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Talking about male health brings to mind issues like enlarged prostate, hair loss and low libido. But men are also commonly affected by poor cardiovascular health and Type 2 diabetes.
This article will explore these conditions and delve into some of the reasons they occur. You’ll also learn how to detect imbalances in your body leading to men’s health issues.
- Prostate Health
Your prostate gland is located under your bladder. Its main job is to make semen. Many men find their prostate gland enlarges with age. This causes symptoms like frequent urination, particularly at night; having a weak or hesitant urinary flow; burning or pain when passing water; and problems maintaining an erection. The condition is called benign prostate enlargement or BPE.
The urinary problems are caused by your prostate gland pressing on your urethra. This is the tube carrying urine from your bladder to the outside world.
A primary cause of BPE are testosterone imbalances. The major male hormone, testosterone contributes towards energy, muscle strength and endurance, along with bone health, libido and sperm production.
Your body converts some of your testosterone to another hormone called dihydrotestosterone or DHT. This binds to receptors in prostate cells and causes them to multiply. Therefore, too much DHT relative to testosterone can lead to prostate enlargement.
It’s not simply the absolute level of testosterone that can be an issue. Some of the hormone, known as free testosterone, is ready and available to affect cells. A proportion of your testosterone, however, is complexed to a substance called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). This helps carry testosterone around your body. While it’s occupied in this way, testosterone is not available to do its job, so if excess is bound to SHBG, it won’t have as much of an effect as otherwise.
- Male Pattern Baldness
Also called androgenic alopecia, it’s to blame for over 90% of male hair loss.
Male pattern baldness first affects the hair at either side of the crown. Although it’s usually connected with ageing, it can affect younger men, too.
This type of hair loss is usually caused by excess DHT relative to free testosterone. This has the effect of shortening the life cycle of your hairs, meaning they fall out more quickly than they grow back.
Genetics do play a role in male pattern baldness because it’s thought hair follicles at the crown are more sensitive to DHT in some men. However, lifestyle and nutrition can significantly affect hair health by influencing testosterone levels and the nutrients available for hair growth.
- Cardiovascular Health
Over four million men in the UK are living with heart or circulatory issues. One factor involved in cardiovascular disease is narrowing or blockage to the arteries. In turn, this leads to stroke, angina, heart attack and high blood pressure.
The causes of these arterial changes are widespread and include dietary and lifestyle choices, However, underlying cardiovascular disease are imbalances in blood fats including cholesterol and triglycerides. Cholesterol is often given a bad press, but actually it’s needed by your body to make cell membranes and hormones. In fact, your liver makes cholesterol for you.
Cholesterol travels around your bloodstream packaged alongside another fat called a triglyceride, forming a lipoprotein. When you have your blood cholesterol measured, the test is recording lipoprotein levels.
Lipoproteins vary according to their density, in other words how tightly packed their particles are. You’ll often come across low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Together, these form your overall blood cholesterol levels. Traditionally it’s believed LDL cholesterol should be low. This is because high levels have been linked to atherosclerosis, the formation of cholesterol deposits inside your arteries, narrowing their diameter. On the other hand, HDL should be relatively higher than LDL.
Another risk factor for cardiovascular disease is a state of heightened inflammation in the body. Inflammation serves a useful purpose because it helps your body cope with unexpected trauma like injuries or infection. However, inflammation should naturally abate between incidents.
When inflammation remains high there’s an internal fire damaging your body’s cells and tissues, including your heart muscles and valves. Chronic inflammation can cause lipoproteins to oxidise, meaning they more easily stick to the inside of your arteries. Meanwhile, inflammation may damage the smooth interior surface of your blood vessels. This means it’s easier for cholesterol to latch onto.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is produced by your liver in response to inflammation. It’s a useful indicator of whether chronic inflammation is affecting your cells and tissues.
- Type 2 Diabetes
Long before diabetes eventually develops, problems start to occur with your body’s blood glucose control. Your pancreas releases a hormone known as insulin whose job it is to allow the glucose in your blood, absorbed from your food during digestion, into your cells for use as fuel. In so doing insulin regulates blood glucose levels. This is important because high glucose levels in your bloodstream can damage your blood vessels and nerves.
However, if cells become resistant to insulin, they no longer take any notice of its message. Blood glucose then remains high, eventually leading to Type 2 diabetes. This condition affects heart health, blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.
One way of assessing the stability of your blood sugar is by looking at a substance called haemoglobinA1c (HbA1c). Assessing how much glucose has attached to the haemoglobin in your red blood cells can indicate your average blood sugar levels over the past few months. This reveals how well your body can control its blood sugar and provides an insight into your metabolic health.
Know Your Markers: How to Make Informed Choices About Your Health
We now offer a convenient at-home test using a small sample of your blood. Designed to be a functional health check, the test examines key markers related to male health issues.
By taking the test, you’ll find out your levels of hormones, including testosterone, free testosterone, and SHBG, alongside CRP to indicate how inflammation may be affecting your health. The test also assesses Hb1Ac in connection with blood sugar control, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and finally markers related to kidney and liver health. All these are designed to provide insights into your general health.
The test includes a 20-minute consultation with an Integrative Medicine Doctor who will interpret your results. This will highlight any areas of focus or flag up where you may need further support, either with our range of practitioners or by referral back to your own GP where necessary. In this way, you can feel completely reassured you are receiving expert interpretation of your test results.
The great advantage of testing is it can empower you to make informed choices about your health and lifestyle. Your health is an area where ignorance is not bliss: because diet and lifestyle choices can significantly impact the markers evaluated, knowledge gives you the power to positively affect your health.
For more comprehensive support, or if you are experiencing any health issues, we would recommend an Integrative Health Assessment. Following your appointment, you’ll receive a comprehensive nutritional and lifestyle plan and recommendations for further therapies to support your unique needs.
Don’t delay: start your journey to optimal health today.
