Men's Health Archive

Articles

Managing prostate cancer while you wait-and-see

Men who follow either active surveillance or watchful waiting for their low-risk prostate cancer diagnosis still need to be engaged with their health while monitoring their cancer for changes. Examples include getting more exercise, losing excess weight, following a healthier diet, and managing stress. These changes may not only improve their long-term cancer outcome, but also help reduce other potentially serious health issues like heart attacks and strokes.

Study: No effect on cognitive functioning from treatments for advanced prostate cancer

Some people being treated for cancer experience problems with memory and thinking, but most of the evidence for these effects comes from women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. A recent study looked at whether men being treated for prostate cancer experienced similar effects.

When is it safe to have sex after a heart attack?

Most men can resume regular sexual activity after a heart attack once they can engage in mild-to-moderate physical activity without issues, such as 10 to 20 minutes of brisk walking or climbing one or two flights of stairs. That means no chest pain, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, or extreme fatigue with exertion.

Prostate cancer and your diet

Ongoing research suggests that heart-healthy diets like the Mediterranean and DASH diets that emphasize plant-based foods also can lower a man’s risk of prostate cancer and even help slow its spread. Researchers point to the diets high amounts of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids as possible reasons.

Cardiovascular safety from prostate cancer drugs remains uncertain

Worldwide, over one million men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, and half will be given androgen deprivation therapy at some point. Whether certain types of this therapy are safer for the heart than others is an important question that is being studied, but the results from the first such trial were inconclusive and disappointing.

You don't say? Hair today, gone tomorrow

Men’s hair turns gray and falls out because of genes, declining hormones, and advancing age. The speed and severity this happens varies per person, but there is little that men can do about these hair changes.

New ways to think about sex

Older couples face many natural changes in their bodies that can interfere with their sex life. For men it’s falling testosterone levels and erectile dysfunction, while for women it’s often effects from menopause. Couples should see this new phase as an opportunity to explore different ways to stay intimate and satisfy each other’s needs without relying on traditional intercourse.

Who needs hormone therapy for prostate cancer?

Depending on the stage of localized prostate cancer, a man’s doctor might recommend radiation therapy or hormonal therapy, also known as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), or a combination of both. Hormone therapy decreases androgens, the male sex hormones that fuel prostate cancer cell growth. When used with radiation, hormone therapy helps to improve radiation’s effectiveness. The side effects are common, but can be managed with diet, exercise, supplements, and other lifestyle habits.

A different nonhormonal birth control option

Last year the FDA approved a hormone-free birth control option called Phexxi. It's a contraceptive gel that changes the pH of the vagina to help immobilize sperm, rather than a spermicide. How effective is it, what are the possible side effects, and which other available birth control options could you consider?

Level of health literacy affects treatment choice for slow-growing prostate cancer

A genetic test that provides an assessment of how aggressive a man's prostate cancer is and how likely it is to spread within his body. A new study has investigated for the first time how results of this test are impacting treatment decisions — with surprising results.

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