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What Is the Right Body Temperature for a Healthy Prostate?

Maintaining a healthy temperature for the prostate does not require conscious thought. Prostate health should be maintained with a healthy diet, exercise and regular prostate exams. But apart from the conscious effort a man makes to ensure his prostate health there are myriad of normal bodily functions that protect the prostate, including body temperature.

  1. Normal Body Temperature

    • The normal human body temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Celsius is a healthy temperature for the prostate. The prostate is maintained, along with other organs, at a constant temperature of 98.6 degrees. If the body is too hot, it attempts to regulate itself through sweat. Likewise if it is too cold, the body will draw heat toward the torso protecting the vital organs, including the prostate.

    Prostate Anatomy

    • The prostate is located just below the bladder. It is penetrated by the urethra, a transport duct that acts as the major thoroughfare for semen and urine. The prostate is responsible for producing a nutritional fluid that "feeds" the sperm before, during and after ejaculation. According to the book, "Human Anatomy and Physiology," the fluid produced in the prostate is thought to play a part in dissolving the mucus cap covering a woman's cervix.

    Prostate Cancer

    • No evidence exists correlating changes in body temperature with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer usually begins in the gland cells and is called adenocarcinoma.The gland cells are the functional component of the prostate that produce the nutritional fluid which combines with semen. No studies have been conducted to measure the effect of adverse body temperature on the gland cells.

    Considerations

    • If body temperature elevates beyond 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit it is considered a fever. Fevers higher than 107 degrees Fahrenheit can denature enzymes and damage the prostate. A fever is a normal response to illness, creating a hostile environment for invading bacteria; but a fever that lasts too long or runs too high may have adverse affects on the prostate or the male reproductive system.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Extreme fluctuations in body temperature are a danger to health, including prostate health. Avoiding extreme changes in body temperature promotes homeostasis and prevents acute damage to the prostate gland.

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