Benefit of aspirin for prostate health is demonstrated by new research

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study shows that aspirin and NSAIDs can prevent or delay benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition in which the prostate becomes enlarged, leading to increased urinary frequency, waking in the night to urinate, and related symptoms. Mayo Clinic doctors now report on a study of nearly 2,500 men which looked at the impact of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) upon BPH. The findings suggest that taking the drugs - commonly prescribed for conditions like arthritis - had the beneficial side effect of reducing the risk of enlarged prostate by 50 per cent.

The risk of urinary symptoms was 35 per cent reduced for men on NSAIDs and this did not seem to be dependent on the dose of drug taken. Even those on low-dose aspirin experienced a reduction in urinary symptoms. It's not yet clear just how NSAIDs reduce the risk of BPH - it may be that they reduce inflammation in the genitourinary tract which might otherwise lead to prostate enlargement. What about prostate cancer? Other studies have shown that NSAIDs can reduce the risk of prostate cancer and this is what prompted this new research into BPH.

Source
Mayo Clinic 30th August 2006

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