Blakiston's Medical Dictionary describes the prostate thusly: the organ surrounding the neck of the urinary bladder and beginning of the urethra in the male (prostatic urethra). It consists of two lateral lobes, an anterior and a posterior lobe, and a middle lobe, and is composed of muscular and glandular tissue; a distinct capsule surrounds it. It is the largest auxiliary gland of the male reproductive system and its secretions comprise approximately 40% of the semen.

Good old Blakiston's, eh? It tells you quite a lot of information about a gland that is commonly thought about so rarely. A man thinks about it hardly more than once a year when the Doctor puts on the old latex glove; that is what he's doing up there, feeling and palpating the prostate to detect any growths on the organ or if the organ itself is growing.

Another time the prostate will call attention to itself is with a case of prostatis. This is a painful inflammation, and it can be caused by bacterial infection, which can be treated with antibiotics, or the non-bacterial that can be treated with antioxidants. The Europeans treat prostatitis with berry extracts of saw palmetto, pygeum, and stinging nettles. Other herbs that are helpful are ginseng, sarsaparilla, and chaparral.

When your prostate is happy and functioning properly, it makes and stores much of the seminal fluid that is the transport medium for sperm. As men get older and the demand for seminal fluid levels off, it is a handy thing to know that regular ejaculations clean the gland through which spermatic fluids pass. (Another healthy habit is for men to check their testicles every month after turning 16. Any changes should be reported to the doctor.)

Benign prostate enlargement can cause very bothersome symptoms. The prostate swells and causes pressure of the bladder and urethra, and can cause dribbling of urine and the feeling that the bladder has not been emptied completely. In the last few years medications have been developed that directly address the prostate enlargement and so bring relief to the urinary symptoms.

Prostate cancer is not the same as BPH (benign swelling of the prostate) although growth of the prostate does take place with cancer. Doctors know the growth of prostate cancer can be slowed by getting rid of testosterone in the body but aren't sure if adding testosterone can cause the disease.

Some men think that the risk is worth it, as many men clamor for hormone replacement therapy to address their symptoms of andropause, also known as male menopause. Twenty years ago testosterone pills were very popular and widely used. Because of liver damage and tumors, the pills were taken off the market. Newer, safer pills have been developed in Europe. In America, new hormones called Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) are being developed. SARMs resemble testosterone but do not affect the prostate. Hopefully, they could offer the benefits of conventional testosterone therapy while significantly decrease harmful potential side effects of the testosterone used today.

Until that day, patients undergoing hormone replacement therapy will need to have regular physical exams and blood work to make sure you are getting the good of HRT without any of the bad.