FX PROSTATE & BLADDER

  As we mature, various functional, and form and structure changes take place in and around the bladder.

Age-related bladder issues for both women and men include three main conditions; weakened detrusor muscle, this is the muscle fiber that squeezes the bladder to empty it, overactive bladder and bladder outlet obstruction, this is most commonly seen in older men due to BPH. These changes contribute to a complexity of problems.

  Weakened detrusor muscle

Within the bladder wall there is a layer of smooth muscle fibers. When the bladder is full the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which also controls heart rate, digestion and many other functions within the body, contracts this detrusor muscle; This squeezes the bladder and pushes  the urine through the urethra and sphincters, and out of the body. Age reduces the ability of the detrusor muscle fibres to function fully. This reduction in muscle action means reduced emptying, reduced flow and an increased frequency in need to urinate. 

For the urine to be released from the body, both the ANS controlled internal sphincter and the voluntarily controlled external sphincter must be opened. Problems with these muscles can lead to incontinence.

  Overactive bladder

Detrusor overactivity is the most common form of urinary incontinence in older adults. Uninhibited bladder contractions cause an uncontrollable urge to void. Urinary frequency increases (urinating more than 8 times a day) and urge incontinence and nocturnal incontinence occurs.

Please note: Lifestyle choices, i.e drinking excesses of tea, coffee and alcohol can be the cause of an increased urinary frequency.

  Bladder outlet obstruction

Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) is a blockage at the base of the bladder that reduces the flow of urine into the urethra.

BOO can have many different causes, some serious, but is most commonly seen in aging men due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Although rarely the cause of BOO, Bladder stones and bladder cancer are also more commonly seen in men than women.

  What is the Prostate?

The prostate is a gland of the male reproductive system about the size and shape of a walnut. Located in front of the rectum, below the bladder,  it wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out through the tip of the penis. While biologists do not know all of the prostate's functions,  its main role is to push fluid into the urethra as sperm passes through during sexual climax. This fluid, the principal part of semen, energizes the sperm and makes the vaginal canal less acidic. The prostate is marked blue in the diagram below.

In newborn boys, the prostate is about the size of a pea. It grows very slowly until puberty, then doubles in size in a dramatic growth spurt. When a man reaches his 40s, it begins to increase in size again. Various hormones control its growth and function, the most important of which is dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This potent male sex hormone is a derivative of testosterone and is also associated with male pattern baldness.

The natural enlargement of the prostate doesn't usually cause problems until late in life. BPH  can effect more than 50% of men in their sixties and more than 80% in their seventies and eighties.

As the prostate enlarges, the tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, this causes the gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a hose. The bladder wall becomes irritated which triggers the bladder to contract (more frequent urination) even when there is only a small amount of urine present. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to fully empty, thus some of the urine remains in the bladder further increasing the need to urinate. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with BPH.

Many men are reluctant to talk about the prostate, the problems are associated with increasing age, the gland plays a role in sex and urination; but, this natural prostate enlargement is as common a part of ageing as gray hair. As life expectancy increases, so does the occurrence of BPH. To give an example; In the United States in 2000, there were 4.5 million visits to physicians for BPH.

  Signs of a problem

The most common sign of a prostate problem is difficulty in passing urine. You might experience:

• Weak flow
• Intermittency – a flow which stops and starts
• Hesitancy – having to wait before you start to go
• Frequency – having to urinate more often than previously
• Urgency – finding it difficult to postpone urination
• Nocturia – having to get up at night to urinate

  Positive steps to take to support Bladder function and the Prostate

• Add fx prostate & bladder to your diet.
• Increase your daily intake of fruit and vegetables.  For more facts about Good foods
• Reduce your intake of red meats, saturated fats, milk and dairy produce.
• Reduce your intake of tea, coffee, cola, and energy drinks as they increase urine production.
• Moderate your intake of alcohol. A glass of Red wine or a measure of Brandy is not normally a problem. Red wine can lower cholesterol and protect the heart and Brandy contains immune-boosting anti-oxidants.
• Avoid drinking large volumes of liquid at any one time, and especially before going to bed.

fx prostate & bladder contains a concentrated clinical formulation of essential phyto-nutrient combinations that promote healthy function of the prostate and bladder. Backed by over 40 years of clinical research, for efficacy and safety, the supplement has been shown to improve urinary control, flow rate and clearance via the action on smooth muscle, reduce the size and congestion of prostate cells, improve metabolism and prohibit the production of DHT (dihydrotestosterone).
 Please see  Phyto-nutrient combinations

Treatment for OAB includes bladder retraining, antimuscarinic drugs and for those who have failed to respond to or could not tolerate more conservative treatments there are nerve stimulation devices that stimulate the nerves of the pelvic floor via electrical impulses.

If you are suffering from stress incontinence or urinary incontinence, perhaps after a prostatectomy, you may also want to consider pelvic floor exercises.
 

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