What is the prostate gland?

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What is the prostate gland?
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Located between the bladder and rectum,
the prostate is a gland made up of two lobes and
surrounded by a layer of tissue. Theprostate also
surrounds the urethra, the tube which carries
both urine and semen into the penis. The prostate
is quite small in young men, about the size of a
walnut, but grows throughout the lifetime of its
male host.
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Prostate Functions The prostate carries out
several important functions. First and foremost,
the prostate functions as a sex gland by not only
creating the fluid that helps nourish sperm and
protect them on their journey through the vaginal
tract, but in its further capacity as a muscle,
it helps propel said sperm through the penis upon
ejaculation.
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That fluid is produced by thousands of tiny
glands within the prostate, which mixes with
sperm to create semen. That process is carried
out during ejaculation. As the muscles contract,
forcing this fluid into the urethra, it mixes
with sperm being released from the testicles to
form semen.
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This prostatic fluids alkalinity helps protect
the sperm upon entering the acidic vaginal tract.
Without this coating, sperm have less mobility,
shorter lifespans, and are prone to losing their
DNA markers.
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When healthy, the prostate functions as a line of
defence against any bacteria attempting to invade
the bladder. As well, it helps men control their
rate of urine flow by contracting around the
urethra and limiting the amount of urine that is
released at any given time.
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Prostate Size The size of the prostate tends to
be uniform among men, regardless of race,
typically being about the size of a kiwifruit,
and weighing around one ounce. The size is not
static throughout the life of its host though,
and typically goes through two main stages of
growth.
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The size of the prostate first begins to increase
when a boy first reaches puberty, approximately
doubling in size. Again in the mid 20s the size
of the prostate increases again, though this time
not as dramatically as during puberty
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After the second growth spurt, the prostate often
continues to grow slightly over time, and this
can result in a common condition called Benign
Prostatic Hyperplasy (BPH). BPH is present in a
high percentage of males over 40, and an even
higher percentage of males over 60, though not
all males will be subject to symptoms of BPH.
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These symptoms can include more frequent
urination, an inability to completely empty the
bladder, a weak urine stream, as well as painful
and/or bloody urination.
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For more information visit this link
www.prostate-health-center.com
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Thank You