If you have to urinate very often, this can have various causes. Known causes of this problem are a bladder infection, diabetes, drinking a lot of drinks containing diuretics, etc. In men, another reason for having to urinate a lot can also be that there is an enlarged prostate. How can you recognize the symptoms of this and what can be done about it, for example with supplements?

Frequent urination due to enlarged prostate

• Various causes of having to urinate a lot
• The prostate could also be the problem
• What to do if you suspect an enlarged prostate?
• Supplements to support the prostate

Various causes of having to urinate a lot

Men under 50 who notice that they have an excessive urge to urinate do not immediately think that the problem lies with the prostate. Because men have a larger bladder than women, they generally go to the toilet less frequently. It simply takes longer for men to fill their bladder than for women. How often someone has to go to the toilet varies widely. There are people who only have to go three times a day, while others go up to ten times a day. Sometimes people even have an unusual preoccupation with emptying their bladder or there is a fear of having to go to a public toilet somewhere along the way or not being able to find a toilet nearby. If you go often, you will eventually think that you have to go often, while this is not the case at all.If you, as a man, have to urinate excessively, this can have various causes. Some causes are:

• Cystitis . You often feel like you have to go to the toilet all day long and once you are there you only manage to produce a few drops and this is very painful. It may also be accompanied by abdominal pain.
• Diabetes . Certain forms of diabetes are characterized by, among other things, a lot of thirst. Without you even realizing it, the amount of fluid intake can increase, which of course also causes you to urinate more often.
• Medication use . An increase in the urge to urinate can be a side effect of certain medications.
• Caffeine . Caffeine intake, by drinking coffee or energy drinks, can cause excessive urges.
• Alcohol . Alcohol can also increase the urge to urinate.
• Stress and tension . It is common knowledge that tension can lead to the feeling that you have to go to the toilet to empty your bladder and intestines.

This list is not exhaustive. Having to urinate a lot can also have other medical and even psychological causes.

The prostate could also be the problem

There is also the possibility that the problem lies with the prostate . When it is enlarged, it can press against the bladder or urethra, which causes irritation and can signal the need to go to the toilet. The prostate is very important because of its role in reproduction. However, from puberty onwards it also increases in size. Men can start to suffer from this from the age of 50, although not all men experience problems with their prostate. It affects about 30% of men at some point.An enlarged prostate does not equal prostate cancer. Its growth is completely normal and is therefore called a benign prostate enlargement or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). The most obvious symptom of this is difficulty starting to urinate. The stream of urine is then thinner and it therefore takes longer to urinate. Dripping is also a well-known phenomenon and many men experience this as the most annoying consequence because it can sometimes be quite embarrassing. The problem manifests itself more often at night when you have to get out of bed to go to the toilet, which also means you sleep less soundly.

What to do if you suspect an enlarged prostate?

Many men wonder what they can do if their enlarged prostate causes problems. A GP will usually refer men who knock on his or her door to a urologist for further examination because it is of course important to know whether the growth is benign. They use an IPSS symptom score list to better estimate the extent of the problem. If you want to be well prepared, you can download and complete the list yourself before your first visit. The same applies to the voiding list , which should provide insight into your drinking and urination behavior.If the results indicate this, a physical examination will be carried out by the urologist. This can be unpleasant because the urologist penetrates the rectum with his finger to feel the prostate. If there is a suspicion of a malignant tumor, blood tests, uroflowmetry, an ultrasound, prostate puncture or urodynamic examination (UDO) may follow, but this is not always necessary.If the urologist concludes that there is no malignant growth but there is benign prostate enlargement, the unpleasant consequences of this can be combated. This can be done, among other things, by:

• Alpha 1 blockers (space creating drugs)
• 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (prostate shrinking medications)
• Treatment via the urethra (vapor red method, laser treatment or Trans Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)
• Herbal therapy

Supplements to support the prostate

There are also some things you can do yourself. For example, there are supplements that are said to have a positive effect on prostate complaints. For example, you can buy a number of products at the drugstore or pharmacy that are said to address (some of) the complaints in some way, such as the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, the strength of the bladder, improving the urine flow or inhibiting of prostate growth. Some tablets or capsules are hormonal, others vegetable and contain, for example, saw palmetto extract (Saw Palmetto), dwarf palmberry, rosemary or urtica dioica. The following products, among others, are on the market:

• A. Vogel Prostaforce capsules
• Artelle Prostate Formula
• Avodart DHT capsules
• Bional Prostavit Forte
• Flower Prostalife capsules
• Comprehensive Prostate Formula
• DHEA capsules
• Finasteride tablets
• Golden Naturals Lighting
• Nutriphyt Prostaxen
• Optimax Prostacare
• Orthica Prostate Support capsules
• LibertyHealth Multi Prostate capsules
• Proscar tablets
• Beta Sitosterol

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