Men's Health USA is a comprehensive, unique, medically-supervised program focused on men's specific health-related challenges. It's designed to help men live a longer, happier and healthier life. This includes prostate health, testicular health and sexual health issues. Health assessments and recommendations can identify undetected risks to improve a man's overall vitality.



Q: What is the prostate?

A: The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and the penis. The prostate secretes fluid that nourishes and protects sperm. During ejaculation, the prostate squeezes this fluid into the urethra, and is expelled with sperm as semen.

Q: What is the function of the prostate?

A: The most important function of the prostate gland is the production of seminal fluid. The prostate also changes testosterone to a biologically active form and assists in closing off the section of the urethra that runs to the bladder to keep semen from entering during ejaculation.

The portion of semen formed in the prostate is necessary for the sperm cells to function properly, and thus is important to a man's fertility. The prostate contains enzymes, including prostate-specific antigen, that thin the semen. It also contains spermine, a hormone-like substance that primarily enables sperm cells to move. This fluid is combined with fluids from other glands and sperm cells from tests in the urethra prior to ejaculation.

The prostate works together with the bladder sphincter muscle during ejaculation to prevent semen from entering the bladder, and muscles in the prostate also close off the seminal ducts to prevent urine from entering them during urination. The prostate assists in the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, a much more potent hormone. This conversion is necessary for many of the effects of testosterone to manifest in the body.