Male Nutritional therapy may be very effective in alleviating a host of issues such as prostate problems, male pattern baldness, impotence or decreased libido.     Prostate Health Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or non-cancerous enlargment of the prostate gland can contribute to impotence frequency of urination in men over 50. Did you know? Zinc intake has been shown to inhibit growth of prostate cancer cells in-vitro (Ji-Yong Liang et al, 1999). Low zinc intake or absorption can also contribute to BPH. A significant percentrage of older men have lowered gastric (stomach) acidity, leading to inability to absorb zinc from supplements or diet. A telltale sign of this is bloating, indigestion, pain or belching after meals containing protein foods such as meat/fish. Stress, alcohol and high sugar intake deplete zinc. Digestive impairment may respond very well to an individually- tailored nutritional programme in a relatively short space of time. High fruit consumption is associated with lower incidence of BPH (Lagiou et al, 1999) BPH can also be related to hormonal imbalance. This may be alleviated by including certain foods in the diet to alter the activity of oestrogen (also produced by men!) in the body. Impotence In 90% of cases impotence is caused by underlying health problems which are often treatable. The most common causes of impotence are heart disease, diabetes, alcohol, smoking, drug side effects, thyroid diseases and prostate diseases. It is a good idea to consult your GP to rule out heart disease etc. However, simple dietary and lifestyle changes can address the underlying causes of impotence rather than simply treat the symptoms. Your nutritional therapist may help you put a simple plan in place to boost fruit and vegetables and good fats in your diet, reduce damaged and harmful fats and eat more zinc rich foods in addition to treating underlying issues such as digestive impairment which can cause inability to absorb many key nutrients. References: Lagiou P, Wuu J, Trichopoulou A et al (1999) Diet and benign prostatic hyperplasia: a study in Greece.Urology. 1999 54(2):284-90. Ji-Yong Liang, Yi-Yan Liu, Jing Zou et al (1999) Inhibitory effect of zinc on human prostatic carcinoma cell growth. The Prostate 40 (3): 200-7