Dietary macronutrients, cholesterol, and sodium and lower urinary tract symptoms in men

Background

Little is known about dietary correlates of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

Objective

To examine associations between dietary intakes of total energy, carbohydrates, protein, fats, cholesterol, and sodium and LUTS in men.

Design, setting, and participants

Cross-sectional study of 1545 men aged 30–79 yr in the Boston Area Community Health survey (2002–2005), a random population-based sample. Dietary data were assessed by validated self-administered food frequency questionnaire. LUTS and covariate data were collected during in-person interviews. Primary analyses used multivariate logistic regression.

Measurements

Outcomes were moderate to severe LUTS, storage symptoms, and voiding symptoms as measured by the American Urological Association Symptom Index.

Results and limitations

Greater total energy intake was associated with higher LUTS symptom score (p_trend < 0.01) and increased likelihood of storage symptoms. No associations were observed with total, saturated, or monounsaturated fat intake or carbohydrates. Men who consumed more protein were less likely to report LUTS, particularly voiding symptoms (quintile 5 vs quintile 1 OR = 0.35; 95% CI, 0.17–0.74; p = 0.006). Sodium intake had positive linear associations with LUTS (p_trend = 0.01) and storage symptom score (p_trend = 0.004); this finding should be confirmed by studies using biomarkers of sodium exposure. Storage symptoms increased slightly with greater polyunsaturated fat intake (p_trend = 0.006). Data on specific polyunsaturated fats were unavailable.

Conclusions

This community-based study of men found that total energy and sodium intake were positively associated with LUTS, whereas greater protein intake was inversely associated with LUTS.