If you take a daily aspirin for your heart, you may be doing your prostate a favor as well. Emerging research suggests that daily use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen, reduces the risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). But the benefits of NSAIDs to the prostate may not be worth the risk. Read what Johns Hopkins recommends …
In a long-term study of NSAIDs and BPH, researchers monitored the prostate health of nearly 2,500 men, ages 40–79, for more than 10 years. At the onset of the study, all of the men answered a questionnaire about their BPH symptoms, and about 20% also underwent clinical evaluations for BPH, including a digital rectal exam, an ultrasound of their prostate, and blood tests to determine their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level.
The same process was repeated every two years to detect and track BPH symptoms. None of the men had BPH symptoms at the study's outset, and about one third reported taking an NSAID every day. Among the daily NSAID users, 80% took aspirin; the rest took other common anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen (Motrin and others) or naproxen (Aleve and others).
Compared with men who did not take the medications, daily NSAID users were 27% less likely to report that their urinary symptoms (such as difficulty urinating or the need to urinate more urgently or more often) were moderate to severe, 47% less likely to have prostate enlargement, 48% less likely to have an elevated PSA level, and 49% less likely to report a weak urinary stream.
These findings suggest that taking a daily NSAID reduces the risk of developing BPH symptoms, and results from several previous studies seem to indicate that regular use of aspirin or other NSAIDs may also lower the possibility of developing prostate cancer.
What Should You Do Now? At this point, doctors do not recommend taking a daily NSAID strictly to improve prostate health. More research is needed to confirm the apparent beneficial effects of NSAIDs on the prostate. Plus, long-term use of these medications can lead to dangerous side effects, such as gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney problems, in some people. And a growing body of evidence suggests that, with the exception of aspirin, NSAIDs can increase your chances of having a heart attack or stroke if you have or are at risk for heart disease.
For now, if your doctor has prescribed a daily aspirin to help prevent heart disease—or you are taking prescribed NSAIDs for arthritis—you may be reaping prostate benefits as well. And, while there's no specific BPH prevention diet, it won't hurt to eat more veggies and pass up that extra slice of bread. If you lose weight in the process, all of your organs will thank you.
