Men's Health Archive

Surprising new normal, healthy blood pressure for men by age 

What's good blood pressure for men by ages? As many as three-quarters of men over 65 have high blood pressure. Many end up taking medication to prevent heart attacks, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and erectile dysfunction.

For most people with blood pressure clearly in the red zone, getting their numbers below 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) is a reasonable goal. However, in December 2013, a panel of experts convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a recommendation that people over age 60 with high blood pressure could settle for a goal of 150/90—not the more stringent standard of 140/90—and still get health benefits. The American Heart Association rejected the idea, and five of the 17 members on the NIH panel later publicly dissented with the majority opinion. The debate continues.

Regular walking significantly lowers the lifetime risk for men of having a hip fracture, says a study published online Feb. 13, 2014, in the American Journal of Public Health.

The fracture research draws on the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, which tracked the health status of men 50 and older starting in 1986. Every two years, the men filled out a survey about their habits, including how much time they spent walking or sitting.

In many cases, medications are all a man needs to stay sexually active.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects almost 70% of men ages 70 and older. Fortunately, treatment is often just a matter of taking a pill. "We usually start with oral medications, and they're effective in about 50% of the cases," says Dr. Michael O'Leary, a urologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital and editor of the Harvard Special Health Report What To Do About Erectile Dysfunction.

The answer depends on your current health and your level of concern about cancer.

Taking a multivitamin does not reduce the chance of heart disease or mental decline, but it does reduce the risk of being diagnosed with cancer or developing cataracts.

Q. I know a bad diet can increase prostate cancer risk, but what about testicular cancer?

A. Diet does appear to have an important influence on a man's risk of prostate cancer, but it's not as simple as good vs. bad. Saturated fats, particularly those from red meat and whole dairy products, are linked to an increased risk, and they are bad news for general health as well. But a few items typically considered healthful have been associated with an elevated risk of prostate cancer; they include a very high consumption of both calcium (which may lower osteoporosis risk) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the omega-3 fatty acid in flaxseed and canola oil (which may reduce heart disease risk). It's wise for men to keep their saturated fat consumption down to less than 10% of their total calories, to limit calcium to less than 1,500 mg a day, and to count on fish or fish oil rather than ALA for heart-healthy omega-3s. And men should get lots of whole grains, tomatoes (especially cooked tomatoes) and other fruits and vegetables, fish, and soy products, all of which have been associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer and many other woes.

Prostate cancer is about 25 times more common than testicular cancer, and we know much more about its risk factors. But testicular cancer is on the rise, and scientists are starting to ask if diet may have a role in the disease, which tends to strike white males between the ages of 20 and 35. One study evaluated the impact of diet on testicular cancer. Only dairy products were linked to an increased risk; cheese was a particular culprit.

Muscle health pays big premiums if you work to build endurance and power as well as strength.

For a mature man, muscle health is important for reasons that go way beyond just looking buff on the beach. Strong, coordinated muscles allow you to keep doing the healthy exercise and other activities you enjoy to remain vital and independent.