BPH or Enlarged Prostate — Causes and Risk Factors

The exact cause of BPH is not well understood. However, during their lifetime, men produce testosterone (a male hormone) and a small amount of estrogen (a female hormone). The amount of active testosterone decreases as a man ages, resulting in a higher proportion of estrogen in the blood. Studies have suggested that a higher proportion of estrogen may encourage cell growth within the prostate, which may lead to BPH or enlarged prostate.

Another theory regarding the cause of BPH or enlarged prostate suggests that accumulation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a substance derived from testosterone in the prostate, may encourage cell growth.

Primary risk factors for BPH or enlarged prostate include:

• Aging — the main risk factor for the BPH or enlarged prostate
• Heredity — a family history of BPH or enlarged prostate
• Marital status — for reasons that are not known, men who are married are more likely to develop BPH or enlarged prostate than single men
• Nationality — BPH or enlarged prostate is more common in Americans and Europeans than in Asian men