Photo: Anna Shvets

Do you need a prostate to produce sperm?

The prostate gland is essential for reproduction and male fertility due to the prostatic fluid it produces. The components of the prostatic fluid ensure that sperm is healthy and is able to fertilize eggs.

everydayhealth.com - What Is the Prostate Gland? | Everyday Health

How do they wake you up from anesthesia?

After the procedure When the surgery is complete, the anesthesiologist reverses the medications to wake you up. You'll slowly wake either in the...

Last updated May 17, 2018

Can you live a normal life with incontinence?

Living with incontinence can certainly have an effect on the way you do things. You may find that you have to adapt your life to fit in with your...

Last updated Jan 10, 2019

Promotion

Understanding the Anatomy of the Prostate

Despite its importance, the prostate gland in an adult man is only about the size and shape of a walnut and weighs less than 1 ounce (20 to 30 grams). It is located below the bladder, above the pelvic floor muscles, and in front of the rectum. The prostate reaches its mature size during puberty and will keep its walnut size until the man is in his late forties or early fifties. (2) After this age, it slowly begins to enlarge. The prostate, which surrounds the urethra, is made up of glandular, stromal (supportive) tissue, and smooth muscles fused within a capsule. (3) Though the prostate gland is often referenced as a singular entity, it is actually made up of a number of tubular or saclike glands that secrete fluids into the urethra through the ejaculatory ducts. (4) The prostate is divided into three histologically (related to tissues) and anatomically separate glandular areas: The transition zone, the central zone, and the peripheral zone. Transition Zone This surrounds the part of the urethra that passes through the prostate (between the bladder and the area of the urethra called the verumontanum). This zone only represents about 5 percent of the gland, but is the primary origination of benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlarged prostate. That is, the transition zone is the region of the prostate that grows as men age. Central Zone Making up quarter of the prostate, this area surrounds the transition zone, as well as the ejaculatory ducts that stretch from the seminal vesicles — which produces the majority of the fluid of semen — to the prostatic region of the urethra. Peripheral Zone This makes up 70 percent of the glandular prostate and encloses the central and transition zones. Most cases of prostatitis (prostate inflammation) and prostate cancer occur in the peripheral zone. These regions are surrounded by a nonglandular stroma, a type of supportive tissue made up of muscle fibers and fibrous connective tissues. (1,2,5)

What Does the Prostate Gland Do, and Why Is It Important?

The prostate is responsible for producing prostatic fluid, which is full of enzymes, proteins, and minerals that are vital for the proper functioning of sperm. During climax, smooth muscle fibers of the stroma contract, forcing the prostatic fluid through the ejaculatory ducts and into the urethra.

What is the best way to flush your liver?

Reducing or eliminating all animal protein, alcohol, sugar, wheat, corn, soy, tobacco, processed foods, caffeine, and nuts will give your liver a...

Last updated Jan 11, 2018

Does water increase sperm?

Myth 3: Does Drinking Water Increase Sperm Count? Water and fluid intake is said to help boost a man's semen volume within normal limits. If a man...

Last updated Aug 12, 2021

Promotion

In the urethra, the prostatic fluid mixes with fluid from the seminal vesicle, sperm from the testes, and secretions from the bulbourethral gland, a pea-sized gland below the prostate. (6) In all, prostatic fluid makes up 20 to 30 percent of semen (the majority of semen comes from the seminal vesicle). (1) Aside from producing prostatic fluid, the prostate (along with the bladder’s sphincter muscles) is responsible for closing up the urethra during ejaculation so that semen doesn’t enter the bladder. During urination, the muscles of the central zone close the prostate’s seminal ducts so that urine cannot enter the prostate. (6)

How Does the Prostate Play a Role in Male Fertility?

The prostate gland is essential for reproduction and male fertility due to the prostatic fluid it produces. The components of the prostatic fluid ensure that sperm is healthy and is able to fertilize eggs. Prominent components of prostatic fluid include: The enzyme prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which thins or loosens up semen so that sperm can travel more freely Prostatic acid phosphatase, an enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of energy-rich compounds present in seminal fluid and may also increase sperm’s motility (ability to move) Citric acid, which may help maintain osmotic-electrolytic equilibrium (salt and water balance) in semen

Zinc, which is important for semen coagulation

Spermine, which is ultimately responsible for semen’s unique odor and may play a role in sperm motility and helping sperm fertilize eggs, according to research. (7) Prostatic inhibin, or prostatic secretory protein, a protein that plays a role in regulating cell growth Infertility may develop if there are changes to the composition or secretion of the prostatic fluid.

What’s Involved in a Prostate Exam, and When Is It Needed?

Due to the location of the prostate (behind the rectum), it is possible to feel the organ with a finger inserted into the rectum. The tissues of the stroma give the prostate an elastic feel to the touch. (6) Several prostate health issues may develop as a man ages, in particular prostatitis (prostate inflammation), enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia), and prostate cancer. A prostate exam, also known as a digital rectal exam, is a common procedure to help diagnose these issues.

What depletes zinc in your body?

Zinc deficiency can happen in people who have problems absorbing nutrients, for example, older people and those who have some gut diseases. Some...

Last updated Apr 3, 2021

Do home blood pressure monitors read higher?

Get to the Heart of the Study Results Dozens of at home blood pressure machines were tested in the study. According to the results, the...

Last updated Apr 25, 2018

Promotion

For the exam, a doctor will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum while you’re standing, bending forward at the waist, or lying on your side with knees pulled up (fetal position). The doctor will feel your prostate to determine its size (to check if it’s enlarged or inflamed) and look for bumps, hard spots, or other abnormalities that may be indicative of prostate cancer. The prostate exam is not typically painful unless there’s an abnormality within your prostate. (9)

Prostate Massage Therapy and Why It May Be Helpful

Prostate massage therapy (or prostatic massage), in which the prostate is stimulated through the rectum, was once a popular treatment for prostatitis. The procedure is similar to a digital rectal exam, except rather than briefly looking for abnormalities on the prostate, the person performing the prostatic message rubs the prostate with light to moderate pressure until it secretes fluid through the urethra (or the man achieves full ejaculation). It was once thought that people could relieve symptoms related to prostatic congestion by expelling inflammatory cells and fluid from the obstructed glands. But this therapy largely fell out of favor in the 1960s, once antibiotics became available. A study tested whether prostate massage could be used as an adjunct treatment for people with chronic prostatitis, but the researchers found that the treatment did not significantly help patients. (10) In some cases, doctors have used prostate massage therapy to obtain sperm from men with spinal cord injuries, leading to successful pregnancies. Research shows that electroejaculation — stimulating the prostate using an electric current delivered through a probe inserted into the rectum — typically yields more sperm than manual prostate massage. (11) Using prostate massage to achieve ejaculation is sometimes called prostate milking. Both prostate massage and prostate milking can also be sexual techniques to stimulate pleasure.

everydayhealth.com - What Is the Prostate Gland? | Everyday Health

What is the healthiest fruit for weight loss?

Stone fruits They include peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, and apricots. Stone fruits are low GI, low calorie, and rich in nutrients like...

Last updated Dec 30, 2020

Which protein stops arthritis?

– New research led by scientists at Washington State University has found that a protein known as GBP5 appears to play a key role in suppressing...

Last updated Jun 19, 2021

Promotion

How can I last 3 hours in bed?

Ways to last longer in bed Foreplay - Sex is more than simply penetration. ... Behavioural Techniques - Try the 'squeeze technique' (squeeze the...

Last updated Apr 1, 2021

Promotion

Is dark chocolate OK for cholesterol?

Dark chocolate contains some stearic acid and this has led to claims that chocolate does not raise blood cholesterol. Unfortunately, dark chocolate...

Last updated Oct 12, 2021