoid foods that commonly are associated with triggering prostatitis and try to include plenty of whole and natural foods such as the following:
Vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables
Fruits (but avoid acidic fruits if they affect your prostatitis)
High-quality protein (plant protein is better than animal)
Foods high in zinc or zinc supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids and healthy fats found in the Mediterranean diet
Foods high in fiber
Following the Mediterranean diet can help you reduce inflammation in your body. Reduce the red meat you eat and instead opt for fish, beans, lentils, and nuts, which are all low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Eat foods high in zinc, omega-3 fatty
acids, and lycopene, but if acidic tomatoes or fruits are a problem for your prostate try eliminating them. It is important to stay well hydrated with water, but you should avoid drinks like soda and caffeinated coffee or tea, which have been shown to
exacerbate prostatitis symptoms. You should also limit or avoid alcohol, which can make symptoms worse.
Studies have shown that certain foods may help improve prostatitis symptoms. Foods and supplements that may help with prostate and urinary health include the following:
Calcium glycerophosphate (neutralizes acidic foods)
Docusate (softens stools)
Psyllium (fiber), polycarbophil (laxative)
Water
Baking soda
As you can see, some of the things that have helped prostatitis patients in studies also affect bowel health, which is why daily use of probiotics is also key when considering diet for prostatitis. By getting your diet under control and eliminating foods
that could be causing your prostatitis symptoms, you are going to feel a lot better as a whole.
Editor’s comment:
Generally following a diet like the Mediterranean diet will help reduce inflammation and promote healthy bacteria and immunity. The Mediterranean diet also has many other benefits for heart, prostate, and general health. Try and limit alcohol to 1-2
glasses a day. Any more than that has been shown to negatively affect prostate health. Eat organic as much as possible within your budget. Make it a point of getting regular exercise to keep your weight under control as that will also help reduce
inflammation.
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Dealing with the Pain of Prostatitis
Can I Have Sex With Prostatitis?
Overcoming Depression with Prostatitis
Diet for Prostatitis
Products and Devices to Help With Prostatitis
Wheat-Free Diet for Prostatitis
Foods to Avoid for Prostatitis
Chemicals That Can Cause Prostatitis
Prostatitis and Pelvic Pain News
How Does Prostatitis Affect a Man’s Sexual Function?
What Professions Have the Highest Risk of Prostatitis?
What’s the Risk of Abscess in Prostatitis Patients?
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Can A Pelvic Wand Treat Prostatitis?
http://prostatitis.net/living-with-prostatitis/diet-for-prostatitis/
On Wednesday, April 23, 2003 at 1:35:21 PM UTC-5, MiamiNiceShyGuy wrote:
Before the advent of the Miami Protocol there was the Manila Protocol:
This review summarizes the history of published results of the Manila Protocol
of repetitive prostatic massage, intensive microbial diagnosis, and antimicrobial therapy. It concludes that the Manila Protocol currently has the
highest published rates of clinical remission for all symptoms of chronic prostatitis.
1) Hennenfent BR, Feliciano Jr. AE: Clinical Remission of Chronic Refractory Pelvic Symptoms in Three Men. The Digital Urology Journal, July 24, 1998. Available at: http://www.duj.com/Article/Hennenfent1/Hennenfent.html
Three American men with chronic prostatitis refractory to treatment in the USA
were treated at the Manila Genitourinary Clinic with microbial diagnosis, antimicrobial therapy, and 19, 27,and 21 prostatic massages respectively. All three men, who were continuously symptomatic, underwent complete resolution of
symptoms. At last follow-up at 29 months, 26 months, and 15 months respectively, after treatment, all men still remained asymptomatic. Conclusion: 3 of 3 men underwent complete remission of all symptoms.
2) Hennenfent BR and Feliciano AN: Release of Obstructive Prostatic Disease and
Improvement of Erectile Dysfunction by Repetitive Prostatic Massage and Antimicrobial Therapy. The Digital Urology Journal October 5, 1998. Available at: http://www.duj.com/Article/Hennenfent2/Hennenfent2.html
A 69-year-old male presented to the Makati Genitourinary Clincic with for acute
urinary obstruction with a urinary catheter in his bladder. He had been diagnosed with BPH by a urologist and had been told he needed surgery called TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate). He also complained of impotence, having had no erection for many years. The catheter was removed, the
man was treated with 8 prostatic massages, was diagnosed with prostatitis, microbial tests were done, and antibiotics were given. His urinary symptoms completely resolved and his sexual function returned 60 - 70 percent. At last follow-up, the man has avoided surgery for over 5 years and at 5 years reported
normal urination with only occaisional nocturia.
Conclusion: 1 man avoided surgery for over 5 years and had lasting improvement
of urinary symptoms with 60 - 70 percent improvement of impotence from the Manila Protocol.
3) Hennenfent BR and Feliciano Jr. AE: Changes in white blood cell counts in Men undergoing thrice-weekly prostatic massage, microbial diagnosis, and antimicrobial therapy for genitourinary complaints. The British Journal of Urology, 1998;81:370-376.
Thirty-five men, average age 45 years, were treated with repetitive prostatic massage, extensive microbial diagnosis, and antimicrobial therapy. The expressed prostatic fluid (EPS) was examined a total of 347 times in these patients.Only 5 patients could be reached for follow-up at the time this retrospective chart review was done. Four of the five patients reported a complete resolution of symptoms, with the 5th patient - a diabetic, reporting continued sexual dysfunction.
Conclusion: 4 of the 5 patients (80%) available for follow-up reported a lasting clincial remission of all symptoms.
4) Nickel JC, Downey J, Feliciano Jr. AE, Hennenfent BR: Repetitive prostatic massage therapy for chronic refractory prostatitis: the Philippine experience.
Tech Urol. 1999 Sep;5(3):146-51.
Importantly, this was a prospective study. Men with chronic refractory prostatitis who had been to many previous physicians, already received multiple
rounds of antibitiotics, some of whom had undergone surgery and other procedures, and many who had been sick for years or decades were treated in Manila with prospective data collection in this study. This was truly a subset
of "hopeless incurable men."
Twenty-two men entered treated. Follow-up out to two years was attempted (average follow-up was 17 months.)
Five of the 22 patients had complete remission of symptoms. Overall, based on Subjective Global Assessment scores, 66.6 percent of the patients experienced marked, moderate, or mild improvement of their chronic prostatitis. Conclusion: 5 of 22 (23%) of men underwent a complete resolution of symptoms.
5) Shoskes DA and Zeitlin SI: Use of prostatic massage in combination with antibiotics in the treatment of chronic prostatitis. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases. May 1999, Volume 2, Number 3, Pages 159-162.
At the Institute for Male Urology, Encino CA and the Division of Urology, Harbor-UCLA Medical Centre, Torrance, California, 73 men were treated with repetitive prostatic massage and antibiotic therapy. The average age of the group was 43.5 years and average duration of symptoms 6.7 years.
Overall 40 percent of the patients underwent complete resolution of symptoms, 19 percent underwent complete resolution followed by a recurrence, 21 percent experienced some improvement and 21 percent had no improvement.
Conclusion: 59 percent of men underwent a complete resolution of symptoms but 19 percent of the men relapsed over time.
6) Two other studies on the Manila Protocol are known to be in progress.
Final Conclusion: The Manila Protocol has appeared in the medical literature five times, including a case report, case series, retrospective study, and prospective study. It has been corroborated in 3 clinical settings by 6 different physicians. Authors have included the Manila physicians, Dr. Hennenfent, a Canadian urologist - J. Curtis Nickel, and an American urologist
Daniel A. Shoskes, the latter two both National Institutes of Health funded physicians, who are part of the Chronic Pelvic Pain Collaborative Network. The
Manila protocol has been corroborated at separate medical centers. One caveat,
however, is that the original Manila doctors have never commented in the medical literature that the Manila Protocol has been reproduced properly at other centers. Another point is that Manila Protocol is far from mature, because the technique of prostate massage has not been clearly defined, many other diagnostic tests could be added if more research could be done, antibiotic studies are still needed, and many other issues need to be resolved.
However, all studies have been consistent in that some patients underwent a complete remission of symptoms, and the majority of patients if not healed, experienced symptomatic improvement. Currently, the Manila Protocol appears to
have the highest reported rate in the medical literature of men undergoing complete remission of symptoms or improvement of symptoms. If anyone knows of any other treatment displaying such favorable remission rates, please post them
on the message board at www.ProstateTalk.com for our review.
ProstateTalk.com sees evidence in the medical literature that chronic prostatitis may be caused by infection, urinary reflux into the prostate, semen
reflux into the prostate, immune dysfunction, obstruction of prostatic ducts and acini, pelvic floor dysfunction, neurologic disease, autoimmune disease, hormonal disease, allergic processes, muscular disease, vascular disease, radiation seed implants, urinary catheters, spinal cord injury, and other etiologies. ProstateTalk.com is currently evaluating the world's literature on
chronic prostatitis on its message board.
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