Men’s Key Health Concerns

May 18, 2023

The Most Common Men’s Health-Related Concerns

In 2021, the leading cause of death for men was heart diseases (39,000 deaths) (1).

Apart from the heart disease, the following are the most frequent male health-related problems: Obesity, diabetes, prostate cancer, high blood pressure and stroke, erectile dysfunction, tiredness, as well as health problems associated with dementia, mood, stress and hormonal imbalance.

The first warning signal for men who do not know they are developing coronary artery disease is erectile dysfunction. Why erectile dysfunction is the first sign of heart disease even though there are no symptoms yet? It is so because arteries in penis are much smaller than the coronary arteries in the heart. Therefore, although in the heart the plague is already building up men do not feel any symptoms yet because those arteries are large.

According to the American Heart Journal, men between 40 and 50 years of age with erectile disfunction have 5000% higher risk of heart attack than those without this problem! (2) Can there be any higher risk than that? If there is 30% higher risk, scientists make a big noise about it. But here we have 5000%! According to a title of another scientific publication, Erectile Dysfunction equals Early Death from heart attack! (3)

Men’s Health Compare to Previous Decades

Generally speaking, the male health hasn’t shown an improvement compared to the previous statistics. In many cases it is even worse. The best example can be the heart disease. In 2019 it was reported that deaths caused by it in men under 75 is going up for the first time in 50 years in UK (3). The British Heart Foundation stated that the increasing rates of diabetes and obesity were partly responsible.

Another example is the prostate cancer which is the most common cancer in UK males. Every year, about 12,000 men die as a result of prostate cancer (4). In 2018, prostate cancer killed more people than breast cancer for the first time. Throughout this century, total deaths from prostate cancer in the UK have been rising, hitting record highs.

Not only heart disease, prostate cancer, or colorectal cancer, but also diabetes and obesity rates continue to rise among men.

Key Causes of the Most Common Men’s Health Problems

One of the main reasons for the continuously poor health status is the fact that the bad dietary habits among UK men are still the same. Unhealthy diet is continuously the biggest risk factor for preventable diseases in England. Sedentary lifestyle, chronic stress, use of popular stimulants, and toxins in water, air and food are also contributing to the current health condition of British men.

One study demonstrated that for men and women, factors such as diet, exercise, and smoking accounted for over 90 percent of the risk of having a heart attack (5). Other studies also confirmed that making healthy lifestyle choices are associated with a 90 percent drop in risk in men followed over time. The same is true for diabetes—91 percent of cases could be attributed to bad diet and lifestyle.

On the third of March 2016, Daily Mail published a research article by Dr Michael Greger. In the article, he provided strong scientific evidence that the key dietary cause of prostate cancer is a regular consumption of poultry, eggs, milk, and dairy (6).

One of the key causes of the poor men’s health status are very common today nutritional deficiencies especially lack of vitamin D, B12, magnesium, zinc, and selenium. For instance, magnesium deficiency was shown to significantly increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart attack (7).

According to the Journal of Cancer Research, prostate tumours can become extremely aggressive because of the low levels of vitamin D. The research indicates that the lower the vitamin D level, the more aggressive the prostate cancer can be (8).

Why Some Health Problems, Such as Heart Disease, Are More Common Among Men

Several reasons have been suggested to be the causes of increased cases cardiovascular disease in men compared to women.

First of all, men tend to pay less attention to follow the rules of healthy diet and lifestyle. As a result, they are more overweight than women, have higher cholesterol levels, and develop diabetes more frequently.

Women are usually more willing to use natural remedies and nutritional supplements that are known to help lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other health problems.

According to another theory, men tend to have more challenging jobs and cope with stress differently compared to women.

Some studies also claim that certain hormones might help protect women against the risk of a heart attack.

Key Dietary and Lifestyle Tips to Help Improve Men’s Health

As far as diet and lifestyle are concerned, there are no major differences between recommendations for women and men. This is so because the key nutritional and lifestyle causes of most common health problems are the same for both sexes.

The implementation of the following principles is designed to address nutritional deficiencies, support the cardiovascular health, immune system, prostate and sexual health, nervous system, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels, hormonal balance, vitality, and metabolism.

- Often eat fresh tomatoes (rich in lycopene) and few tablespoons of tomato puree. In one study (9), patients with prostate cancer were given three-quarters of a cup of tomato sauce every day for 3 weeks. As a result, their PSA levels dropped by 17%. PSA (prostate-specific antigen) is a protein produced by prostate gland cells. PSA elevated blood levels are used to monitor the effectiveness of cancer treatment.

- Men need small amounts of the oestrogen (female sex hormone) but its excessive levels contribute to prostate cancer. For this reason, try to reduce the estrogen levels: Avoid canned foods and water stored in plastic bottles; Drink distilled water instead of tap water (contaminated with estradiol); Avoid oestrogens in pesticides, shaving creams and air fresheners; Avoid or significantly reduce consumption of animal foods (dairy, eggs and meat products) as animals are often treated with oestrogens to increase weight; Build muscle tissue (without steroids) because building muscles and exercising boost testosterone which opposes the effects of estrogen; Burn belly fat because testosterone is converted to estrogen in belly fat.

Increase consumption of fresh and raw vegetables, including vegetable juices and smoothies (especially leafy greens, tomatoes, carrots, beets, and cabbage family).
Include in your diet well-cooked wholegrain products, especially barley, millet, oats, buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth.
Often have pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, and chia seeds with your meals.
Instead of cow’s milk and dairy, use plant-based milk substitutes and products such as unsweetened coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk, soya milk, and Tofu (soya cheese). Make sure soya products are organic and non-GMO.
Instead of proinflammatory refined oils and margarines use raw organic coconut oil, cold-pressed olive oil and fresh flax oil.
Make soaked overnight and well-cooked pulses (beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.) your best source of protein.
Replace dairy yoghurts with unsweetened plant-based yoghurts (coconut, organic soy yoghurt, etc.). You can have them with fresh or dried fruits, chia seeds or ground flaxseed (or nuts), oat bran or psyllium husk powder. If you want to make it sweeter, add raw honey, stevia, erythritol or xylitol.
Eat fresh fruits and fruit smoothies but avoid fruit juices due to the lack of fibre and high sugar content.
Use sea salt or pink (Himalayan) salt instead of refined salt.
Three times a day drink about 2-3 glasses of water about 30 to 60 minutes before each meal or about 2 hours after meals. Your urine should be transparent. Do not drink unfiltered tap water or water stored in plastic containers. Tap water contains oestradiol (which contributes to prostate cancer). Hard water contains also inorganic calcium (which hardens arteries), and dangerous toxins such as fluoride, chlorine, heavy metals, and dioxins. On the other hand, water stored in plastic containers is contaminated with hundreds of harmful chemicals from plastic.

The best water to drink is distilled water as it is perfectly free from all contaminants and inorganic calcium. Water distillers are inexpensive and easy to use at home. Before drinking distilled water add a pinch of sea salt or Himalayan (pink) salt.

Exercise or go for a fast walk at least 60 minutes every day.
Learn to control stress and train yourself to think positive.

Key Nutritional Deficiencies That Contribute to Men’s Poor Health Status

In the UK, men develop health problems associated with insufficient intake of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The most common and most responsible for their health problems is the deficiency of vitamin D, B12, K2, magnesium, zinc, selenium, iodine, and various antioxidants.

Unfortunately, today both plant and animal foods are much lower in nutrients due to the severe soil degradation and fast plant food growth (plants have less time to accumulate nutrients). Unfortunately, although organic foods have fewer pesticides and herbicides, they are not significantly higher in nutrients. Only biodynamic farming can help to solve the problem of nutritional deficiencies because only the biodynamic farming is able to replenish the soil. The problem, however, is that biodynamically produced foods are not commonly available and often expensive.

What makes the things even worse is the fact that majority of men today consume refined products which are either low in nutrients or can even “steal” them from their bodies. The most dangerous among them are foods which contain high glucose or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), refined sugar (hidden in many processed foods), and refined flour products such as white bread, doughnuts, cakes, biscuits, or refined pasta. Sugar and high fructose corn syrup contribute to testosterone deficiency in men by raising insulin level.

Also, chronic psychological stress and the use of stimulants including very popular in the UK caffeine products, black tea, and alcohol contribute to nutritional deficiencies and poor health.

Key Nutritional Supplements Recommended for Men’s Health

Take one tablet of a good Multivitamin-Mineral formula (Healthy Mega, Day-vit Active or A-Z Multivit) with breakfast and one tablet with lunch. Do not take the same multivitamin all the time but use different multivitamins interchangeably. One day take Healthy Mega and another day Day-vit Active or A-Z Multivit.

Unfortunately, due to so many ingredients, multivitamins do not contain enough Magnesium, Vitamin D and B12. For this reason, apart from multivitamin, you also need to take the listed below additional amounts of these three most vital nutrients:

200mg of Magnesium (such as Magnesium Citrate powder which is very efficient and free from additives) twice daily (in the morning and evening). It helps relax nervous system, arteries and muscles (including heart and prostate), thus helping reduce risk of heart attacks and prostate problems.
Vitamin D3 5000 IU – once daily after breakfast. Remember to take vitamin D with Magnesium as vitamin D without enough magnesium in the body cannot be converted into its active D4 form in the kidneys. In addition, taking vitamin D supplements lead to magnesium deficiency resulting in sleep problems, muscle cramps, and other symptoms. To maximize the benefits of vitamin D supplementation, while also minimizing the potential risk of calcification of arteries, vitamin D should be taken with Vitamin K2 MK-7. Vitamin K2 activates a special protein that helps direct calcium to the right places (bones) and leads calcium away from the undesirable areas (pineal gland, kidneys, joints, colon, or arteries) thus eliminating the risk of calcification.
Zinc: 25mg daily with meals. It provides many health benefits including support for strong immunity and healthy prostate. Take zinc with Quercetin (500mg twice daily) because it significantly increases the bioavailability and effectiveness of zinc.
Take 2000 mcg of Metcobin (vitamin B12 in the form of sublingual Methylcobalamin) every day only after breakfast. Larger dosages of supplemental B12 are needed because only about 1% of it is absorbable. Vitamin B12 is the best vitamin to protect nerves from being damaged by high blood glucose levels, toxins, statins, and other factors. It is also an excellent energy booster and detoxifier. It helps lower homocysteine thus reducing the risk of heart disease.
Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa): One teaspoon twice daily with meals (excellent antimicrobial and immune system boosting properties).
Ashwagandha and Rhodiola both help to cope with stress while helping improve energy levels, sexual health, stamina, and hormonal balance.
Alpha Lipoic Acid (the best antioxidant with multiple health benefits): 250-500mg twice daily.
A good probiotic formula (such as DailyProbio) to support gut health and immune system.
Coenzyme Q10 is another important antioxidant, especially for the heart health. You must take 100-200mg per day if you are on cholesterol-lowering drugs (such as statins) because they cause the deficiency of CoQ10. Lack of CoQ10 and Magnesium may gradually lead to heart failure.
Support prostate health with Prostavital. It contains a unique combination of Vitamins, Minerals, Micro-elements, Antioxidants, and Herbal Extracts that have been skilfully combined to support prostate health, hormonal balance, normal urinary flow and bladder function, stamina, immune system, and detoxification.
Male Forte is a synergistic blend of essential Vitamins, Minerals and Amino Acids (including L-Arginine and L-Carnitine) with Ginseng and Ginkgo Biloba to give a totally balanced tablet formulation for maximum effect in supporting vitality, energy, stamina, hormonal balance and sexual health.
HeartMax Capsules combine the benefits of Omega-3 EPA/DHA with Garlic, Amino Acids, and powerful Antioxidants; to help maintain a healthy heart, circulation and cholesterol levels.

Sources

Any information or product suggested on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Consult your primary healthcare physician before using any supplements or making any changes to your regime.