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[W545]What Is The Prostate Gland

by Norman Holden, Nor

The prostate gland is ,in fact, made up of a cluster of smaller glands which surround the urethra and is physically located immediately below the bladder. This is only found in males, and it is not necessary at this stage to describe the detail of its function.

In quite a lot of cases, the gland becomes enlarged, and can in fact, become cancerous. There can also be a noncancerous enlargement and this is identified as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which was mentioned in an earlier article controls the division of cells within the prostate gland, and under normal circumstances is expelled by the prostate. There are times however, when the prostate gland will fail to expel the DHT and this will result in a buildup and in turn cause enlargement of the gland.

The typical North American and also the northern European diets certainly lend themselves to the continuance of BHP, and prostate cancer. This phenomena is almost unknown in other parts of the world. The significance of these factors should be noted - BPH and prostate cancer are caused by the overproduction of DHT and the same factor causes Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) or androgenetic alopecia. There has been quite a lot of research done to try and find a cure for BPH (prostatic hyperplasia) and this has on a number of occasions resulted in simultaneous benefits in hair growth.

It is probably stating the obvious, but a lot of these conditions can be avoided, and a general improvement in overall health attained simply by making the necessary changes to the diet.

Let's now take a look at some of the more common myths surrounding hair loss which have been perpetuated over the ages. Fortunately, a lot of them have been dispelled as a result of medical research, and the consequent broadening of people's knowledge of the subject.

It is generally accepted that androgenetic alopecia or pattern baldness is genetic and is consequently hereditary. There is no truth however, in the statement that it is only applicable to the mother's side of the family. Any predisposition to genetic hair loss, definitely applies to both sides of the family.

The other old wive's tale that should be dispelled is that wearing a hat has anything at all to do with hair loss.

There is an increasing tendency in the community for general hair loss to be commonly referred to as Male Pattern Baldness (MPB). This is actually quite incorrect, as females suffer a similar disorder, and so it should be more accurately described as androgenetic alopecia.

Hair loss, could never be described as life-threatening in any way, but it can cause quite serious problems and can certainly have a detrimental effect on the affected persons psyche and self-confidence.

To date, no cure has been found for hair loss, and as stated earlier, many of the factors surrounding hair loss are hereditary. However, having said that, it must be emphasised that there are any number of things the affected person can do to maintain healthy hair and scalp.

The vast majority of men will suffer from prostate problems at some stage during their lives and all too many men will die from prostate cancer. Indeed, with the sole exception of skin cancer, prostate cancer kills more men than any other form of cancer. It may come as something of a surprise to learn therefore that, although things are beginning to change slowly, most men have little or no idea about just what this very important part of our anatomy does.

The prostate gland is located in the lower abdomen and sits just below the bladder and between the pubic bone and the rectum. A healthy prostate is roughly the size of a walnut and weighs about one ounce in a fully grown man. One important point to note is that the prostate gland is shaped something like a donut and partially surrounds the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis and on out of the body.

The prostate gland has a very important role to play as one part of the male reproductive system. Attached to the prostate are a number of seminal vesicles which produce a protein and this is then mixed with a clear liquid produced by the prostate, and referred to as prostatic fluid, to form the male semen. Sperm produced in the testes are carried through connecting tubes to the prostate and are then mixed with the seminal fluid before being ejaculated during orgasm through ejaculatory ducts which are connected to the urethra.

The prostate gland grows rapidly during puberty and is essentially fully formed in most men by about the age of twenty five. However, at this stage it does not stop growing as you might imagine but continues growing very slowly throughout the remainder of your life. Later in life however, and typically at some point after the age of about forty-five, hormonal changes which are part of the normal ageing process can result in a slight 'speeding up' in the growth of the prostate gland.

As a result, once you pass the age of forty-five you begin to run the risk of your now enlarging prostate beginning to cause a series of problems. For most men sufficient enlargement to cause symptoms does not occur until after the age of sixty and some men will never experience a problem at all. Nevertheless, all men are at risk of developing problems after the age of about forty-five.

The first signs of a problem are normally seen when urinating as, because the prostate gland partially surrounds the urethra, its enlargement slowly starts to pinch and thus narrow the urethra interfering with the free flow of urine out of the body. As the prostate continues to grow and enlarge further so it squeezes more and more on the urethra and urinary problems worsen over time.

This enlargement is simply a normal part of the ageing process and for most men the problems which it causes are nothing more than a nuisance and do not require treatment. For other men however urinary problems will become sufficiently annoying to warrant treatment and there are several treatment options available today. Overall though this problem is really nothing to worry about and is certainly not a life-threatening condition.

The real problem however lies in the fact that, alongside this normal growth, you may well also be developing prostate cancer and one reason why this remains such a killer today is that most men are unaware of a developing cancer and simply put any symptoms down to normal prostate enlargement.

Unfortunately there is no way to tell whether or not you have a developing prostate cancer without being medically tested for the condition and so, prostate problems should never simply be ignored and, at the first sign of any difficulty, you should consult your physician.

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Both Norman Holden & Donald Saunders are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Norman Holden has sinced written about articles on various topics from Hair Care, Woman Menopause and Acne Treatment. Article written by Norman Holden editor and owner of http://www.YourSuccessZone.com a website about Hair Loss Treatment and Transplant. Visit his website on a regular basis for up-to-date news and help.. Norman Holden's top article generates over 1600 views. to your Favourites.

Donald Saunders has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health Insurance, Forex Training and Diabetes Treatment. ProstateProblemCenter.com provides detailed information about the including just what a. Donald Saunders's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.