Sugar is a seemingly inescapable part of the Western diet. Due to the rise in popularity of low-fat diets, sugar is now found in products throughout the grocery store. 

A little sugar is fine but eating too much sugar is bad for your health and can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease. Excess sugar is even linked to depression and Alzheimer’s disease (1, 2).

Eating too much sugar is also bad for your prostate. 

Researchers have found that high-sugar diets and high blood sugar levels increase the risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as an enlarged prostate, as well as prostate cancer (3, 4). 

Keep reading to discover how eating sugar negatively affects your prostate and what you can do to reduce your sugar intake. 

How Sugar Impacts the Prostate

Sugar Increases Inflammation in the Prostate

Sugar is one of the main drivers of inflammation in the diet (5). 

Eating too much sugar increases inflammation throughout your body, including your prostate. And inflammation is thought to play a key role in driving prostate growth and BPH (6).

Pro-inflammatory proteins called interleukins tell the cells in the prostate to multiply and expand, making the prostate larger (6). 

This process leads to a vicious cycle where the enlarged prostate creates even more inflammation which in turn causes it to grow even bigger, eventually leading to BPH. 

This explains why men with higher levels of chronic inflammation in their bodies have more severe symptoms of BPH, such as frequent urination and incomplete emptying of the bladder (7). 

Inflammation is also thought to be one of the key factors in developing prostate cancer (8). 

One study found that men who drank sugar-sweetened drinks were more likely to develop prostate cancer (9).  

In a large study of nearly 18,000 men, those with diabetic blood sugar levels had a 50% greater chance of developing prostate cancer compared to those with normal blood sugar levels (10).

High Insulin Levels Are Bad For the Prostate

When you eat a ton of sugar, your body has to release a hormone called insulin that helps direct the sugar into the cells. The more sugar you eat, the more insulin your body has to release.

High insulin levels increase the activity of IGF-1, a hormone that tells cells to grow and divide. This includes prostate cells (11).   

This is why higher insulin levels increase the risk of developing BPH and high blood sugar levels are directly linked to a larger prostate size in men with BPH (12, 13).

It may also explain why type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor for developing BPH, as the disease involves elevated levels of insulin (14). 

Higher insulin and IGF-1 levels also promote cancer growth (15).

In men with existing prostate cancer, elevated blood sugar levels were associated with a lower rate of survival (16).

Sugar Can Lead to Weight Gain

Because of the addictive nature of sugar, it’s easy to eat too much and put on unwanted weight. This is bad news for the prostate. 

A healthy prostate relies on a proper balance of estrogen and testosterone. When testosterone levels drop and estrogen levels rise, the prostate begins to enlarge (17).

Being overweight shifts the hormonal balance in favor of estrogen, which creates an environment that causes the prostate to grow. 

This is why being overweight and obese are significant risk factors for developing BPH (18,19, 20).

If you want to keep your prostate healthy and happy, ditch the sugar. 

How To Eat Less Sugar

Eat more fiber and protein

To curb your sugar intake, try eating more foods rich in fiber and protein. They help you feel fuller longer so you’re less likely to eat unhealthy snacks and desserts (21). 

Some good examples of these foods include nuts, eggs, legumes, and oats. 

Use healthy sugar substitutes

Sometimes, you just can’t ignore that sweet tooth. If you’re really craving something sweet, opt for zero-calorie sweeteners instead of sugar. These include stevia, monk fruit extract, and erythritol. 

Using these sweeteners will help satisfy those sugar cravings without the added calories and inflammation. 

Avoid artificial sweeteners like sucralose as they can disrupt your gut microbiome and are actually linked to overeating and weight gain (22).

Make Sure You’re Sleeping Well

While it’s recommended we get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, many of us get by on much less. But this may be hurting your ability to cut back on sugar. 

Studies show that when we don’t sleep enough, we’re more likely to crave sugary, high-calorie foods (23).

ProstaGenix 

ProstaGenix is the number one prostate supplement to support prostate health. Its powerful blend of all-natural ingredients is backed by science to help improve prostate function and health.

It includes zinc, selenium, and vitamin D which are crucial for a healthy prostate. 

ProstaGenix contains a unique, patented blend of natural phytosterols– including beta-sitosterol– proven to help reduce inflammation and improve symptoms of BPH. 

Grape seed extract and pomegranate extract found in ProstaGenix are powerful anti-inflammatories that reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the prostate. 

Grape seed extract also helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. 

With ProstaGenix you’ll experience less urgency to go and need fewer visits to the restroom, both day and night. It can also help restore a strong urinary flow and complete emptying. 

Take care of your prostate with ProstaGenix.