Men's Health: A Proactive Approach

Even though men's health may not be emphasized as much as women's health, men have their own unique health issues and nutrient needs. Men tend to die at a younger age than women and are much less inclined to be proactive and preventive about their health care. A woman usually sees her health-care practitioner at least once a year, while a man tends to see his doctor when something is obviously going wrong, which can often span years, if not longer. But men do have their own health concerns, and many of them can be addressed preventively.

Men tend to engage in riskier lifestyle choices, which accounts for the increased risk of being injured or dying in an accident. Men also have a greatly increased risk of heart disease, and because more men smoke than women (24 percent vs. 18 percent), men have a greater risk of getting lung cancer. Testicular cancer is also a concern, especially in men in their 20s. And of course, prostate cancer is an issue in older men.

Multiple Vitamin-Mineral Supplementation

Because few men eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables daily and because too many men eat too much fat and empty calories, most nutrition professionals recommend a daily multiple vitamin-mineral supplement. A good "multi" that includes vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids specific to male health can do much to support the unique needs of the male body.*

Cardiovascular Health

Men have a greater risk for heart disease than women and as a result are more likely to die from heart disease. Therefore, it is important that men get the proper nutrients for optimal cardiovascular function.*

Keeping the amount of fatty substances like cholesterol and triglycerides at healthy levels can promote cardiovascular health, and specific nutrients and botanicals can help do that.* But cholesterol is not the whole story. Other substances in the blood that need to be kept at healthy levels include homocysteine, a breakdown product of the amino acid methionine, and C-reactive protein, an indicator of inflammation in the body.

Antioxidants help fight the potential cellular damage that can be caused by oxygen being used by our tissues, as well as toxic substances from our environment.* And of course, a moderate diet low in animal fats and high in antioxidant-loaded fruits and vegetables is essential, along with regular exercise. Why exercise? Being in good shape reduces stress, improves mood, promotes good sleep, increases endurance, burns calories, and probably most important, promotes good cardiovascular health.

The Importance of Healthy Blood Vessels

Researchers are now understanding the importance of the cells that line the inside of our blood vessels. These cells, called vascular endothelial cells, are essential to blood pressure, blood flow, and the health of every organ. These cells need to work properly for the heart muscle, the brain, the extremities, and the penis to maintain the right amount of blood flow.

Plant-Based Antioxidants

Most plants contain antioxidant substances that are beneficial to humans. Fruits and vegetables are vital to health because of their antioxidant content, as well as their other nutrients and fiber. Some herbs and herbal constituents that contain high amounts of antioxidants are:

Bilberry
Gotu kola
Grape seeds
Green tea
Hawthorne
Milk thistle
Soy isoflavones
Turmeric (Curcumin)

The "Beer Gut": Belly Fat Is Dangerous

Men who gain weight around the middle and in the belly are at risk for a number of health concerns. When there is visible fat around the waist, there is also extra fat in the internal organs, which can be genuinely unhealthy. Men with a belly have an increased risk of:

Heart disease
Stroke
Fatty liver disease
Type II diabetes
High blood pressure
Sleep apnea
Back pain
Some cancers
Migraines

One reason belly fat increases heart disease risk is that the fat in and around the liver can cause chronic inflammation, which can damage blood vessels and organs. It also increases the amount of LDL cholesterol. Fat in and around the liver also causes insulin resistance, a situation in which the normal reaction to sugar does not occur. Usually when we eat carbohydrates (sugars), insulin is released by the pancreas, which causes the body's cells to take the sugar out of the bloodstream and into the cells. This process goes haywire in insulin resistance. Cells don't respond to insulin the same way, and high blood sugar and high blood insulin can be the result, which can be damaging to the heart, blood vessels, and brain.

The only reliable way to reduce belly fat is diet and exercise. Unfortunately, there is no other way to get rid of that "spare tire." Overall weight loss is the only way to do it.

Sexual Function

Physical health and psychological health are essential to male sexual health. First, for erections to occur, the man needs to be relaxed mentally. Then, as recent research has confirmed, the cardiovascular system needs to work properly. Men with cardiovascular disease have a greater risk of erectile dysfunction because in these men, the blood vessels in the penis aren't as healthy as they should be. A number of nutrients and botanicals are supportive of normal cardiovascular and erectile function.*

Male Fertility

About 30 percent of men attempting to conceive have fertility issues. A healthy sperm count and the sperm's ability to move properly are vitally important to male fertility. In addition to taking measures that improve sperm health, like wearing boxer shorts and avoiding hot tubs, a number of nutrients have been found to be helpful in promoting sperm health.*

Prostate Health

The prostate is a walnut-sized organ that surrounds the man's urethra in the lower abdomen near the bladder. Prostate tissue produces fluid that mixes with sperm and is ejaculated. Prostate tissue is affected by hormones throughout a man's lifetime, mostly by testosterone. As men age, testosterone can be converted in the prostate into dihydro-testosterone, which causes the prostate tissue to enlarge. This enlargement can be troublesome in the middle-age years and older (ages 40+), causing an increased need to urinate, especially at night. It can also cause the urine stream to diminish. Prostate cancer is also an issue, mostly in older men. Most often, prostate cancer is a slow-growing cancer that isn't fatal; however, some prostate cancers can be faster growing and deadly. A number of nutrients and botanicals support prostate tissue health.*

Male Menopause

Some experts claim there is a male menopause, sometimes called andropause. As men age, the amount of testosterone produced by the testes tends to decrease. In some men, this can result in symptoms that include depression, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction. Some health-care practitioners recommend testosterone-replacement therapy, while others use nutrients and botanicals to support the aging man.*

The Bottom Line

Men have their own unique nutrient needs, which vary throughout their lifetime. Targeted nutritional supplementation can be helpful to support these needs,* along with positive lifestyle choices to promote good health. Being proactive about health is much less painful and far less costly than making bad choices and ignoring poor habits. Be positive, make healthy choices, and enjoy a long life!