Causes of LUTS, Besides BPH

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By Prof. Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, RH(AHG)

Huntington University of Health Sciences

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is often manifested in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). These symptoms include:

• Incomplete bladder emptying
• Urination frequency (< 2 hr)
• Stopping and starting urination
• Urgency to urinate
• Weak stream
• Straining or push to urinate
• Nocturia (need to wake and pass urine at night)

Various Causes of LUTS
Although most LUTS in men is likely caused by BPH, that is not necessarily true in all cases. In fact, LUTS has been associated with many factors, including diet—which is unrelated to the prostate directly, but which reflective of various lifestyle factors. This is comprehensively explained in a peer-review article from Current Opinion in Urology (“Lifestyle and LUTS: whit is the correlation in men?”).¹ The article indicates that:

• Increased total energy intake has been associated with LUTS;
• Energy-adjusted red meat, fat, cereals, bread, poultry and starch have been associated with increased risks of symptomatic LUTS;
• Total protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid, carotenoids, vitamins A, C and D have been associated with decreased LUTS;
• Lower vitamin D status and caffeine intake were associated with a greater prevalence of LUTS; and
• Higher serum levels of vitamin E, lycopene, selenium and carotene have been associated with reduced LUTS.

Vitamin D and LUTS
To further elucidate the relationship between vitamin D and LUTS, consider that low vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk for LUTS. This was demonstrated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, where a majority of men with LUTS (89 percent, n = 1241) had insufficient vitamin D levels (<30 ng/mL), of whom 55 percent (n = 684) had deficient vitamin D levels (<20 ng/mL). Among the 1,388 (58 percent) men with LUTS data and vitamin D levels, 48 percent (n = 666) had at least one LUTS. The researchers concluded, “Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are highly prevalent among adult men in the U.S., and vitamin D deficiency is associated with moderate-severe UI and the presence of at least one LUTS.”²

Furthermore, data suggests that outright vitamin D deficiency is present in 41.6 percent of the U.S. population³ and vitamin D insufficiency (i.e., lacking sufficient vitamin D) is present in 77 percent of the population.⁴ Consequently, the fact that Super Beta Prostate provides the daily value for vitamin D, 400 IU, supplementation with this product may be a meaningful strategy for helping to promote a healthy intake of vitamin D, which in turn may help reduce LUTS associated with inadequate vitamin D intake.

References:

1. Lin PH, Freedland SJ. Lifestyle and lower urinary tract symptoms: what is the correlation in men? Curr Opin Urol. 2015 Jan;25(1):1-5.
2. Vaughan CP, Johnson TM 2nd, Goode PS, et al. Vitamin D and lower urinary tract symptoms among US men: results from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Urology. 2011; 78(6):1292–1297
3. Forrest KY, Stuhldreher WL. Prevalence and correlates of vitamin D deficiency in U.S. adults. Nutr Res. 2011;31(1):48-54.
4. Ginde AA, Liu MC, Camargo CA Jr. Demographic differences and trends of vitamin D insufficiency in the U.S. population, 1988-2004. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169:626-32.

Professor Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, the Provost for Huntington College of Health Sciences, is a nutritionist, herbalist, writer and educator. For more than 37 years he has educated and trained natural product retailers and health care professionals, has researched and formulated natural products for dozens of dietary supplement companies, and has written articles on nutrition, herbal medicine, nutraceuticals and integrative health issues for trade, consumer magazines and peer-reviewed publications. He can be reached at gbruno@hchs.edu.