Low vitamin D and low HDL cholesterol levels associated with Benign Prostatic Enlargement

This study was published in the Journal of Urology 2013 Feb 8. pii: S0022-5347(13)00252-8

Study title and authors:
Low 25-OH Vitamin D Level is Associated with Benign Prostatic Enlargement (BPE).

Mellström D, Haghsheno MA, Behre CJ, Damber JE, Johansson H, Karlsson M, Lorentzon M, Peeker R, Barrett-Connor E, Waern E, Sundh V, Ohlsson C, Hammarsten J.
Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Centre for Bone and Arthritis Research at the Sahlgrenska Academy (CBAR), S-413 45 Goteborg, Sweden.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23399651

This study investigated factors associated with Benign Prostatic Enlargement. (Benign Prostatic Enlargement may lead to painful urination and increased risk of urinary tract infections). The study included 155 men aged 72-76 years.

Regarding vitamin D and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the study found that low levels of these factors was significantly associated with with large prostate glands.

Dietary vitamin D is virtually only available in foods of animal origin, see here, and the most effective dietary strategy to raise HDL cholesterol levels is to consume a diet high in saturated fat, see here and here.