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Chen X, Hu C, Peng Y, Lu J, Yang NQ, Chen L, Zhang GQ, Tang LK, Dai JC. Association of diet and lifestyle with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and pain severity: a case-control study. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2015 Dec 15. doi: 10.1038/pcan.2015.57. [Epub ahead of print]

The cause of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is unclear, though dietary choices and lifestyle factors are often suspected as the cause in some men with the condition. However, there are few studies that comprehensively evaluate the link between diet/lifestyle and this condition. Accordingly, researchers in China recruited 784 men with CP/CPPS from hospitals in Shanghai and evaluated each using a questionnaire that looked at their medical history, diet and lifestyle, CP/CPPS symptoms and more. For comparison, they used the same questionnaire in 785 control subjects (i.e., men without CP/CPPS). When they analyzed the results, researchers found a number of potential diet- or lifestyle-related factors that raised the risk of CP/CPPS, including smoking, drinking alcohol, stress, nightshift work, frequent sexual activity, holding urine, less water intake, and imbalanced diet. Moreover, they found several diet/lifestyle factors associated with severe pain in CP/CPPS patients, including consumption of caffeinated drinks, less water intake, and lack of exercise. These findings encouraged investigators, since so many of them are modifiable (e.g., smoking). However, researchers still don’t know exactly how these factors would cause CP/CPPS or increase pain associated with the condition, suggesting a need for more research.