VIDEO
BPH – Prostate Enlargement Symptoms, Causes, Complications and Diagnosis
What causes BPH?
The short answer is that no one knows for sure. The growth of the prostate gland is a complex process that starts at puberty and continues throughout adult life.
As a man ages, his prostate grows, although the rate of growth and size of the prostate varies from individual to individual. It is certain that prostate growth, whether it is benign or malignant, requires testosterone.
Centuries ago, it was observed that the castrati, the Italian opera singers who were castrated at puberty to preserve their tenor voices, never developed enlargement of their prostates.
As more has been understood about the benign growth of the prostate, it has been discovered that testosterone is converted to a substance called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which directly acts on the prostate and mediates benign enlargement. Other growth factors may be involved in addition to DHT, and research is continuing in this area.
Terms:
Testosterone – the principal male sex hormone
Dihydrotestosterone – a metabolite of testosterone.
