What is the most common prostate problem among men over age 50?

By age 60, half of all men will have an enlarged prostate, a condition also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. By age 85, the proportion reaches 90%.

While BPH does not increase your risk of getting prostate cancer or having sexual problems, it can affect quality of life, specifically by causing annoying and embarrassing urination problems.

"Since prostate enlargement happens gradually, men often think more frequent trips to the bathroom are a natural part of aging," says Dr. Howard LeWine, chief medical editor at Harvard Health Publishing and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. "But a little medication can help relieve symptoms, meaning less urinary urgency and fewer nighttime awakenings to use the bathroom."