Men's Health Archive

On call

Q. I've noticed blood streaks in my semen twice over the past 10 days. Is this a sign of something serious?

A. When a man sees blood in his ejaculate, his initial thought is cancer. But the reality is that bloody semen rarely is a sign of cancer.

Undergoing treatment and managing the condition can lower libido and lead to erectile dysfunction.

Considerable emotional and mental processing comes with a prostate cancer diagnosis. "Prostate cancer strikes a personal part of a man's body, and for most, it is a glaring sign of aging and a reminder they are not as young as before," says Dr. Mark Pomerantz, an oncologist with Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Then there is the stressful decision about treatment. Yet many men don't realize how much their choice may influence their sex life.

In the journals

A study published online Sept. 4, 2019, by the International Journal of Cancer showed a possible connection between regular mushroom consumption and a lower risk of prostate cancer.

The researchers recruited more than 36,000 men ages 40 to 79. They recorded various health information, such as physical activity, family and medical history, and diet. Information on diet included 39 foods and beverages. The men were then followed for a period ranging from 13 to almost 25 years.

People who have elevated blood pressure readings in a doctor’s office but normal readings elsewhere are said to have white-coat hypertension. A new study suggests that people with this condition face a greater risk of heart disease than those whose blood pressure is always normal.

Your core muscles are your body’s foundation, and the plank pose is a great exercise to do to help build core strength—it’s challenging but not complicated. Here’s everything you need to know to plank correctly.

Active surveillance and watchful waiting are the most conservative — and increasingly popular — approaches to prostate cancer management. Is one of these right for you?

Over the years, the outcome for prostate cancer has turned out to be better than expected for many men.

While prostate cancer is quite common, the risk of dying from the disease is low, even without treatment. In fact, most diagnosed men will die from something else, like heart disease. Even so, prostate cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer deaths (after lung cancer) in men, according to the American Cancer Society.

In the journals

Need a sexual boost? Eat more nuts. A recent study found that men who added 60 grams — about 1/2 cup — of nuts to their daily diet improved several aspects of their sexual life. The results were published online June 19, 2019, by the journal Nutrients.

Researchers asked 83 healthy men to follow either a traditional Western-style diet without nuts, or a Western-style diet that also included 60 grams (about 360 calories) of a nut mixture made from almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts every day. A questionnaire assessed their current sexual function.

"The brain is the body's most important sex organ." This well-known phrase bears more than a little truth. Functional sex organs, appropriate hormone levels, and the ability to become sexually aroused alone don't guarantee good sex. Other factors — brain factors — can get in the way.

Relationship issues

Tension and emotional distance can undermine a couple's sex life. Conflicts having nothing to do with sex, like finances or child-raising issues, can be at the root of a sexual problem. It works the other way, too: a sexual issue can strain a couple's ability to get along.

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a daily medication taken to prevent HIV infection. While multiple studies show PrEP is effective, relatively few of those who might benefit are taking it. Will a 10-year initiative to reduce rates of HIV and a new formulation of PrEP help?

Communication between you and your partner can help create a happier and healthier love life.

You had your first sex talk when you were young, but now that you're older, it's time for another one.

"Men and women go through all kinds of physical and emotional changes as they age that can affect their sex life as well as their relationship," says Dr. Sharon Bober, director of the Sexual Health Program at Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "These changes sometimes feel embarrassing or are difficult to talk about. But communicating about your changes — and your partner's — can help couples find solutions and common ground, as they enter this new and potentially exciting phase of their sex lives."