Quercetin Helps You Avoid Prostate Infections
When your prostate becomes irritated and inflamed due to infection, it may be caused by bacteria, or another unknown source. The prostate is part of the male reproductive system, surrounds the urethra, and produces seminal fluid. Prostate infections -- or prostatitis -- are a frequent issue for men aged 40-50, but also occurs in older men.
Prostatitis may be chronic or acute, meaning they suddenly appear and respond to treatment, or they are a recurring condition and cause continual discomfort or pain. Symptoms of an infection include genital pain during urination, increased frequency of urination, or unexpected urges to urinate. You may also experience a decreased urine flow or painful ejaculation. If you have symptoms such as fever or chills along with these prostatitis symptoms, see your doctor right away as this could be a sign of a much more serious prostate infection.
There are four types of prostatitis: acute bacterial, chronic bacterial, chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis. CPPS is the most common form.
Prostatitis can affect men of all ages. They affect about 30 million men in the United States. In fact, chronic prostatitis is the number-one reason men under the age of 50 visit an urologist. Chronic prostatitis may also be related to other urinary tract infections.
Quercetin is a natural substance known as a bioflavonoid. Bioflavonoids are a group of naturally occurring plant compounds, which act primarily as plant pigments and antioxidants. It is found in many plants and foods, like green tea, red wine, onions, apples, and berries, but not in quantities that can provide a treatment for prostatitis. It's been clinically shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
Quercetin may also be beneficial for atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, heart disease, and circulation problems. It has been used to treat diabetes, cataracts, hay fever, peptic ulcer, schizophrenia, asthma, gout, viral infections, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Quercetin is also used to improve endurance and increase athleticism.
Flavonoids like quercetin are antioxidants. They remove damaging particles in the body called free radicals. Free radicals damage cell membranes and can alter your DNA. Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals and can reduce or even prevent some of the damage they cause. Quercetin acts like an antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory, and may also help protect against heart disease.
Studies show that quercetin supplementation reduces blood pressure in people who have hypertension. Two small studies suggested that people with cystitis might benefit from flavonoids. People with this condition have bladder pain, similar to a bladder infection, and often experience an urgent need to urinate. In both studies, those who took a supplement containing quercetin appeared to have fewer symptoms.
It has been demonstrated that 500 milligrams of quercetin twice per day may help men relieve many symptoms of prostatitis. At these dosages, quercetin is considered safe with no side effects. You should speak with your doctor before taking quercetin if you are taking corticosteroids, anti-coagulants, cyclosporine, or fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Often quercetin absorbs better when taken along with vitamin C.
Zinc has shown beneficial to good prostate health as well. It has been shown to reduce the size of the prostate in a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate. Zinc may help with prostatitis as well.
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