The prostate gland, which is part of the male reproductive system, starts life at about the size of a pea and grows rapidly during puberty in response to hormonal changes to reach about the size of a walnut by a man’s early twenties. The prostate is divided into three sections, two of which are responsible for most of the prostate problems we see. For example, the peripheral section to the rear of the gland is where both prostatitis and prostate cancer tend to develop, while the central transitional section which surrounds the urethra is the area in which growth in later life tends to lead to the problems associated with an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia.