Drinking Some Alcohol May Lower Risk of Non-cancerous Prostate Condition
A recent study concludes that moderate consumption of alcohol may reduce the risk of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) in men.
Note: Benign prostate hyperplasia is an enlargement of the prostate; the condition is characterized by the frequent need to urinate and difficulty in urinating.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed data from the 30,000-male-participant Health Professionals Follow-up Study to reach their conclusions. The study found that men who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol (about two drinks per day of beer or liquor) were at lower risk of benign prostate hyperplasia. The study notes that, contrary to previous reports, cigarette smoking was not associated with a reduced risk of benign prostate hyperplasia, but rather that heavy cigarette smoking (35 or more cigarettes per day) was associated with an increased risk. Authors suggest that this benefit of alcohol consumption could be due to a resulting reduction in concentrations of testosterone in the blood.