Patriot Health Digest
Prostate health is no joke, but a male’s prostate is a funny little thing. The walnut-sized gland’s job is to make fluid that transports and nourishes sperm. Around 30% of your sperm is prostate juice.
The prostate continues to grow a little after puberty. In some cases, it grows too much. Since it is close to the urethra, a prostate that is swollen could block or disrupt urine flow. This is called “benign prostate hyperplasia”. If this happens it can make it difficult to pee. It could also be a cause of ED.
The prostate is also really susceptible to cancer. It is one of the most common types of cancer in males and the second largest known man-killer within that category, right under lung cancer.
How to Protect Your Prostate
When it comes to prostate health, the antioxidant lycopene is crucial. Your prostate really benefits from lycopene. Research shows that individuals who maintain adequate blood levels of lycopene have a lower chance of developing prostate cancer.
Lyopene has many health-promoting benefits. For the male reproductive health in particular, it helps protect the prostate cells from oxidative stress that can occur and also promotes enhanced sperm motility and quality.
Where can you get Lycopene
Most of the data out there points to tomatoes, cooked or canned tomatoes to be exact. But there is another excellent source of Lycopene which is watermelon.
Problem is, you would have to consume a lot of watermelons to receive all the beneficial effects from it. Studies utilize watermelon juice, but that is not widely available and can be hard to make. Straight lycopene supps in pill form could help, but at least one research study showed that they are not as good as whole-food sources.
The best supplement to add to your diet is freeze-dried watermelons. Even though it is in concentrated powder form, it is still a whole food, without the water content.
If you are a male, then lycopene – from the right supplements, foods, or a combination of both – should be at the top of your list of health staples.
Author: Blake Ambrose
