By Dr. Dan Sperling
Glance through any men’s health magazine, and you’ll find at least one article on exercise. It may feature one or more photos of guys on treadmills, or bench-pressing, or sporting the latest helmets while pedaling their mountain bikes up steep slopes. What strikes you as you look at these images of masculine health? Sculpted muscles, beads of sweat, faces revealing manly determination?
The results of their exertion are visible on the outside. What you don’t see, however, is what’s happening on the inside. You can easily imagine racing heart muscles and hardworking lungs. But there’s one essential part of a man’s body that you’re unlikely to think about during exercise: his prostate gland. It may surprise you to learn that exercise benefits this small gland tucked deep in a man’s pelvic bed.
The prostate gland is a key part of man’s sexuality. It manufactures the seminal fluid that carries sperm out of the body during orgasm. As such, it’s essential for reproduction. In addition, it has an important role in sexual pleasure. Thus, nature has designed the prostate to be located where it’s well-protected from harm and not likely to become troublesome. A healthy prostate gland is literally out of sight and, for most guys, out of mind—that is, taken for granted.
However, prostate problems can still occur from within and become quite troublesome—even life-threatening. Some men are prone to a condition called prostatitis. It can be the result of a bacterial infection or other inflammation. It can lead to urinary tract problems and pelvic floor pain. While antibiotics can be used to treat infection, prostate inflammation can be stubborn and difficult to treat. It’s estimated that roughly half of men will experience some form of prostatitis in their lifetime, especially after age 50. Prostatitis won’t kill you, but it can lessen quality of life.
Even more concerning, however, is prostate cancer. Estimates suggest that 1 out of 8 men will develop this disease, the most common non-skin cancer in men. Again, some men are more at risk for prostate cancer than others. Common risk factors include a family history of prostate cancer, race/ethnicity, environmental exposure to toxic substances, and lifestyle factors—the two main ones being diet and lack of exercise. That’s right, a couch-potato lifestyle increases the chances for prostate cancer.
Here’s what research evidence tells us about the link between aerobic workouts and prostate health. Aerobic exercise brings obvious cardiovascular benefits, but less obvious is the way it benefits the prostate gland. men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer. First, it helps prevent prostate (and other) cancers. In terms of the body’s overall wellness, there are fundamental biological and molecular mechanisms that have a bearing on conditions that favor or discourage healthy cells mutating into cancer. Aerobic exercise at least 3 times per week (150 minutes a week is recommended) helps regulate hormones that influence cancer cell growth, while also boosting the immune system’s ability to identify and destroy cancer cells. Also, maintaining normal body weight deters the inflammatory effects of extra fat cells (think of obesity); chronic inflammation in the body has been linked with developing cancer of the prostate, colon, kidney, stomach, uterus and esophagus. Thus, aerobic exercise can be a shield against getting cancer.
What about men who have already been diagnosed with prostate cancer? Does exercise improve their chances of survival? Yes, definitely! One 12-week study of low-risk prostate cancer patients on Active Surveillance (that is, holding off on treatment while monitoring their PSA blood test results) compared one group that used a treadmill 3 times per week for vigorous walking or running (85-95% peak oxygen consumption) vs. another group who received usual care but did not exercise. Those in the first group were able to lower their PSA levels or slow the rise in PSA during the study period, compared with those in the second group. The research team concluded that vigorous exercise inhibited tumor growth.
Of special interest is a new, ongoing study involving 60 international centers to explore exercise as an “anti-cancer drug” for those with advanced prostate cancer that has spread. While there is no cure for metastatic prostate cancer, the team expects that exercise will not only extend life, but help patients cope with the effects of treatment, and enhance the effectiveness of the treatments they receive.
So, guys, the next time you mount the treadmill, or pick up your free weights, or put on your helmet and start pedaling uphill, think about your prostate gland and give yourself a mental pat on the back for supporting its health. You’ll be glad you did!
NOTE: This content is solely for purposes of information and does not substitute for diagnostic or medical advice. Talk to your doctor if you have health concerns or questions of a personal medical nature.
