Men's Health Check

More young people getting heart diseases - PHA

2010-02-08T00:07:00.000-08:00

MANILA, Philippines - More young people are suffering from cardiovascular diseases due to unhealthy lifestyle habits in the workplace, the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) said yesterday.
PHA vice president Dr. Eleanor Lopez has called for a healthy workplace in a bid to curb a high hypertension death rate in the Philippines.
“Cardiovascular disease patients are getting younger and the scourge has crept in the workplace. We urge the public to stop nurturing a generation that carries distinct risks of developing catastrophic vascular complications like a heart attack or a stroke,” Lopez said in an interview during the celebration of heart month 2010 with the theme “Ang Mahusay na Manggagawa, sa Katawan di Pabaya” in Quezon City yesterday.
She cited young people working in call centers who adapt unhealthy diet and lifestyle habits and are most susceptible to developing cardiovascular diseases.
“At the workplace, you sit the whole day for eight hours and don’t do any activity. A lot are also smokers and eat cholesterol and fat-laden foods. We are concerned that people in their 20s, 30s who are not even in their 50s have heart diseases,” Lopez said
The PHA said the Philippines has among the highest death rates for hypertension in Asia; second to Indonesia in mortality for rheumatic heart disease. The country also ranked third for stroke after Japan and fourth after Singapore in coronary heart diseases. Overall deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) comprised 25 percent of total deaths in 1995.
Lopez urged the public to keep a wholesome health regimen to avoid contracting cardiovascular diseases at an early age.
A well-balanced diet and an increased intake of vegetables and fruits narrow down one’s cardiovascular disease risk by 17 percent and quitting smoking will help keep a normal blood pressure (120/80) and sugar level (90 to 100). Physical inactivity ups the risk of developing heart disease by 1.5 times.

Source: The Philippine Star

What is Cholesterol?

2009-02-14T02:33:00.000-08:00

Cholesterol is a lipidic, waxy alcohol found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential component of mammalian cell membranes where it is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity. Cholesterol is the principal sterol synthesized by animals, but small quantities are synthesized in other eukaryotes, such as plants and fungi. It is almost completely absent among prokaryotes, which include bacteria.^[3] Cholesterol is classified as a sterol (a contraction of steroid and alcohol).

Although cholesterol is essential for life, high levels in circulation are associated with atherosclerosis. Cholesterol is synthesized in virtually all cells, and significant amounts of it can be absorbed from the diet.

The name cholesterol originates from the Greek chole- (bile) and stereos (solid), and the chemical suffix -ol for an alcohol, as François Poulletier de la Salle first identified cholesterol in solid form in gallstones, in 1769. However, it was only in 1815 that chemist Eugène Chevreul named the compound "cholesterine".

What is High Blood Pressure?

2009-02-14T02:31:00.000-08:00

Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, HTN or HPN, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated. In current usage, the word "hypertension"^[1] without a qualifier normally refers to systemic, arterial hypertension.^[2]

Hypertension can be classified either essential (primary) or secondary. Essential hypertension indicates that no specific medical cause can be found to explain a patient's condition. Secondary hypertension indicates that the high blood pressure is a result of (i.e., secondary to) another condition, such as kidney disease or tumours (pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma).

Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic renal failure. Even moderate elevation of arterial blood pressure leads to shortened life expectancy. At severely high pressures, defined as mean arterial pressures 50% or more above average, a person can expect to live no more than a few years unless appropriately treated.^[3]

In individuals older than 50 years, hypertension is considered to be present when a person's systolic blood pressure is consistently 140 mm Hg or greater or when the diastolic blood pressure is consistently 90 mm Hg or greater. Beginning at a systolic pressure of 115 and diastolic pressure of 75 (commonly written as 115/75 mm Hg), cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk doubles for each increment of 20/10 mmHg.^[4] Prehypertension is defined as blood pressure from 121/81 mm Hg to 139/89 mm Hg. Prehypertension is not a disease category; rather, it is a designation chosen to identify individuals at high risk of developing hypertension.^[4] The Mayo Clinic specifies that blood pressure is normal if it is 120/80 or below.^[5] Patients with blood pressures over 130/80 mm Hg along with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or kidney disease require further treatment.^[4]

Resistant hypertension is defined as the failure to reduce BP to the appropriate level after taking a three-drug regimen.^[4] The American Heart Association released guidelines for treating resistant hypertension.[

What is Diabetes Mellitus?

2009-02-14T02:29:00.000-08:00

Diabetes mellitus (IPA: /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz/ or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/, /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/), often referred to simply as diabetes (Ancient Greek: διαβαίνειν "to pass through"), is a syndrome of disordered metabolism, usually due to a combination of hereditary and environmental causes, resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia).^[2] Blood glucose levels are controlled by a complex interaction of multiple chemicals and hormones in the body, including the hormone insulin made in the beta cells of the pancreas. Diabetes mellitus refers to the group of diseases that lead to high blood glucose levels due to defects in either insulin secretion or insulin action.^[3]

Diabetes develops due to a diminished production of insulin (in type 1) or resistance to its effects (in type 2 and gestational).^[4] Both lead to hyperglycaemia, which largely causes the acute signs of diabetes: excessive urine production, resulting compensatory thirst and increased fluid intake, blurred vision, unexplained weight loss, lethargy, and changes in energy metabolism.

All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became medically available in 1921, but there is no cure. The injections by a syringe, insulin pump, or insulin pen deliver insulin, which is a basic treatment of type 1 diabetes. Type 2 is managed with a combination of dietary treatment, exercise, medications and insulin supplementation.

Diabetes and its treatments can cause many complications. Acute complications (hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis, or nonketotic hyperosmolar coma) may occur if the disease is not adequately controlled. Serious long-term complications include cardiovascular disease (doubled risk), chronic renal failure, retinal damage (which can lead to blindness), nerve damage (of several kinds), and microvascular damage, which may cause erectile dysfunction and poor wound healing. Poor healing of wounds, particularly of the feet, can lead to gangrene, and possibly to amputation. Adequate treatment of diabetes, as well as increased emphasis on blood pressure control and lifestyle factors (such as not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight), may improve the risk profile of most of the chronic complications. In the developed world, diabetes is the most significant cause of adult blindness in the non-elderly and the leading cause of non-traumatic amputation in adults, and diabetic nephropathy is the main illness requiring renal dialysis in the United States.

What is Gout?

2009-02-14T02:27:00.000-08:00

Gout (metabolic arthritis) is a disease created by a buildup of uric acid. In this condition, crystals of monosodium urate or uric acid are deposited on the articular cartilage of joints, tendons and surrounding tissues. These crystals cause inflammation and pain, both severe. If untreated, the crystals form tophi, which can cause significant tissue damage. Gout results from a combination of elevated concentrations of uric acid and overall acidity in the bloodstream. In isolation, neither elevated uric acid (hyperuricemia) nor acidity is normally sufficient to cause gout.

What is Arthritis?

2009-02-14T02:22:00.000-08:00

Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people older than fifty-five years.^{[citation needed]}

There are different forms of arthritis and each has a different cause. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is a result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint, or age. Emerging evidence suggests that abnormal anatomy might contribute to the early development of osteoarthritis^{[citation needed]}. Other arthritis forms are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, autoimmune diseases in which the body attacks itself. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection. Gouty arthritis is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint, causing inflammation. There is also an uncommon form of gout caused by the formation of rhomboid crystals of calcium pyrophosphate. This gout is known as pseudogout.

Background, cause and incidence

2009-02-14T02:21:00.000-08:00

Incidence of pattern baldness varies from population to population based on genetic background. Environmental factors do not seem to affect this type of baldness greatly. One large scale study in Maryborough, Victoria, Australia showed the prevalence of mid-frontal hair loss increases with age and affects 57% of women and 73.5% of men aged 80 and over. According to Medem Medical Library's website, male pattern baldness affects roughly 40 million men in the United States. Approximately 25 percent of men begin balding by age 30; two-thirds begin balding by age 60.

Male pattern is characterized by hair receding from the lateral sides of the forehead, known as "receding hairline". Receding hairlines are usually seen in males above the ages of 25 but can be seen as early as mid-teens.

An additional bald patch may develop on top (vertex). The trigger for this type of baldness (called androgenetic alopecia) is DHT, a powerful sex hormone, body, and facial hair growth promoter that can adversely affect the hair on the head as well as the prostate.^[1]

The mechanism by which DHT accomplishes this is not yet understood. In genetically-prone scalps, DHT initiates a process of follicular miniaturization. Through the process of follicular miniaturization, hair shaft width is progressively decreased until scalp hair resembles fragile vellus hair or "peach fuzz" or else becomes non-existent. Onset of hair loss sometimes begins as early as end of puberty, and is mostly genetically determined. Male pattern baldness is classified on the Hamilton-Norwood scale I-VII.

It was previously believed that baldness was inherited from the maternal grandfather. While there is some basis for this belief, both parents contribute to their offspring's likelihood of hair loss. Most likely, inheritance is technically "autosomal dominant with mixed penetrance" (see 'baldness folklore' below)

There are several other kinds of baldness:

Traction alopecia is most commonly found in people with ponytails or cornrows who pull on their hair with excessive force.
Trichotillomania is the loss of hair caused by compulsive pulling and bending of the hairs. It tends to occur more in children than in adults. In this condition the hairs are not absent from the scalp but are broken. Where they break near the scalp they cause typical, short, "exclamation mark" hairs.
Traumas such as chemotherapy, childbirth, major surgery, poisoning, and severe stress may cause a hair loss condition known as telogen effluvium.^[2]
Worrisome hair loss often follows childbirth without causing actual baldness. In this situation, the hair is actually thicker during pregnancy due to increased circulating oestrogens. After the baby is born, the oestrogen levels fall back to normal pre-pregnancy levels and the additional hair foliage drops out. A similar situation occurs in women taking the fertility-stimulating drug clomiphene.
Iron deficiency is a common cause of thinning of the hair, though frank baldness is not usually seen.
Radiation to the scalp, as happens when radiotherapy is applied to the head for the treatment of certain cancers there, can cause baldness of the irradiated areas.
Some mycotic infections can cause massive hair loss.^[3]

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder also known as "spot baldness" that can result in hair loss ranging from just one location (Alopecia areata monolocularis) to every hair on the entire body (Alopecia areata universalis).
Localized or diffuse hair loss may also occur in cicatricial alopecia (lupus erythematosus, lichen plano pilaris, folliculitis decalvans, central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, postmenopausal frontal fibrosing alopecia, etc.). Tumours and skin outgrowths also induce localized baldness (sebaceous nevus, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma).
Hypothyroidism can cause hair loss, typically frontal, and is particularly associated with thinning of the outer third of the eyebrows (syphilis also can cause loss of the outer third of the eyebrows)
Hyperthyroidism can also cause hair loss, which is parietal rather than frontal.
Temporary loss of hair can occur in areas where sebaceous cysts are present for considerable duration; normally one to several weeks in length.

What is Baldness?

2009-02-14T02:18:00.000-08:00

Baldness involves the state of lacking hair where it often grows, especially on the head. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or "male pattern baldness" that occurs in adult male humans and other species. The amount and patterns of baldness can vary greatly; it ranges from male and female pattern alopecia (androgenic alopecia, also called androgenetic alopecia or alopecia androgenetica), alopecia areata, which involves the loss of some of the hair from the head, and alopecia totalis, which involves the loss of all head hair, to the most extreme form, alopecia universalis, which involves the loss of all hair from the head and the body.

What is Smoking?

2009-02-14T02:16:00.000-08:00

Smoking is a practice where a substance, most commonly tobacco, is burned and the smoke tasted or inhaled. This is primarily done as a form of recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances in drugs such as nicotine and makes them available for absorption through the lungs. It can also be done as a part of rituals, to induce trances and spiritual enlightenment. The most common method of smoking today is through cigarettes, primarily industrially manufactured but also hand-rolled from loose tobacco and rolling paper. Other forms, though not as common, are pipes, cigars, hookahs and bongs.

Smoking is one of the most common forms of recreational drug use. Tobacco smoking is today by far the most popular form of smoking and is practiced by over one billion people in the majority of all human societies. Less common drugs for smoking include cannabis and opium. Most drugs that are smoked are considered to be addictive. Some of the substances are classified as hard narcotics, like heroin and crack cocaine, but the use of these is very limited as they are often not commercially available.

The history of smoking can be dated to as early as 5000 BC, and has been recorded in many different cultures across the world. Early smoking evolved in association with religious ceremonies; as offerings to deities, in cleansing rituals or to allow shamans and priests to alter their minds for purposes of divination or spiritual enlightenment. After the European exploration and conquest of the Americas, the practice of smoking tobacco quickly spread to the rest of the world. In regions like India and Subsaharan Africa, it merged with existing practices of smoking (mostly of cannabis). In Europe, it introduced a new type of social activity and a form of drug intake which previously had been unknown.

Perception surrounding smoking has varied over time and from one place to another; holy and sinful, sophisticated and vulgar, a panacea and deadly health hazard. Only recently, and primarily in industrialized Western countries, has smoking come to be viewed in a decidedly negative light. Today medical studies have proven that smoking is among the leading causes of diseases such as stenosis, lung cancer^[1], heart attacks^[2] and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease^[3], and can also lead to birth defects. The well-proven health hazards of smoking have caused many countries to institute high taxes on tobacco products and anti-smoking campaigns are launched every year in an attempt to curb smoking. Several countries, states and cities have also imposed smoking bans in most public buildings. Despite these bans, European countries still hold 18 of the top 20 spots, and according to the ERC, a market research company, the heaviest smokers are from Greece, averaging 3,000 cigarettes per person in 2007.^[4] Rates of smoking have leveled off or declined in the developed world but continue to rise in developing countries. Smoking rates in the United States have dropped by half from 1965 to 2006, falling from 42% to 20.8% in adults.

What is Sexually Transmitted Infection?

2009-02-14T02:14:00.000-08:00

A sexually transmitted infection (STI) or venereal disease (VD), is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans or animals by means of sexual contact, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. Increasingly, the term sexually transmitted infection (STI) is used, as it has a broader range of meaning; a person may be infected, and may potentially infect others, without showing signs of disease. Some STIs can also be transmitted via use of an IV drug needle after its use by an infected person, as well as through childbirth or breastfeeding. Sexually transmitted infections have been well known for hundreds of years.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

2009-02-14T02:11:00.000-08:00

Stress incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI), also known as effort incontinence, is due essentially to insufficient strength of the pelvic floor muscles. It is the loss of small amounts of urine associated with coughing, laughing, sneezing, exercising or other movements that increase intra-abdominal pressure and thus increase pressure on the bladder. The urethra is supported by fascia of the pelvic floor. If this support is insufficient, the urethra can move downward at times of increased abdominal pressure, allowing urine to pass.

In men, stress incontinence is common following a prostatectomy. It is the most common form of incontinence in men.

In women, physical changes resulting from pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause often contribute to stress incontinence. Stress incontinence can worsen during the week before the menstrual period. At that time, lowered estrogen levels may lead to lower muscular pressure around the urethra, increasing chances of leakage. The incidence of stress incontinence increases following menopause, similarly because of lowered estrogen levels. In female high-level athletes, effort incontinence occurs in all sports involving abrupt repeated increases in intra-abdominal pressure that may exceed preineal floor resistance.^[1]

Most lab results such as urine analysis, cystometry and postvoid residual volume are normal.

Stress incontinence is treatable.

Urge incontinence

Urge incontinence is involuntary loss of urine occurring for no apparent reason while suddenly feeling the need or urge to urinate. The most common cause of urge incontinence is involuntary and inappropriate detrusor muscle contractions.

Idiopathic Detrusor Overactivity - Local or surrounding infection, inflammation or irritation of the bladder.

Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity - Defective CNS inhibitory response.

Medical professionals describe such a bladder as "unstable," "spastic," or "overactive." Urge incontinence may also be called "reflex incontinence" if it results from overactive nerves controlling the bladder.

Patients with urge incontinence can suffer incontinence during sleep, after drinking a small amount of water, or when they touch water or hear it running (as when washing dishes or hearing someone else taking a shower).

Involuntary actions of bladder muscles can occur because of damage to the nerves of the bladder, to the nervous system (spinal cord and brain), or to the muscles themselves. Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's Disease, stroke, and injury--including injury that occurs during surgery--can all harm bladder nerves or muscles.

Functional incontinence

Functional incontinence occurs when a person recognizes the need to urinate, but cannot physically make it to the bathroom in time due to limited mobility. The urine loss may be large. Causes of functional incontinence include confusion, dementia, poor eyesight, poor mobility, poor dexterity, unwillingness to toilet because of depression, anxiety or anger, or being in a situation in which it is impossible to reach a toilet. ^[2]

People with functional incontinence may have problems thinking, moving, or communicating that prevent them from reaching a toilet. A person with Alzheimer's Disease, for example, may not think well enough to plan a timely trip to a restroom. A person in a wheelchair may be blocked from getting to a toilet in time. Conditions such as these are often associated with age and account for some of the incontinence of elderly women and men in nursing homes.

Overflow incontinence

Sometimes people find that they cannot stop their bladders from constantly dribbling, or continuing to dribble for some time after they have passed urine. It is as if their bladders were like a constantly overflowing pan - hence the general name overflow incontinence. Overflow incontinence occurs when the patient's bladder is always full so that it frequently leaks urine. Weak bladder muscles, resulting in incomplete emptying of the bladder, or a blocked urethra can cause this type of incontinence. Autonomic neuropathy from diabetes or other diseases (e.g Multiple sclerosis) can decrease neural signals from the bladder (allowing for overfilling) and may also decrease the expulsion of urine by the detrusor muscle (allowing for urinary retention). Additionally, tumors and kidney stones can block the urethra. Spinal cord injuries or nervous system disorders are additional causes of overflow incontinence. In men, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may also restrict the flow of urine. Overflow incontinence is rare in women, although sometimes it is caused by fibroid or ovarian tumors. Also overflow incontinence can be from increased outlet resistance from advanced vaginal prolapse causing a "kink" in the urethra or after an anti-incontinence procedure which has overcorrected the problem.^[3] Early symptoms include a hesitant or slow stream of urine during voluntary urination. Anticholinergic medications may worsen overflow incontinence.

Structural incontinence

Rarely, structural problems can cause incontinence, usually diagnosed in childhood, for example an ectopic ureter.

Bedwetting (enuresis)

Bedwetting is episodic UI while asleep. It is normal in young children.

Other types of incontinence

Stress and urge incontinence often occur together in women. Combinations of incontinence - and this combination in particular - are sometimes referred to as "mixed incontinence."

"Transient incontinence" is a temporary version of incontinence. It can be triggered by medications, urinary tract infections, mental impairment, restricted mobility, and stool impaction (severe constipation), which can push against the urinary tract and obstruct outflow.

Urinary Incontinence

2009-02-14T02:09:00.000-08:00

Urinary incontinence (UI) is any involuntary leakage of urine. It is a common and distressing problem, which may have a profound impact on quality of life. Urinary incontinence almost always results from an underlying treatable medical condition. There is also a related condition for defecation known as fecal incontinence.

Living With Prostate Cancer

2009-02-14T02:08:00.000-08:00

Getting back to normal after treatment for prostate cancer may take time.

If the prostate was removed, semen can no longer be ejaculated. Whether or not a man can achieve an erection will depend on the degree to which nerves have been affected by the surgery. Many men can return to a degree of sexual function, especially with newer surgical techniques that can save nerves that control an erection.

If impotence (erectile dysfunction) is a side effect, medication may help. While there are many drugs in use, Viagra has become the most well-known. Only a physician should prescribe a drug for erectile dysfunction, however. Some of these drugs can cause low blood pressure, and heart-related side effects have been reported.

Men whose prostate was removed will no longer produce semen, but they can still have a dry orgasm, which is a sexual climax without the release of semen from the penis. Men who wish to father children may wish to consider having their sperm frozen for use in the future.

What Is The Long-Term Outlook?

For men whose cancer has not spread beyond the prostate, the five-year survival rate is close to 100 percent. The long-term outlook depends on:

Age
Stage of cancer
Treatment

Most oncologists and urologists will say that treatment is essential for younger men. Yet, many of the therapies, such as radiation and chemotherapy, are not easy to endure. The long-term outlook and your expectations should be the subject of open and frank discussions with your care providers. Quality of life issues, especially for older men and those whose cancer has spread, become very important as part of the long-term outlook.

What Causes Prostate Cancer?

2009-02-14T02:05:00.000-08:00

The exact causes of prostate cancer are unknown. However, research aimed at understanding how cancer cells start to grow and spread may indicate some contributing factors. These factors include:

Testosterone

Testosterone, the male hormone, does not cause prostate cancer but is known to feed its growth. Therefore, some prostate cancer treatments are aimed at blocking the body's production of testosterone.

Age

Men over age 50 are at risk for prostate cancer and risk increases with age. As studies into aging continue, scientists may find that the aging process produces biochemical reactions that contribute to abnormal cell growth. This is an area of intense research.

Heredity

If a man's father or an older sibling has had prostate cancer, he is at increased risk. Also, African American men are at increased risk.

Scientists are looking at genes that may be responsible for inherited prostate cancer. The genes under investigation are called Hereditary Prostate Cancer Genes 1 and 2 (HPC1, HPC2) and HPCX.

It is not yet known to what degree these genes are responsible for prostate cancer. It may be that genetically acquired prostate cancer develops differently than cancer from other causes, but more research into this theory is needed.

Genetics

Researchers are finding that genetic flaws are responsible for many cancers. Recent research has shown that a genetic defect may keep some men from developing a certain enzyme. This enzyme could mount a defense against cells vulnerable to cancer-causing agents in the environment.

Diet

Some studies have found that a diet high in animal fat may increase a man's risk for developing prostate cancer, while a diet high in fruits and vegetables (especially tomato-based products) may decrease the risk.

Symptoms of Prostate cancer

2009-02-14T02:04:00.000-08:00

Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms. Often it is diagnosed during the workup for an elevated PSA noticed during a routine checkup. Sometimes, however, prostate cancer does cause symptoms, often similar to those of diseases such as benign prostatic hypertrophy. These include frequent urination, increased urination at night, difficulty starting and maintaining a steady stream of urine, blood in the urine, and painful urination. Prostate cancer is associated with urinary dysfunction as the prostate gland surrounds the prostatic urethra. Changes within the gland therefore directly affect urinary function. Because the vas deferens deposits seminal fluid into the prostatic urethra, and secretions from the prostate gland itself are included in semen content, prostate cancer may also cause problems with sexual function and performance, such as difficulty achieving erection or painful ejaculation.^[6].

Advanced prostate cancer can spread to other parts of the body and this may cause additional symptoms. The most common symptom is bone pain, often in the vertebrae (bones of the spine), pelvis or ribs. Spread of cancer into other bones such as the femur is usually to the proximal part of the bone. Prostate cancer in the spine can also compress the spinal cord, causing leg weakness and urinary and fecal incontinence.[

What is Prostate?

2009-02-14T02:03:00.001-08:00

The prostate is a part of the male reproductive organ which helps make and store seminal fluid. In adult men a typical prostate is about three centimeters long and weighs about twenty grams.^[3] It is located in the pelvis, under the urinary bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder during urination and semen during ejaculation.^[4] Because of its location, prostate diseases often affect urination, ejaculation, and rarely defecation. The prostate contains many small glands which make about twenty percent of the fluid constituting semen.^[5] In prostate cancer the cells of these prostate glands mutate into cancer cells. The prostate glands require male hormones, known as androgens, to work properly. Androgens include testosterone, which is made in the testes; dehydroepiandrosterone, made in the adrenal glands; and dihydrotestosterone, which is converted from testosterone within the prostate itself. Androgens are also responsible for secondary sex characteristics such as facial hair and increased muscle mass.

Prostate Cancer

2009-02-14T02:00:00.000-08:00

Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in the prostate a gland in the male reproductive system. It occurs when cells of the prostate mutate and begin to multiply out of control. These cells may spread (metastasize) from the prostate to other parts of the body, especially the bones and lymph nodes. Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, problems during sexual intercourse, erectile dysfunction and other symptoms. However those symptoms are present only in an advanced stage of the disease.

Rates of prostate cancer vary widely across the world. Although the rates vary widely between countries, it is least common in South and East Asia, more common in Europe, and most common in the United States.^[1] Prostate cancer develops most frequently in men over fifty. This cancer can occur only in men, as the prostate is exclusively of the male reproductive tract. It is one of the most common types of cancer in men. However, many men who develop prostate cancer never have symptoms, undergo no therapy, and eventually die of other causes. That is because malignant neoplasms of the prostate are, in most cases, slow-growing, and because most of those affected are over 60. Hence they often die of causes unrelated to the prostate cancer, such as heart/circulatory disease, pneumonia, other unconnected cancers or old age. Many factors, including genetics and diet, have been implicated in the development of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is most often discovered by PSA (prostate specific antigen) screening and less commonly by physical examination or by symptoms. There is some current concern about the accuracy of the PSA test and its usefulness. Suspected prostate cancer is typically confirmed by taking a biopsy of the prostate and examining it under a microscope. Further tests, such as CT scans and bone scans, may be performed to determine whether prostate cancer has spread.

Treatment options for prostate cancer with intent to cure are primarily surgery and radiation therapy. Other treatments such as hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, proton therapy, cryosurgery, high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) also exist depending on the clinical scenario and desired outcome. Abiraterone acetate is showing promise in reducing tumor size and PSA levels in aggressive end-stage prostate cancers.^[2] The age and underlying health of the man as well as the extent of spread, appearance under the microscope and response of the cancer to initial treatment are important in determining the outcome of the disease. The decision whether or not to treat localized prostate cancer (a tumor that is contained within the prostate) with curative intent is a patient trade-off between the expected beneficial and harmful effects in terms of patient survival and quality of life.

Prevention of disease - a healthy lifestyle

2009-01-13T02:12:00.001-08:00

Eat well

A healthy diet doesn't mean you have to stop eating certain foods, it just means eating a wide variety of foods as part of a balanced diet. Ideally, this should include:

carbohydrates, such as bread, milk and rice - making up at least a third of your daily diet
protein, such as meat, fish and beans or lentils
fats, such as butter, which should be no more than a third of your daily diet
fruit and vegetables, at least five portions a day
less than six grams of salt per day

Be active

Activities such as brisk walking make your heart work harder and can improve your health. Exercising for 30 minutes a day, five times a week offers significant health benefits. Those 30 minutes don't have to be continuous. You can do them in two sessions of 15 minutes to fit them into your daily routine.

Manage stress

If you feel you can't cope you may be feeling stressed. This could be related to work or your lifestyle. Take steps to reduce the stress in your life and try to change the way you respond to it. Consider relaxation techniques (such as meditation or yoga), pace yourself by tackling one task at a time and set time aside to relax. Men's health care includes mental as well as physical well-being.

Prostate Health

2009-01-13T01:50:00.000-08:00

Enlarged prostate

The prostate is a gland which is located between your bladder and urethra (the tube for passing urine). Between one to three in every 10 men in their early 70s may have symptoms of an enlarged prostate. The symptoms of which include:

* feeling that you have not completely emptied your bladder after urinating
* frequently waking up in the night to urinate
* urinating often during the day
* weak urine stream

An enlarged prostate can lead to urine infections. On rare occasions the passing of urine can be completely blocked. In some men the symptoms of an enlarged prostate go away on their own, while others may require medication.
Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is more common with increasing age and is usually found in men over 50. The causes are unclear but there is an increased risk if a close relative such as your father or brother have had it. Prostate cancer can press on the urethra and block the flow of urine. As a result you may have difficulty urinating, have to urinate more often, experience pain on passing urine or have blood in the urine. However, if you are having these symptoms there may be other causes which are not due to cancer.

Whether or not you have treatment depends on many factors including your age, general health, stage of the cancer and side-effects of the treatment. Prostate cancer is often slow growing, so in some older men the best treatment may be "watchful waiting" (no treatment). In other men, surgery, radiotherapy or hormone therapy may be considered.

Illustration showing the different structures in the male pelvis
The different structures in the male pelvis
Testicular problems

All men should examine their testes regularly for anything unusual. If you notice any changes such as swelling, lumps or pain in your testes you should get advice from a doctor.
Testicular cancer

Cancer of the testicle rarely causes pain, but may cause the scrotum to swell and requires prompt treatment. The most common symptoms are a painless lump and swelling due to the collection of fluid in the scrotum (hydrocoele). It's most common in men aged between 20 to 45.
Torsion of the testicle

Severe pain and swelling of the testicle occurs if the spermatic cord is twisted (this is called torsion). The pain develops quickly, and you may also feel sick and vomit. Unless testicular torsion is treated within a few hours, there may be permanent damage. Treatment is usually by surgery. Torsion of the testicle usually occurs in men aged 15 to 30.

Men's Sexual Health

2009-01-13T01:27:00.001-08:00

Impotence (erectile dysfunction)

Impotence is an on-going inability to achieve or to maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. The likelihood of being affected increases with age. Anything interfering with blood flow to the penis can lead to impotence. Disease, injury, medication, anxiety and depression are common causes.

Many men are reluctant to talk about impotence but in most men it can be treated. A range of treatment options are available including psychotherapy, prescription medicines and devices. Drugs like sildenafil (eg Viagra) are highly effective in treating some forms of impotence. However, they can have serious side-effects and should only be taken

Sexually transmitted infections

Some of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are chlamydia, genital warts and genital herpes. Using barrier methods of contraception, such as condoms, can reduce the risk of getting many STIs.

Coronary Heart Disease

2009-01-13T01:22:00.000-08:00

Heart disease claims more men's lives than any other disease. If you have a family history of heart disease, you have a greater chance of developing it. Changing your lifestyle can reduce this risk significantly. You can do this by:

stopping smoking, if you smoke
maintaining a healthy weight
exercising regularly
controlling your blood pressure and stress levels
eating a healthy, balanced diet
drinking no more than the recommended amount of alcohol
keeping to a low salt intake

These lifestyle changes may also reduce the risk of many other diseases such as lung cancer, bowel cancer and stroke.

High blood pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for heart disease. If you have high blood pressure over a long period of time, you are more likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke or kidney failure. Your GP can monitor your blood pressure. If it's high on several separate occasions, your doctor may recommend medication to bring it back to normal.

Blood pressure is usually considered high if it measures more than 140/90.

If you are taking medication to control your blood pressure, it's a good idea to have it checked every six months.

The "Secrets" of Weight Loss

2009-01-11T23:11:00.000-08:00

If a safe and effective diet pill is what you’re waiting for, I’ve got some bad news for you. It doesn’t exist, and probably never will. If you’re overweight, you have just two options – either learn to accept the way you are or learn how to lose weight.

"Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities. And go to work." - H.L. Hunt

Yes, losing weight can be a lot of work. But the more you know about weight loss, the easier your task becomes. If you’re willing to accept the challenge, please read on for ND’s most helpful dieting and weight loss tips:

Before beginning any diet, it’s important that you understand these two important facts:

Weight loss depends on energy balance:

To lose weight, your energy intake must be less than your energy expenditure. This will always be true. There are no foods, pills, or potions that will magically melt the pounds off. The only approach that works is eating less and/or exercising more.

Permanent weight loss requires permanent change:

Don’t assume that you can spend six weeks on a diet and then return to your old eating habits. Short term diets only produce short term results. The only successful way to keep the weight off is to make small but permanent changes in your lifestyle. Coincidentally, this is also the best way to improve your health.

The 6 Most Important Principles for Enabling Weight Loss:

Although many different weight loss techniques exist, nearly all are variations of just six basic principles. Study these principles, and make them part of your action plan:

Maintain or improve your health:

If you don’t take care of your body, it won’t take care of you. So, as a first step, make sure that your diet supplies adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, that you’re drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep and fresh air, and aren’t under too much unhealthy stress. Everything that you do to improve your overall health will help make weight loss more likely to occur.

Reduce your Caloric intake:

To lose weight, you have to change your energy balance. (See Fact #1 above.) There are just two ways to do this – either consume less energy (Calories) or expend more energy (via exercise). The easiest way to reduce your consumption is simply to cut back on the size of your meals and/or the amount of high-Calorie foods that you consume. This doesn’t mean that you have to give up any particular food. In fact, completely avoiding a food can lead to strong cravings that derail your diet. A smarter approach is to just eat less of those high-Calorie foods.

To get a good perspective of how many Calories that you consume, it’s important that you keep a food diary. You don’t have to keep your diary going forever, but do track your daily intake for at least one week. The Running Total function of ND’s Pantry make this Calorie counting exercise especially easy to do, and also provides you with totals of all other nutrients as well.

Also beware of foods containing "hidden" Calories. For example:

Watch what you drink. What you drink during the day can have a major impact on the number of Calories that you consume. There is very little difference between the satiating effects of different drinks, so this is one of the easiest places to improve your diet. Water is almost always your best choice, but coffee, tea, and diet drinks can also help cut Calories.

Be smart about condiments and toppings. Butter, mayonnaise, and a lot of the "special sauces" used by restaurants are very concentrated sources of Calories. If you want to add flavor to your food, try using lemon juice, soy sauce, salsa or different spices instead.

Maintain or increase your metabolism:

One of the most common mistakes that dieters make is to get excited or impatient with their diet, and reduce their Caloric intake too far. If you do that, your body will respond by lowering your metabolism and slowing your weight loss. To prevent this downward adjustment of your metabolism, make smaller changes to your eating habits. Your patience will pay off in terms of more consistent weight loss, more energy, and fewer cravings.

For the best results, add exercise to your plan. Regular exercise not only expends energy as you’re doing it, but can also lead to increases in your basal metabolic rate, so you’ll burn more Calories even at rest. High-intensity exercises burn the most Calories, but don’t select exercises solely on their fat-burning potential. Instead, pick exercises (i.e. sports activities) that you enjoy, and want to incorporate into your daily routine.

Avoid hunger:

Hunger is one of your body’s strongest stimuli, and can be an evil challenger to your will power. Hunger is also relatively slow to subside, and can cause you to eat more than you intended. To break this unproductive hunger-overeating habit, always try to eat before you get hungry. This may seem counter intuitive to someone who’s trying to limit their Calories, but it’s a very effective concept. Two different techniques can help make this easier to accomplish:

Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Instead of three meals per day, try eating five or six smaller meals. By eating more frequently, there will be less time between your meals, and less chance of you experiencing such intense hunger. As an extra benefit, there is some evidence that suggests that eating more frequently can also help raise your metabolism.

Include more slow-to-digest foods in your meals. When it’s not possible to eat more frequently, make sure that your meals contain a mix of nutrients. In particular, fats and protein are much slower to digest than carbohydrates. While most carbohydrates leave your stomach within about two hours, protein takes approximately four hours to digest, and fat takes as long as six hours.

Note: The slower digestion of fats is one of the primary reasons that people on low-carb diets (like Atkins™ and South Beach™) experience less hunger than those on low-fat diets. It’s not necessary to completely eliminate carbohydrates from your meals, though. Most people on balanced-nutrient plans (like the Zone Diet) also experience better hunger control.

Correct bad eating habits.:

We eat not only for nourishment, but also as part of our social interactions. However, many people develop unhealthy habits that encourage overeating. Here are a few examples of bad eating habits that you should try to avoid:
Mixing food and entertainment. It’s easy to mindlessly eat a tub of popcorn, a whole bag of chips, or a carton of ice cream while you’re watching TV. Make eating a separate activity, and you’ll consume less.

Eating to relieve stress. There’s nothing wrong with taking pleasure from eating, but try not to use food as your primary stress reliever. Find other ways to dissipate stress (such as exercising, listening to music, or meditating) before eating.

Eating on the run. With the abundant availability of convenience foods, it’s easy to grab something from a vending machine and eat your meals in your car. But try not to make this a regular daily habit. Plan your schedule to include enough time to prepare and eat your meals in a quiet place, without the rush.

No one eats perfectly. However, if you continuously have trouble controlling what you eat, realize that correction of your eating problems may be beyond your own abilities. Please consult a psychologist or weight loss professional for additional help.

Make a record of everything you eat:

When making changes to your diet, it's very easy to lapse back into your old eating habits. Keeping a food diary is a great way to help prevent that from happening. Buy an inexpensive spiral notebook, and simply write down everything that you eat during the day. If possible, keep your food diary with you, and make your entries soon after you've eaten. For maximum benefit, keep making entries for at least three weeks.

Keeping a food diary forces you to give conscious thought to everything that you eat. It may be a tedious task at first, but it will help you more quickly develop better eating habits. Your food diary will also be a tremendous asset if you later consult a dietician or health care provider for assistance with your diet.

When keeping a food diary, it's also a good idea to take the time to add up the total Calories and nutrients that you consume each day. For your diet to be successful, your total Calories will need to decrease from their original level, but your nutrient intake must at least meet your minimum needs. One of the easiest ways to determine this is with the Running Total feature of ND's Pantry.

The Best Way to Satisfy Your Hunger without Overeating:

If you practice the above six dieting concepts, it’s possible to reliably and painlessly lose weight. However, there will still be times when you get very hungry and are tempted to overeat. To best control your hunger and provide some resistance to overeating, we recommend that you incorporate more foods into your diet that fill you up with fewer total Calories.

To help you identify the foods that can fill you up with fewer Calories, ND created the Fullness Factor™. This unique index predicts how well each food can satisfy hunger. For more about this index, please see our Fullness Factor page.

The Best Way to Monitor Your Progress:

Although measuring your weight seems to be the most logical way to track your progress, weight alone is an unreliable measurement. Your weight may fluctuate several pounds over the course of a day, depending on how well hydrated your body is and on what’s currently passing through your digestive system. Weight loss is a gradual process. So if you do weigh yourself, we recommend doing so not more than once or twice a week.

Some diet plans make target weight recommendations based on your height, age, and sex. A target weight may be a good motivator for some people, but don’t get too hung up on that particular goal. Most weight recommendations are based on your Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a ratio of your weight to height. BMI recommendations may be appropriate for the average person, but they don’t take into consideration a person’s bone structure and muscle mass, and are especially unsuitable for athletic people.

Unless you’re trying to qualify for a lower weight class at a sporting event, weight isn’t what you care about, anyway. We talk about weight loss, but what we’re really interested in is fat loss. You’ll know when you lose that extra fat, simply because you’ll look and feel better. If you want feedback on your fat loss, we recommend having your percentage bodyfat measured. Most health clubs will do a bodyfat test for you. There are also bodyfat calipers made for home use. Some of these units cost as little as $20, and are surprisingly accurate.

The Best Thing to Do If Your Diet Fails:

Over the course of your life, there will be times when you weight goes up instead of down, when you eat things that you know you probably shouldn’t, when you feel weak and depressed, and when it seems like you’ve really messed up your diet. There is just one thing to do when that happens: Don’t give up. One step backward changes neither you nor the facts about weight loss. So get right back up and do it again!

"Fall seven times, stand up eight." - Japanese proverb

Summary of Weight Loss Secrets:

In summary, to successfully lose weight, you need to make permanent changes in your lifestyle that allow you to consume fewer total Calories than you expend.

Your best chance of losing weight occurs if you maintain your health, while reducing your Caloric intake and increasing your metabolism. It’s also helpful to try to avoid hunger and eliminate bad eating habits.

Selecting foods that fill you up with fewer total Calories can also help make weight loss easier.

Where to Get Additional Weight Loss Help:

This brief document covers only the basic concepts of weight loss. However, every effective diet plan will adhere to these same concepts. If you need step-by-step guidance with your diet, we encourage you to explore some of the popular diet plans (e.g. South Beach™, Atkins™, Zone™) and support groups (e.g. Weight Watchers™). Refer back to this document as a refresher on the most important points.

If you’re a self-starter, the above concepts should be enough to put you on the right path to successful weight loss. Make sure to also read ND’s discussion of the Fullness Factor™ and try out our very own Better Choices Diet™.

If you’re already on a diet plan, note that the Better Choices recommendations can be used in conjunction with most other diet plans.

Cholesterol in your Diet

2009-01-11T22:50:00.001-08:00

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. It's an important part of a healthy body because it's used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for other functions. But a high level of cholesterol in the blood — hypercholesterolemia — is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.

Cholesterol and other fats can't dissolve in the blood. They have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers called lipoproteins. There are several kinds, but the ones to focus on are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

What is LDL cholesterol?

Low-density lipoprotein is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. A clot (thrombus) that forms near this plaque can block the blood flow to part of the heart muscle and cause a heart attack. If a clot blocks the blood flow to part of the brain, a stroke results. A high level of LDL cholesterol (160 mg/dL and above) reflects an increased risk of heart disease. If you have heart disease, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dL. That's why LDL cholesterol is called "bad" cholesterol. Lower levels of LDL cholesterol reflect a lower risk of heart disease.

What is HDL cholesterol?

About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL. Medical experts think HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body. Some experts believe HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaques and thus slows their growth. HDL cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol because a high HDL level seems to protect against heart attack. The opposite is also true: a low HDL level (less than 40 mg/dL) indicates a greater risk. A low HDL cholesterol level also may raise stroke risk.

What is Lp(a) cholesterol?

Lp(a) is a genetic variation of plasma LDL. A high level of Lp(a) is an important risk factor for developing atherosclerosis prematurely. How an increased Lp(a) contributes to heart disease isn't clear. The lesions in artery walls contain substances that may interact with Lp(a), leading to the buildup of fatty deposits.

What about cholesterol and diet?

People get cholesterol in two ways. The body — mainly the liver — produces varying amounts, usually about 1,000 milligrams a day. Foods also can contain cholesterol. Foods from animals (especially egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, seafood and whole-milk dairy products) contain it. Foods from plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds) don't contain cholesterol.

Typically the body makes all the cholesterol it needs, so people don't need to consume it. Saturated fatty acids are the main culprit in raising blood cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease. Trans fats also raise blood cholesterol. But dietary cholesterol also plays a part. The average American man consumes about 337 milligrams of cholesterol a day; the average woman, 217 milligrams.

Some of the excess dietary cholesterol is removed from the body through the liver. Still, the American Heart Association recommends that you limit your average daily cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams. If you have heart disease, limit your daily intake to less than 200 milligrams. Still, everyone should remember that by keeping their dietary intake of saturated fats low, they can significantly lower their dietary cholesterol intake. Foods high in saturated fat generally contain substantial amounts of dietary cholesterol.

People with severe high blood cholesterol levels may need an even greater reduction. Since cholesterol is in all foods from animal sources, care must be taken to eat no more than six ounces of lean meat, fish and poultry per day and to use fat-free and low-fat dairy products. High-quality proteins from vegetable sources such as beans are good substitutes for animal sources of protein.

How does physical activity affect cholesterol?

Regular physical activity increases HDL cholesterol in some people. A higher HDL cholesterol is linked with a lower risk of heart disease. Physical activity can also help control weight, diabetes and high blood pressure. Aerobic physical activity raises your heart and breathing rates. Regular moderate to intense physical activity such as brisk walking, jogging and swimming also condition your heart and lungs.

Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease. Even moderate-intensity activities, if done daily, help reduce your risk. Examples are walking for pleasure, gardening, yard work, housework, dancing and prescribed home exercise.

How does tobacco smoke affect cholesterol?

Tobacco smoke is one of the six major risk factors of heart disease that you can change or treat. Smoking lowers HDL cholesterol levels and increases the tendency for blood to clot.

How does alcohol affect cholesterol?

In some studies, moderate use of alcohol is linked with higher HDL cholesterol levels. However, because of other risks, the benefit isn't great enough to recommend drinking alcohol if you don't do so already.

If you drink, do so in moderation. People who consume moderate amounts of alcohol (an average of one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women) have a lower risk of heart disease than nondrinkers. However, increased consumption of alcohol brings other health dangers, such as alcoholism, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, cancer, suicide, etc. Given these and other risks, the American Heart Association cautions people against increasing their alcohol intake or starting to drink if they don't already do so. Consult your doctor for advice on consuming alcohol in moderation.

5 Ways to Love Your Body

2009-01-11T22:47:00.000-08:00

While many of us have an easy time showering other people with love, we find that Cupid has yet to hit us with the "body love" arrow. Don’t wait for Cupid! Begin today to start appreciating, accepting and yes, even loving your body.

Stop picking yourself apart
Let’s face it: No matter how close-to-perfection body you have (and just what is the perfect body anyway?), chances are, there is something you would change about it if you could. Even celebrities and models who have been stamped with the media’s "perfect body" rating have parts they dislike – their feet, their hands, their ears – and they don’t necessarily have high self-esteem either! Rather than pick your body apart, look at your body as a whole (and read the next point…)

Consider the marvelous functions of your body
There are millions of microscopic functions that go on in our bodies every day, and you don’t even have to think about them. They just happen! Unfortunately, it often takes a crisis or a tragedy, such as a brush with death, a go-around with a disease, or a debilitating accident for some women to realize that their bodies weren’t so bad to begin with and that their body hang-ups were a big waste of time. Don’t let that be the case with you! How much time are you spending each day worrying about your weight, your body shape, the size of your rear? What could you be doing during that time? Maybe you’re supposed to be the first female president, but you’ll never know because you’re too busy obsessing about your abs!

Get real
Did you know that most of the images you see on television, movies and magazines aren’t even real? A model for a magazine cover goes through hours of professional hair and make-up, has professional stylists, top photographers who know her "best side," professional lighting, and that’s all before the chosen photo goes to a company where they remove stray hairs, wrinkles, blemishes and "extra" curves. Sometimes Model A’s head is stuck onto Model B’s body. What you see is totally made up!

And it’s not just fashion magazines that are creating a fantasy. Most of today’s "fitness" magazines are following suit. On top of airbrushing and computer generating their models, fitness magazines now need to audition their models to be sure they’re strong enough to just do basic exercises! Muscles are even airbrushed in! It’s time to get real! Find real role models who emanate the qualities you desire. Educate yourself about what really goes on "behind the scenes." And realize that no one naturally "glows" the way those models in the magazines do!

Change your inner dialogue
It’s been said that we teach others how to treat us. If we believe that, the message that comes across to others is that we are not worth being liked, loved, or treated with respect. Most of it comes from what we’re not even saying. Choose to believe that you are worth taking care of and that you have the right to be respected and treated with dignity – and act like it!

Take care of your body
Diets, pills, quick-fixes, binging, not exercising, over-exercising, all these things disrespect one of the greatest gifts you have been given – your body! You only get one per lifetime, so give it the respect it deserves. You will not only feel better, but you just might become someone else’s role model!

Risk factors in Erectile Dysfunction

2009-01-10T03:46:00.000-08:00

Risk factors

A variety of risk factors can contribute to erectile dysfunction. They include:

Getting older. As many as 80 percent of men 75 and older have erectile dysfunction. Many men begin to notice changes in sexual function as they get older. Erections may take longer to develop, may not be as rigid or may take more direct touch to the penis to occur. But erectile dysfunction isn't an inevitable consequence of normal aging. Erectile dysfunction often occurs in older men mainly because they're more likely to have underlying health conditions or take medications that interfere with erectile function.
Having a chronic health condition. Diseases of the lungs, liver, kidneys, heart, nerves, arteries or veins can lead to erectile dysfunction. So can endocrine system disorders, particularly diabetes. The accumulation of deposits (plaques) in your arteries (atherosclerosis) also can prevent adequate blood from entering your penis. And in some men, erectile dysfunction may be caused by low levels of testosterone (male hypogonadism).
Taking certain medications. A wide range of drugs — including antidepressants, antihistamines and medications to treat high blood pressure, pain and prostate cancer — can cause erectile dysfunction by interfering with nerve impulses or blood flow to the penis. Tranquilizers and sleeping aids also can pose a problem.
Certain surgeries or injuries. Damage to the nerves that control erections can cause erectile dysfunction. This damage can occur if you injure your pelvic area or spinal cord. Surgery to treat bladder, rectal or prostate cancer can increase your risk of erectile dysfunction.
Substance abuse. Chronic use of alcohol, marijuana or other drugs often causes erectile dysfunction and decreased sexual drive.
Stress, anxiety or depression. Other psychological conditions also contribute to some cases of erectile dysfunction.
Smoking. Smoking can cause erectile dysfunction because it restricts blood flow to veins and arteries. Men who smoke cigarettes are much more likely to develop erectile dysfunction.
Obesity. Men who are obese are much more likely to have erectile dysfunction than are men at a normal weight.
Metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by belly fat, unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance.
Prolonged bicycling. Over an extended period, pressure from a bicycle seat has been shown to compress nerves and blood flow to the penis, leading to temporary erectile dysfunction and penile numbness.

ED: Causes and Effects

2009-01-10T03:42:00.000-08:00

Erectile Dysfunction: Causes and Effects

For purchasing or reprint information, click here.

Psychological problems, neurological problems, abnormalities in blood flow, damage to the genital organs, hormonal imbalance, and the use of drugs or medications — all can interfere with any of the four stages of normal sexual function. Erectile dysfunction occurs when one or more of these factors persistently interfere with the ability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient to complete sexual intercourse.

Erectile dysfunction is often called impotence. Some experts object to the term "impotence" because of its negative implications and lack of precise meaning. The term "erectile dysfunction" is now used. Erectile dysfunction is defined as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection as part of the overall multifaceted process of sexual function. This definition deemphasizes intercourse as the essential or only aspect of sexual life and gives equal importance to other aspects of male sexual behavior.

At some time in their life, all men experience erectile problems. But for 30 million men in the United States, erectile dysfunction is a chronic, persistent problem. This number includes about 10 percent of the entire male population and 35 percent of men over 60. Fewer than 5 percent of men with erectile dysfunction seek treatment for this condition.

There are different levels of erectile dysfunction:

A total inability to achieve erection

The occasional ability to achieve erection

An inability to maintain erections

The ability to achieve erection, but inability to control ejaculation

Most cases of erectile dysfunction are treatable and are not the result or inevitable consequence of aging. The response in the penis that results in a normal erection depends on healthy nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and fibrous tissues, as well as on adequate blood levels of certain hormones, such as testosterone. Damage, injury, or malfunction in any of these areas can lead to erectile dysfunction. A number of physical factors such as disease or surgery, as well as psychological factors, can also cause erectile dysfunction. In the past, it was believed that erectile dysfunction was largely caused by psychological problems. Today, most experts agree that, in 85 percent of cases, erectile dysfunction is the result of physical factors, most of which can be treated.

The following conditions can cause erectile dysfunction

Diabetes. High levels of blood sugar associated with diabetes can damage small blood vessels and nerves throughout the body, including those in and around the penis. Diabetes can interfere with the nerve impulses and the blood flow necessary to produce an erection. About 60 percent of men with diabetes experience erectile dysfunction.

Heart disease. Atherosclerosis, which cases hardening and narrowing of the arteries, increases with age. Over time it can reduce blood flow to the penis and lead to erectile dysfunction. It accounts for most cases in men over 60 years of age.

Leaking veins. When veins in the penis are not compressed during an erection, a vein can leak, leading to erectile dysfunction. A leak can be the result of injury, disease, or damage to the veins of the penis.

Neurological injuries or disorders. Spinal cord and brain injuries, including paraplegia and stroke, can cause erectile dysfunction when they interrupt the transfer of nerve impulses from the brain to the penis. Other nerve disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease, may also result in erectile dysfunction.

Drugs. More than 200 prescription medications may directly cause or contribute to erectile dysfunction. Among these are drugs for high blood pressure, antidepressants, tranquilizers, sedatives, and a number of over-the-counter medications. Long-term, excessive consumption of alcohol and use of illegal drugs such as heroin and cocaine also can cause erectile dysfunction.

Hormonal imbalances. Hormonal disorders account for fewer than 5 percent of cases of erectile dysfunction. Testosterone deficiency, which is rare, can result in the loss of libido (sexual desire). An excess of the hormone prolactin, produced by tumors in the pituitary gland, reduces levels of testosterone. Kidney and liver disease also may lead to hormonal imbalances that contribute to erectile dysfunction.

Peyronie's disease. This is a relatively rare, inflammatory condition that causes scarring of the erectile tissue in the penis. The scarring produces a curvature of the penis that can interfere with sexual function. In addition, it may cause erections to be painful.

Pelvic surgery. With surgery of the colon, prostate, or bladder, the nerves that control the flow of blood into and out of the penis may be cut or removed. These nerves can be permanently damaged in men who have undergone radiation therapy for prostate or bladder cancer. Although these nerves do not control sensation in the penis and, therefore, are not responsible for orgasms, they influence the firmness of the penis during erection.

Some surgeons may try to spare nerve function during these procedures, with the hope that any sexual function problem will be temporary. Usually it takes six to 18 months for erections to return. Partial erections may return sooner. If they do, it could be a sign that complete erectile function will eventually return.

Pelvic injury. A minor injury to the pelvic area, including a fall or blow to the hip while playing sports, or a very long bike ride, can sometimes numb the nerves around the penis and block their normal functioning. A day of rest is usually enough time for the nerves to recuperate.

Psychological causes. Even though most cases of erectile dysfunction are the result of physical factors, psychological factors should not be overlooked. The most common psychological cause of erectile dysfunction is performance anxiety, a man's fear that he will not be able to perform sexually. Anxiety may lead to an initial failure, which increases the anxiety, resulting in a cycle that leads to future failures to achieve an erection.

Stress, tension, depression, worry, guilt, and anger can also inhibit sexual performance. These psychological factors may occur secondary to and possibly as a result of the physical causes. They may magnify the impact of erectile dysfunction resulting from physical causes.

Problems Associated With Erectile Dysfunction

Many cases of sexual dissatisfaction are related to problems in the control of ejaculation or in the loss of sexual desire unrelated to achieving or maintaining an erection.

Premature Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is ejaculation that occurs too early, usually before, upon, or shortly after penetration. This condition, also called rapid ejaculation, is the most common sexual dysfunction. As many as 30 percent to 40 percent of men may have this problem. Even when rapid ejaculation is not defined by a man as a problem, it limits the sexual satisfaction of his partner.

Premature ejaculation is common among adolescent boys who fear being caught having intercourse or making their partner pregnant, or who have anxiety about their sexual performance. Some boys may find the excitement of seeing a nude body or touching a female to be so overwhelming and so stimulating that they may ejaculate even before they get their pants unzipped. In most men, ejaculatory control increases with sexual experience.

When premature ejaculation persists into adulthood, it often signals a problem in the relationship. One consequence of premature ejaculation is that the man begins to feel inadequate in meeting his partner's sexual needs since he may not maintain an erection long enough for his partner to achieve orgasm. He often tries to distract himself mentally during the sexual experience or reduce his thrusting in an effort to slow ejaculation. Some men may concentrate so heavily on not ejaculating that they lose all sense of pleasure in sexual intercourse.

There is no agreed-upon amount of time that has to pass before an ejaculation is no longer considered premature. Some experts have used the number of thrusts and the partner's achievement of orgasm as criteria. But there is no standard for how long the sex act should last. Some men may feel they are accomplished lovers if they can pull off a "quickie"; others may feel they demonstrate their masculinity by prolonging intercourse to satisfy their partner.

No one is sure what causes premature ejaculation. Some question whether premature ejaculation is abnormal and point out that in the animal kingdom rapid ejaculation is an evolutionary adaptation to ensure procreation of the species. For men, however, most experts think of it as a psychological or learned problem. Although the condition rarely has a physical cause, in some cases inflammation of the prostate gland or a nervous system disorder may be involved.

Three different approaches are used to treat premature ejaculation. Counseling by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or sex therapist may be recommended based on the assumption that the problem is psychological in origin. Success rates of counseling are difficult to evaluate, since therapists use a variety of methods to measure success.

The second approach to treating premature ejaculation is behavior modification. A popular technique is the "stop-start" exercise. The male works with his partner to stop sexual stimulation just short of reaching ejaculation. The erection is allowed to subside. Then stimulation is started over and the procedure is repeated. This gives the man confidence when the deliberately subsided erection returns. The aim is to improve the man's ability to maintain higher levels of sexual excitement without ejaculating.

The third and most recently introduced treatment method is medication. Low doses of some antidepressants seem to produce a delay in the ejaculation response. While the potential benefits of these medications may be significant, there are some concerns that treatment may be offered without first evaluating the man's health history, current health status, and actual need for the medication.

Retarded Ejaculation
Retarded ejaculation is the opposite of premature ejaculation — the inability to have an orgasm even with prolonged erection. This condition is rare. But as men get older, it normally takes longer to reach orgasm. Often, however, this condition is caused by blood pressure medications, tranquilizers, and antidepressants, as well as diabetes. Psychological causes include fear of vaginal penetration and fear of ejaculating in the partner's presence. Treatment usually involves undergoing behavioral therapy to reduce anxiety and learning techniques for timing ejaculation.

Retrograde Ejaculation
Retrograde ejaculation is a condition in which semen travels up the urethra toward the bladder instead of through the penis. This condition is seen with some spinal cord injuries, after removal of the prostate gland, or after bladder surgery. It does not have any negative effects on the man's health.

Loss of Libido (Sexual Desire)
Loss of libido is a decrease in sex drive that occurs in both men and women. Nearly half of those seeking sex therapy have low libido. Most often, this common condition develops after years of normal sexual desire and activity. It may be caused by boredom, stress, depression, conflict with a partner, or changes in hormone levels. Often it is related to the increased use of medications, particularly in middle age.

A loss of libido may occur as a consequence of erectile dysfunction or it may precede erectile dysfunction. There is no "normal" amount of sexual drive or desire. Having less sexual desire than your partner does not indicate that you have a problem, only that there is a difference in how much sex each of you wants. If loss of libido has become a problem in your relationship, it is important to seek a physician's help to rule out medical causes. If psychological factors are involved, sex education, counseling, or behavioral therapy may help you and your partner communicate better and achieve a more intimate sexual relationship.

Decreased Orgasmic Intensity
Decreased orgasmic intensity is another symptom in men who have problems with sexual function. It is not quite the same as loss of libido because the man still has the same level of sexual desire, but he experiences the loss of or diminished sensation of pleasure usually associated with ejaculation. Those who lose the sensation may lose interest in sex altogether. Others may become anxious, which often leads to erectile dysfunction.

The intensity of orgasm depends on many factors, including the setting in which sexual activity occurs, feelings toward the partner, the amount of fantasy and foreplay, the partner's physical response to stimulation, and the amount of time that has passed since the previous orgasm. Men with diabetes or with a neurological condition such as multiple sclerosis often experience decreased orgasmic intensity. With age, some loss of orgasmic intensity is normal.

Effects of Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction, regardless of the cause, leads both sexual partners to experience a range of feelings and intense emotions, including a sense of hopelessness and low self-esteem. These feelings can reinforce a man's performance anxiety and create a cycle of repeated failures and increasingly negative feelings. To overcome these feelings, both partners have to acknowledge the problem and communicate openly and honestly with each other. Because sexual performance is linked so strongly to a man's self-esteem, erectile dysfunction can be devastating not only to his sex life but also to his sense of self. Men with erectile dysfunction often develop feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, or guilt, and may consider themselves unattractive to their partner. These feelings might cause a man to avoid intimate situations, isolate himself from the relationship, or withdraw from his partner, which can increase tension within the relationship.

The psychological effects of erectile dysfunction can invade other areas of a man's life as well, such as social interactions and job performance. It is important for a man with erectile dysfunction to overcome the reluctance to talk with his partner and physician to determine effective treatment strategies.

Excerpted from: Complete Guide to Men's Health, American Medical Association, 2001.

Erectile Dysfunction versus Alcoholism

2009-01-09T08:05:00.000-08:00

Alcoholism will inevitably lead to sexual problems in a relationship. For men, this most often means problems getting and sustaining an erection, even when sober.

How does alcoholism cause sexual problems?

Alcoholism can adversely affect libido and cause erection difficulties.

Defining what constitutes alcoholism is not easy, because it has to cover several related factors.

There are the toxic effects of too much alcohol consumed over the short and long term on many body tissues – particularly the liver, brain and nervous system.
There are also the social consequences of alcoholism to consider.

For many alcoholics, the disruption of their personal lives can be more immediately obvious and important than the chemical changes occurring inside them.

If either partner in a relationship is an alcoholic, then sexual difficulties will almost certainly be one of the consequences of the problem.

For men, this most commonly manifests itself as erectile dysfunction (ED), which can be present even when you are sober.

Alcoholism also has an adverse effect upon libido: long-standing alcoholism is accompanied by various hormone problems, among which is a fall in testosterone output.

Sex is unlikely to be an attractive activity for anyone with an inebriated partner and is just one aspect of the relationship problems that alcoholism brings.

Alcoholism and psychiatric illness

In addition to the direct effects of excess alcohol, many alcoholics also have significant psychiatric illness, the most common being depression.

Many depressed people also turn to drinking to give short-term relief of depression, only to find that alcohol doesn’t help - but the consumption can rapidly get out of control.

The elderly are a section of the population that is growing in numbers, but in whom loneliness and depression are common and often not recognised.

Increasing age and the presence of depression are both strongly associated with erectile dysfunction.

Erectile Dysfunction versus Diabetes

2009-01-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

There are a number of reasons why men with diabetes are prone to erectile dysfunction (ED).

Diabetes can damage the nerves, the erectile tissue and small blood vessels in the penis, as well as other tissues in the body.
Damage to the nerves, known as neuropathy, may mean that there is less sensation in the penis and less signalling to it from the brain, making it more difficult to get and maintain an erection.
Damage to the erectile tissue will prevent the muscle fibres within it from adequately relaxing, so that the penis cannot fill with blood during erection.
Damage to the blood vessels will also prevent the erectile tissues from filling with blood.
Men with diabetes are more prone to high blood pressure. Many of the medicines used to treat high blood pressure can be responsible for causing erectile dysfunction.
Diabetes increases your risk of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). If this affects the blood supply to the penis, it can cause impotence.

Blood sugar level and erectile dysfunction

Smoking and poor control of blood sugar make complications from diabetes, such as impotence, more likely.

This is why it is important your diabetes treatment is optimised: good control of the blood sugar level will help maintain the body's ability to produce an erection. Stopping smoking is always a good idea.

Sex and diabetes
Twenty-five per cent of all women with diabetes and about 50 per cent of men will experience some kind of sexual problems or loss of sexual desire as a result of their condition.

What problems does diabetes cause?

About 50 per cent of men with diabetes will experience some kind of sexual problem or loss of sexual desire as a result of their condition. In men, the commonest sexual problem caused by diabetes is erectile dysfunction.

Most people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight and experience only mild symptoms, such as thirst and the desire to pass urine more often, for years before the diabetes is even noticed.

Unfortunately, these mild symptoms don't mean the diabetes isn’t causing nerve and artery damage, and a high proportion of men newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes already show problems such as ED by the time it is recognised.

This emphasises the need for people to be aware of the possible symptoms of diabetes and to see a doctor if they suspect they have the condition.

In women

A number of women with diabetes may suffer from recurring vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina), which is usually due to yeast (thrush) infection. This makes sex painful. You may suffer itching or burning sensations, and a white discharge.

Women with diabetes may also get recurring cystitis.

There is also some suggestion that women with diabetes have problems with arousal, and just as the penis fails to become erect in the man, the clitoris in a woman may not respond to stimulation in the normal way.

Erectile Dysfunction versus Smoking

2009-01-09T07:39:00.000-08:00

Smoking 'increases risk of erectile dysfunction'

Men who smoke are at an increased risk of suffering from erectile dysfunction, according to new research.

Also, the more cigarettes smoked, the greater the likelihood of developing the problem, scientists from Tulane University suggest.

Their work, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, examined the link between smoking and erectile dysfunction in a 2000-01 Chinese study involving 7,864 men aged between 35 and 74.

A significant statistical link was found between the number of cigarettes that the men smoked and their chances of experiencing dysfunction. The association was said to be even stronger in diabetic participants.

Approximately 22.7 per cent of cases of erectile dysfunction among men in China may be attributable to smoking, according to the study's authors.

The number of people who smoke in Britain fell from 28 per cent of the population in 1998-99 to 25 per cent in 2004-05, according to government statistics.

Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

2009-01-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

PSYCHOLOGICAL:
Common psychological causes of erection difficulties include:

nerves – especially about performing
guilt – notably if you’re trying to have sex with somebody else’s wife
relationship problems - especially if you’re no longer keen on your partner
latent gayness – for instance, if you’re a basically gay guy, trying to have sex with a woman
depression
exhaustion.

In a lot of cases, ED turns out to be due to a mixture of psychological and physical causes.

What physical causes are there?

Common physical causes include:

deterioration of the arteries – this is a physical change which is common in older men, including those with high blood pressure
diabetes
smoking
excessive drinking (hence the phrase ‘Brewer’s droop’)
being obese and out-of-condition
side-effects of certain drugs, notably ones for blood pressure and depression
effects of recreational drugs, like cocaine.

Less common physical causes include:

excessive drainage of blood from the veins of the penis (‘venous leak’)
diseases of the nervous system
injury to the spinal cord or brain
major surgery in the abdomen, particularly prostate operations
hormone problems, including excess production of a pituitary hormone called prolactin (this is rare).

Why Men Has Erectile Dysfunction

2009-01-09T03:27:00.000-08:00

What is erectile dysfunction?

Term watch

Many people confuse erectile dysfunction with:

premature ejaculation which is 'coming too quickly'.

retarded ejaculation (delayed ejaculation) which is an inability of the man to reach a climax.

First, let’s define the problem. ED means an inability to get a good enough erection to achieve satisfactory intercourse.
Some sufferers can’t get a hard-on at all; others get one but it isn’t firm enough to penetrate the partner; and others can manage penetration for a bit, but then lose it.

Why does ED occur?
ED is very common, and it occurs for a variety of reasons and at different ages.

Teenagers and young men

In younger males, the most frequent cause is anxiety – particularly nervousness about having sex, about causing a pregnancy, or about using a condom. A lot of men in this age group complain that they ‘can’t get on with a condom’ because as soon as they try to put it on, they lose their ‘stiffy'.

Middle age

Common causes in this age group are overwork, stress, guilt and bereavement (ED often happens when a widowed man tries to form a new sexual relationship). A few cases are due to diabetes.

Post-middle age

In this group of men, ED gets commoner with increasing age. Nonetheless, 70 per cent of all 70-year-olds are sexually potent.

It is now clear that in a very high proportion of cases, the problem is due to deterioration in the blood vessels that carry blood into the penis. Research which was carried out in 2007 suggests that in addition there may often be deterioration in the arteries of the brain or the heart.

In October 2008, leading sex expert Dr Geoffrey Hackett said in the British Medical Journal, ‘Erectile dysfunction is the manifestation of vascular disease in smaller arteries, and can give a two to three year early warning of heart attack.’

Therefore older men with ED should take care to protect themselves against strokes and heart attacks – for example by keeping their blood pressure and cholesterol down.

Problems Associated With Erectile Dysfunction

Many cases of sexual dissatisfaction are related to problems in the control of ejaculation or in the loss of sexual desire unrelated to achieving or maintaining an erection.