... Fasting ... and the human prostate

Your points are spot on, mark23925.  I think the brightest minds among us - urologists - and IRs - are somewhat flummoxed as to what happens in the prostate.  As you've already point out, there are many theories.  If you ARE going to try fasting, start slowly.  See what it's like to give up eating in its entirety for 18 hours.  If you're ok with it, try for 24 hours.  In the interim, you may want to learn all you can about it.  Best.

Make that "regimen."

Seven years ago, I gave up all food for 15 consecutive days.  I felt miserable while I was doing it.  Once I began a gradual refeeding program back to solid food, I started experiencing one benefit after another.  At the time I was 58, and asymptomatic for BHP.  So, as for this chronic condition, it was nonexistent for me at the time.  First diagnosed with it at 59.  Thereafter, I was in constant agony until my urologist had me follow an Avodart regimen, which gave me considerable relief. Fast forward to June of 2015 - hip surgery.  Fasted for four days before the procedure, and four days after. Water only.  Like I've already mentioned, the BPH symptoms vanished.  At first, I thought it might be due to the anesthesia, or perhaps the antibiotics protocol given as standard operating procedure.  Thinking I had it licked, I went back to an indulgent lifestyle.  That said, It took two entire months for the BPH symptoms to return, and even then, the onset was gradual.  Effective fasting takes on a bit of a learning curve.  In other words, I probably made a lot of mistakes when I first started, nearly ten years ago.  For example, THE worst thing one can do, if considering fasting - say, for one day - is to gorge on the night preceding the fast.  Hormonally, grhrelin and leptin (the hunger and satiety hormones respectively) are thrown out of kilter.  So the operative words become "taper into a fast."  You wouldn't wake up tomorrow morning, and muse to yourself that you're going to run a marathon - that is - unless you've trained for it.  Relinquishing food for 18 yours probably isn't going to hurt you.  If it doesn't, try a 24 hour fast which is more difficult that it sounds. However, if any of my brothers-in-suffering have DM, they should monitor their insulin levels closely.  They should do the same if they're hypoglycemic.  After having educated yourself, and for the love of everything Holy under the sun, at least TELL your healthcare professional what you're doing.  He / she probably won't agree.  And I'm not disparging them whatsoever - to the contrary - for me they've been a Godsend.  As for their nutritional knowledge, it is - for all intents and purposes - practically nonexistent.  It probably sounds absolutely crazy, but for me, fasting is activating the physicain within. Finally, as a complete non sequitur, fasting kills hypertension like a silver bullet.  Hope this helps, don30615.

Alan. Very interesting & I believe it.

Alan, I occasionally fast 18 hours, eating an early dinner and then not eating again until noon the next day, and always feel better for it. I do it for general health. It never occurred to me that it might alleviate BPH symptoms. I haven't done it often enough to notice a difference. Ot perhaps there was a difference but I didn't connect it with the fast since BPH symptoms tend to come and go under normal circumstances. I'm now thinking I'll incorporate regular fasting into my diet--say, a 24 hour fast a couple of times a month, working up to once a week. You mentioned the benefits you received from the 15-day and 4-day fasts. I'm curious: Do you have a regular schedule of fasting that you follow? Thanks again for posting this.

don30615, Like you, I try to fast every day for 18 hours.  That is called "intermittent fasting" (IF), where all meals are confined to a six-hour window.  There are many excellent resources on this subject.  Two pioneers are Mark Mattson out of Johns Hopkins, and Valter Longo out of USC.  You mentioned that you "always feel better for it."  I get it, don30615. As for alleviating BPH symptoms, I can't guarantee complete remission.  I, myself, still have BPH.  That said, the symptoms are notably more severe, when I lead an indulgent lifestyle.  When I do get serious about fasting, BPH symptoms (nocturia, post-void dribbling, etc) show marked improvement.  It only makes sense.  I'm slightly overweight.  The word, "slightly" will lull me into complacency, if I'm not careful.  Being "slightly overweight" is maybe just enough to have the body invoke inflammatory cytokines from adipose tissue.  In other words, the fat around our middle is, for all intents and purposes, an organ that WE created.  Fat isn't simply a mass of inert white cells.  To the contrary, they are extremely metabolic, and not always in a good way, depending on the AMOUNT of fat we have.   If you can go 18 hours without food, you're well on your way to simply bumping it up to perhaps 24 hours.  I encourage you to try it, but do talk to you healthcare provider first.  I think if you can fast twice a month for 24 hours, you will be doing your body a world of good - provided that you don't overindulge in the intermittent periods.   As for a "regular schedule," it is my sincere intent to use a little more self discipline.  G** willing, I'll be able to fast for three thirty-six hour periods per month.  Best..

Hello frank74205.  Unfortunately, I'm not qualified to answer that.  I have very little medical training.  That said, you did say that you "always have an infection."  I'm making an assumption you're on Medicare.  You had the savvy to get a second opinion.  By conjecture, I'm asking:  what can it hurt to get a third opinion?  Finally, I'm firmly convinced that fasting ramps up the immune system.  That is why it is gaining prevalence as part of an effective pre-chemotherapy regimen for cancer patients.  Don't get crazy, frank74205, and by that, I simply mean that if you're going to try your hand at fasting - presumably as a possible modality for infection control, DO keep taking whatever medications you've been prescribed, DO run the idea of fasting by your healthcare provider, and by all means - DO IT GRADUALLY, AND DON'T DO IT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.  See what one day feels like for you. Best of luck, my friend.