Men's Health Archive

Don't be reluctant to discuss delayed or absent ejaculation with your doctor. The key to better sex is pinpointing the root cause.

When men think about their sexual woes, erectile dysfunction (ED) usually comes to mind. But some face a different obstacle they may not think to discuss with a doctor—and that doctors themselves may not think to ask about. Despite being able to have erections, a man can have trouble reaching a satisfying climax. Unlike ED, inhibited ejaculation lacks FDA-approved remedies that doctors can offer.

The FDA has approved a new kind of PSA test for prostate cancer that its maker claims can help doctors do a better job of telling the difference between prostate cancer and less worrisome conditions such as prostate infection or benign prostate enlargement. The test, called the Prostate Health Index (PHI), should become available in the U.S. later this summer. The PHI combines measurements of three kinds of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein produced by the prostate gland. In theory, the combination could help reduce the number of men who undergo prostate biopsies when their PSA levels are slightly above normal, in the 4 to 10 nanogram per milliliter range. But doctors must take care not to allow use of the PHI test to worsen the existing overdiagnosis and overtreatment of low-risk cancers, according to Dr. Marc B. Garnick, an expert in prostate cancer at Harvard Medical School and editor in chief of HarvardProstateKnowledge.org.

Exercise and weight loss may also protect against cancer.

Every time you make heart-healthy decisions about diet and exercise, you're also boosting your prostate health. Recent research suggests that managing the risk factors for heart disease also may lower your risk of prostate cancer.

Research studies can give you access to breakthrough treatments.

In January 2007, Debbera Drake got the news every woman dreads. She had stage-four breast cancer. One doctor she'd sought for a second opinion told her she had just two years to live.

Q. I'm 64, and I don't have any major health problems, but my sex drive just isn't what it used to be. Should I go to a doctor?

A. Decreased sex drive, or low libido, is a common concern in men over age 50. There are many possible reasons for lower libido, including medical problems such as hormone deficiencies, side effects of medications, and psychological issues, such as anxiety and depression. If you are experiencing decreased libido, don't reach for an herbal supplement or vitamin; talk with your doctor about the possible causes and solutions.

In 2008, a panel of experts, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), recommended that men 75 and older should not undergo routine PSA with the intent to screen for early-stage prostate cancer. However, men do not appear to be heeding this advice, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Research suggests that older men whose PSA result indicates the presence of cancerous cells in the prostate gland may be harmed more than they are helped. The cancer is not likely to progress to a life-threatening stage in the man's lifespan, but in the meantime a man faces the downsides of biopsies and treatment.

The run-up to Father’s Day should be about more than ties, golf balls, and deciding what to grill on Sunday. Health should also be on the agenda. Men’s Health Week was created by the U.S. Congress in 1994 to boost awareness of men’s health and ways to improve it. It’s a good time for men to contemplate their vigor, fitness, and overall health—and then do something about it. Here are five things you can you do to improve your health. 1) Get moving. 2) Get checked for colorectal cancer. 3) Know your blood pressure. 4) Cut back on sodium in your diet. 5) Don’t ignore warning signs. This week, give yourself the gift of good health. And keep it going beyond Father’s Day.

Despite disappointing scientific tests of saw palmetto to ease bothersome urinary symptoms, men still have self-help options.

Many men have tried saw palmetto in hopes of relieving bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms, such as waking repeatedly in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. But the latest and best clinical trial data have left doctors far less likely to suggest a trial run of the herbal remedy. "Given the data, I actively suggest saw palmetto extracts less often," says Dr. Michael Barry, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The latest results from the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) found a lower risk of death due to prostate cancer in men screened using the PSA test, compared to men who were not screened. But unfortunately this finding does not offer clear guidance to American men trying to figure out what the great PSA testing debate means for them.

The current definitive trial for U.S. men is the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial, which involved about 77,000 men aged 55 to 74. It found no clear benefit to PSA screening, but plenty of potential harms. These included repeated biopsies, the psychological impact of a cancer diagnosis, the side effects of treatment, and overdiagnosis of potentially unimportant cancers.