madman
Super Moderator
Gender medicine: the impact of probiotics on male patients
Abstract
Purpose. Numerous studies in the literature confirm the importance of the use of probiotics in inflammatory states of the prostate in humans. Our pilot study aimed to test probiotics strains' ability to improve urinary bacterial load in male subjects.
Methods. Twenty healthy men aged 55–65 years, with recurrent urinatory infections were enrolled and randomized into 2 groups. Urine culturing to detect Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia Coli and Enterococcus faecalis) was performed at baseline and at 12 weeks after the starting of the study.
Results. We found that taking the probiotic reduces the bacterial load of E. coli and E. faecalis in urine cultures. The use of the probiotic in these inflammatory states does not affect the change in weight in the tested subjects.
Conclusions. Our data confirm and improve the main results reported in the scientific literature on the importance of taking probiotics in prostatitis.
Introduction
Prostatitis is a prostate condition characterized by prostate inflammation, pain, and a variety of urinary symptoms such as urinary frequency, urgency, dribbling, and the need to urinate often at night. This can have a bacterial origin and from the etiological point of view, it appears very aggressive. Men who previously had prostatitis have a very high risk of recurrence of 20% -50% (1). Oxidative stress plays a key role in inflammation of the prostate, in men, while in women the points related to these processes are others, as in the case of the mouth and gastrointestinal system (2-3). In fact, the presence of ROS activates the NF-κB factor and consequently triggers the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, FGF and TGF-β growth factors, and other inflammatory mediators such as COX-2 and lipoxygenase (4). As inflammation progresses, fibrotic, calcified, and necrotic areas are inevitably formed which certainly increases the damage-causing dysuria and reinfections (5). The cause of prostate infection, in most cases, is of bacterial origin and the most common germs are Gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli (E.coli), Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, and Proteus species, but also the presence of Gram- bacteria positive, especially Enterococcus, may be responsible for prostate infection (6-7). Research has also found that men with chronic prostatitis have lower seminal lactobacilli levels than healthy men, due to frequent antibiotic treatments (8).
Most of the data reported in the literature show that the antibiotic treatment of prostatitis alone is not adequate for the treatment and consequently the integration with probiotics can restore the loss of healthy bacteria in the intestinal microflora. This would reduce the risk of recurrence of bacterial and viral infection (9).
Discussion
Inflammation of the prostate or prostatitis is a very common phenomenon in adult men but also at a young age. In most cases, it is not easily diagnosed considering the variable symptomatology with which it occurs, especially in cases of chronic or recurrent prostatitis (15). The triggers are often linked to lifestyle habits such as frequent travel, diets, prolonged antibiotic therapies, unbalanced nutrition, chronic constipation, psycho-physical stress, irritable bowel. Prostatitis is a disease linked to a specific cause, which must be discovered to treat the subjects in an optimal way and not to have relapses. Recognizing the cause and symptoms is very important to reduce the intensity and duration of the disease but also to avoid frequent relapses by reflecting on the patients’ lifestyle habits (16).
Conclusions
In conclusion from the comparison between our data and the studies found in the literature we can affirm that the intake of probiotics containing bacterial strains such as Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Anaerococcous, Finegoldia, Lactobacillus, Peptoniphilus, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas, Actinobaculum, in association with a controlled and specific diet, allows reducing the cases of prostatitis in subjects men aged 55-65 years with recurrent infections and inflammations. The probiotics strain PROMen Hyperbiotics, taken for 12 weeks by the subjects in the Test group allowed to restore a good bacterial flora, creating an epithelial barrier that allows protecting against attacks by E. coli and E. faecalis and reduce the permeability of the tissue. In addition, probiotics allow to regulate and help the homeostasis of the immune system thus helping the subjects to respond better to possible attacks, also controlling the onset of extraintestinal infections. However more longitudinal studies are needed in different experimental settings for in-depth understanding with broader data analysis.
Prostate infection caused by certain pathogens, most likely present in combination involves the onset of chronic inflammation, a common condition in adulthood and positively related to an increased tumor risk, this also allows us to say that the use of probiotics specific that allows restoring a healthy microbiota and to reduce inflammatory processes indirectly also reduces the risk of developing cancer. Considering potential health benefits probiotics as an aid but also as a modulating factor for various pathological conditions related to the urogenital system.
Abstract
Purpose. Numerous studies in the literature confirm the importance of the use of probiotics in inflammatory states of the prostate in humans. Our pilot study aimed to test probiotics strains' ability to improve urinary bacterial load in male subjects.
Methods. Twenty healthy men aged 55–65 years, with recurrent urinatory infections were enrolled and randomized into 2 groups. Urine culturing to detect Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia Coli and Enterococcus faecalis) was performed at baseline and at 12 weeks after the starting of the study.
Results. We found that taking the probiotic reduces the bacterial load of E. coli and E. faecalis in urine cultures. The use of the probiotic in these inflammatory states does not affect the change in weight in the tested subjects.
Conclusions. Our data confirm and improve the main results reported in the scientific literature on the importance of taking probiotics in prostatitis.
Introduction
Prostatitis is a prostate condition characterized by prostate inflammation, pain, and a variety of urinary symptoms such as urinary frequency, urgency, dribbling, and the need to urinate often at night. This can have a bacterial origin and from the etiological point of view, it appears very aggressive. Men who previously had prostatitis have a very high risk of recurrence of 20% -50% (1). Oxidative stress plays a key role in inflammation of the prostate, in men, while in women the points related to these processes are others, as in the case of the mouth and gastrointestinal system (2-3). In fact, the presence of ROS activates the NF-κB factor and consequently triggers the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, FGF and TGF-β growth factors, and other inflammatory mediators such as COX-2 and lipoxygenase (4). As inflammation progresses, fibrotic, calcified, and necrotic areas are inevitably formed which certainly increases the damage-causing dysuria and reinfections (5). The cause of prostate infection, in most cases, is of bacterial origin and the most common germs are Gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli (E.coli), Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, and Proteus species, but also the presence of Gram- bacteria positive, especially Enterococcus, may be responsible for prostate infection (6-7). Research has also found that men with chronic prostatitis have lower seminal lactobacilli levels than healthy men, due to frequent antibiotic treatments (8).
Most of the data reported in the literature show that the antibiotic treatment of prostatitis alone is not adequate for the treatment and consequently the integration with probiotics can restore the loss of healthy bacteria in the intestinal microflora. This would reduce the risk of recurrence of bacterial and viral infection (9).
Discussion
Inflammation of the prostate or prostatitis is a very common phenomenon in adult men but also at a young age. In most cases, it is not easily diagnosed considering the variable symptomatology with which it occurs, especially in cases of chronic or recurrent prostatitis (15). The triggers are often linked to lifestyle habits such as frequent travel, diets, prolonged antibiotic therapies, unbalanced nutrition, chronic constipation, psycho-physical stress, irritable bowel. Prostatitis is a disease linked to a specific cause, which must be discovered to treat the subjects in an optimal way and not to have relapses. Recognizing the cause and symptoms is very important to reduce the intensity and duration of the disease but also to avoid frequent relapses by reflecting on the patients’ lifestyle habits (16).
Conclusions
In conclusion from the comparison between our data and the studies found in the literature we can affirm that the intake of probiotics containing bacterial strains such as Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Anaerococcous, Finegoldia, Lactobacillus, Peptoniphilus, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas, Actinobaculum, in association with a controlled and specific diet, allows reducing the cases of prostatitis in subjects men aged 55-65 years with recurrent infections and inflammations. The probiotics strain PROMen Hyperbiotics, taken for 12 weeks by the subjects in the Test group allowed to restore a good bacterial flora, creating an epithelial barrier that allows protecting against attacks by E. coli and E. faecalis and reduce the permeability of the tissue. In addition, probiotics allow to regulate and help the homeostasis of the immune system thus helping the subjects to respond better to possible attacks, also controlling the onset of extraintestinal infections. However more longitudinal studies are needed in different experimental settings for in-depth understanding with broader data analysis.
Prostate infection caused by certain pathogens, most likely present in combination involves the onset of chronic inflammation, a common condition in adulthood and positively related to an increased tumor risk, this also allows us to say that the use of probiotics specific that allows restoring a healthy microbiota and to reduce inflammatory processes indirectly also reduces the risk of developing cancer. Considering potential health benefits probiotics as an aid but also as a modulating factor for various pathological conditions related to the urogenital system.
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