Should You Drink Less with Enlarged Prostate?

Symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, also known as an enlarged prostate) include the frequent or urgent need to urinate. Nocturia, when you have to wake up at night to pee, is also a common symptom. For that reason, many men think they can manage their symptoms by reducing their overall fluid intake. So, should you drink less with enlarged prostate problems? The answer is no, and this is why.

 Should You Drink Less with Enlarged Prostate?

Since drinking does make you urinate, reducing your fluid intake could temporarily relieve some BPH symptoms. But you still should not drink less with BPH, because doing so could lead to dehydration. Then, you're at an increased risk for both bladder and kidney stones. You could even give yourself an overactive bladder. And that could worsen existing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) brought on by your enlarged prostate.

Drink the Same, Time it Differently

Since you should not drink less with an enlarged prostate, how can you manage your symptom burden? Ideally, you should take care about the timing of when you consume fluids. Aim to consume about 64 ounces of fluid in a day, increasing that total if you work out or go outside in warm, sunny weather. But try to avoid drinking anything in the two hours before bedtime, steering clear of food as well, especially fluid-rich dietary choices.

You should also be careful about the types of fluid you ingest. Reducing or eliminating caffeine and alcohol from your diet can help reduce your urgent trips to the bathroom, since both substances are irritants and can contribute to your frequent need to urinate.

Choosing Treatment Over Coping Mechanisms

Instead of planning your day around your drinking schedule and bathroom trips, you can choose to find lasting relief with PAE treatment. This minimally invasive procedure shrinks your prostate by blocking blood flow to the gland. Afterward, symptoms improve or disappear. And you can finally stop worrying about the need to drink less with an enlarged prostate.

Ready to find relief from an enlarged prostate? Want to avoid the cost, down time and side effects associated with surgery? We're here to help. Just [/ga-appt-link] reach out to our team [/ga-appt-link] at the Georgia Prostate Institute and request a consultation. When you come in to the office, we can explore your candidacy for this procedure.