Effects of 8-Week Endurance Training on Autophagy and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Rats

The study investigated the effects of endurance exercise on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in rats, focusing on autophagy and inflammation. Forty-eight male rats were divided into four groups and subjected to different treatments, including exercise and finasteride. Results showed that while exercise did not improve autophagy flux or reduce prostate weight, it significantly decreased levels of DHT and proinflammatory factors (IL-1β and IL-6) in both serum and prostate. The study concluded that endurance exercise might benefit BPH by reducing hormonal and inflammatory factors rather than through autophagy regulation.