Common Male Health Problems

Here are some sobering statistics about male health. Compared to women, men are:

• 30% more likely to get cancer
• Over 50% more likely to die of cancer
• 40% more likely to die of heart disease
• More likely to binge drink, smoke, eat badly, be overweight and sun bathe 
• Less likely to talk about, admit to, or seek help for perceived emotional, mental or physical problems

In short, men are dying of pride, embarrassment and inaction every day. So below we address some of the health issues that particularly affect men, and especially how many of these diverse health problems may have one uniting causative factor - chronic mercury poisoning from dental amalgam fillings.

Male pattern baldness

Somewhat intriguingly, male pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia affects apes and humans and both men and women. This is the familiar pattern of hair loss where the hair starts to thin on the crown of the head and above the temples either resulting in a monk's rim of hair or complete baldness.

Various theories have been proposed as to why this trait might have been selected for in both apes and humans. Theories include the fact that baldness evolved as an outward sign of maturity, longevity, survival and lack of sexual aggression which meant that females selected these males to reproduce. 

This type of hair loss is related to the amounts of circulating male sex hormones collectively known as androgens, and particularly to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Androgens are important for normal male sexual development before birth and during puberty and regulate hair growth and sex drive in both sexes. 

Male pattern baldness is caused by a genetic tendency for the hair follicles to shrink when exposed to DHT. The trait is inherited from the mother's line, although the causes are not fully understood. The enzyme that converts free testosterone into DHT is present predominantly in the scalp and prostate gland and pharmaceutical drugs have been developed to block the enzyme.

The hair follicles are very sensitive to toxins as demonstrated by the almost inevitable hair loss that accompanies chemotherapy. Chronic mercury toxicity from dental amalgam fillings and consumption of fish has been shown to be linked with both greying of the hair and hair loss. Click here to link to the research PDF which covers the topic of hair loss and mercury poisoning (on page 40).

'Man boobs' of gynaecomastia

'Man boobs' or gynaecomastia, is where the mammary glands in a man have become abnormally large resulting in breast enlargement and pseudogynaecomastia is where excess fat gives the impression of breasts. Some men can also suffer with ‘puffy nipples’ where the areola and surrounding tissue is dome-shaped.  

Gynaecomastia can occur at any of the various stages of life - including in the male embryo in response to the mother's hormones in the womb. It is surprisingly common with 30 - 60% of young men affected, although for many this may spontaneously resolve if associated with puberty. The condition may also develop throughout life as muscle and skin lose their tone and elasticity. 

Gynaecomastia can also sometimes be a side-effect of some medications.

Conventional medical solutions are either to use oestrogen-blocking medication or to surgically remove the excess tissue. Pseudogynaecomastia can usually be resolved with diet and exercise.

The root cause(s) are not fully understood but almost certainly relate to an imbalance of sex hormones and/or the tissue responsiveness to them. The many oestrogen-mimicking pollutants that have been released into the environment are also prime suspects and their numerous health effects are detailed at the end of this article (xenoestrogens). 

The male menopause

Unlike the relatively rapid decline of sex hormone production in women, the production of male sex hormones (androgens) gradually declines in men over the age of 40 onwards. As such the 'male menopause' or andropause is now referred to as 'partial androgen deficiency of the ageing male' (PADAM).

The decline in androgens is also accompanied by a decline in other hormones such as growth hormone, parathyroid hormone and melanocyte-stimulating hormone although the significance of these changes is not fully understood.

Male sex hormones affect the growth of muscle, fat, skin and hair and brain function. Although both sexes produce androgens they are produced in much larger quantities in men.

In men after puberty, the majority of androgens are produced by the testicles, mainly as testosterone. Some other androgens such as dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are produced in the adrenal cortex, skin and liver.

The changes caused by PADAM could potentially manifest in the middle-aged male in a number of ways including:

• Circulatory and nervous system symptoms
• Hot flushes and sweating
• Insomnia and tiredness
• Anxiety, irritability and becoming fearful
• Depression, unstable moods and decreased cognitive (higher mental) function
• A lack of motivation and energy
• Poor short-term memory
• A loss of muscle and muscle strength
• Low self-esteem
• Decreased virility and interest in sex
• Poor erections and/or weak orgasms
• A loss of body hair
• Gaining weight around the middle (the middle-aged spread)
• An increased risk of heart disease.

Conventional medical solutions include supplementing testosterone either as capsules, tablets, injections or implants or applying patches or gels. Whilst natural health treatments would include detoxifying the substances that have adversely impacted the endocrine system and hormone production and optimising function using supplements, exercise and diet.

Infertility

This is a massive and rapidly growing problem with male fertility having dropped dramatically in recent years. Sperm counts are now half of those in 1940 and have dropped by a third in the last decade. Xenoestrogens such as mercury, increasing alcohol consumption and other environmental toxins such as pesticides are the main suspects.

In fact, mercury accumulates in the pituitary gland which is the master control for nervous and hormonal control of reproductive function in addition to lowering testosterone levels and causing direct sperm damage within the testicles.

Mercury is recognised to kill sperm for which reason it is included in spermicide gels. Mercury also poisons the processes of energy production in the tails of the sperm thus affecting motility and their ability to effectively reach their target. The presence of mercury in the testes also causes the development of defective sperm and sperm that contain DNA damage, aberrant chromosome numbers and chromosome breaks.

Click here for a research PDF about the effects of mercury on reproduction (mostly pages 10 and 42) or the video Mercury and Infertility.

Testicular cancer

The incidence of testicular cancer has doubled in the last 30 years and it has become the most common cancer to affect young men. It is easy to detect, but most men never do check themselves systematically. Men: you have two testicles – are they should match!

The following are all warning signs that should be taken seriously if you find:

• A lump
• An enlarged testicle

Or if you experience:

• A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
• A dull ache in abdomen and/or groin
• A collection fluid in the scrotum

Click for the articles Cancer is Man-Made, The Causes of Cancer, The Emotional Causes of Cancer or Research: Mercury, Toxic Metals and Cancer.

Erectile dysfunction

A problem with getting or maintaining an erection may be the first warning sign of a serious underlying health problem such as heart disease or diabetes. Erectile dysfunction affects nearly half of all men in their 40s and can cause tensions within intimate relationships and affect self-confidence and self-esteem.

This too can relate to mercury and other toxins which preferentially accumulate within the endocrine and nervous systems but appear to particularly affect the testes in men and ovaries in women. Chronic mercury poisoning acquired from dental amalgam fillings adversely affects both the hormonal and autonomic nervous system mechanisms that control erection of the penis, ejaculation and orgasm.

The supplements L-arginine (an essential amino acid linked with sexual arousal) and pycnogenol (pine bark extract that improves circulation) have been shown to aid erectile dysfunction. 

Prostate problems

Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in men, but benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlargement of the prostate) is also very common with advancing age and most older men are found at autopsy to have been affected - whether they had been aware of the problem or not. The early stages may be asymptomatic with the first real signs being difficulty urinating.  

Both lycopene (the red colouring in tomatoes) and vitamin E have been shown to help prevent enlargement of the prostate gland and the herb saw palmetto has been shown to help reduce enlargement of the prostate gland.

The prostate gland too accumulates toxins - particularly mercury. Click for articles about Prostate Problems and Urinary Incontinence.

Diabetes

The majority of type II diabetics are thought to have had diabetes for 12 years before being diagnosed - which means that there an awful lot of undiagnosed diabetics out there. Early signs of type II diabetes include:

• Feeling excessively thirsty
• Needing to urinate more frequently
• Itchy genitals
• Feeling tired
• Blurred vision
• Frequent, chronic, prolonged or recurrent infections

The consequences of uncontrolled diabetes are very serious indeed involving the potential amputation of extremities, blindness and death, so it is really important to try to prevent type II diabetes. Eating a healthy diet, taking regular exercise and detoxifying the heavy metals that poison insulin production in the pancreas are all key to reversing type II diabetes. Ensure that you seek appropriate professional help if you have one or more of the signs of diabetes listed above.   

Click for a research PDF outlining the evidence that links mercury toxicity with autoimmune conditions such as diabetes, Also refer to the PDF Mercury-Caused Endocrine Conditions and the articles Modern Malnutrition, Obesity and Food Addiction, It's Official: Junk Food IS Addictive and Endocrine Gland Disorders.

Heart disease

The most common first indication of heart disease in men is a heart attack - and often a fatal one. Heart attacks are the most common cause of premature death in men and are much more common in men than women. At 40 years of age the lifetime risk of developing heart disease is 50% for men and 33% for women.

Preventive advice includes not smoking, doing regular exercise, eating a healthy diet that includes oily fish and moderating alcohol intake. Supplementing omega 3 fish oils has been shown to aid cardiovascular health, to reduce inflammation and also to protect the brain.

The heart has been shown to accumulate mercury at 22,000 times the levels found elsewhere in the body and chronic mercury poisoning may be the primary underlying cause of heart disease. Click here for an article entitled Mercury and Cardiovascular Disease: Cause and Effect? or for a PDF of research information linking mercury toxicity from dental amalgam fillings to heart disease.

Depression

Men commit suicide nearly 4 times as often as women - mostly without any warning. Whilst a depressed woman may appear visibly upset, a depressed man may show no outward sign to colleagues, family and friends appearing sociable and working hard. The early signs of depression are often changes in sleep patterns or appetite, low energy, becoming antisocial and spending too much time in bed.

Believe it or not a lot of these ills too can be laid at the door of increasing toxicity in general and of mercury toxicity (from dental amalgam fillings) in particular. Click for an article about Depression and Mercury Toxicity or to link to a research PDF about mercury and depression. 

Xenoestrogens

Over 100,000 chemicals have been introduced into the environment in the last 70 years - only 1% of which have been regulated by the agencies charged with protecting us from these synthetic substances. Environmental toxins include chemicals such as DDT, insecticides, food colourings and preservatives, plastics, synthetic hormones, metalloestrogens, industrial chemicals, preservatives, PCBs and plasticisers such as parabens.

You might also be interested in the following:
	Mercury Toxicity Questionnaire Symptoms of Mercury Poisoning A History of Mercury Poisoning Biological Dentistry A History of Medical Horrors How to Be a Centenarian
	Alison Adams' Interviews
	Symptoms of Mercury Poisoning A History of Mercury Poisoning
Common male health problems: Article summary This article examines health problems particular to - or more common in - men and possible causative links to environmental pollutants and mercury toxicity from dental amalgam fillings. These health problems include: male pattern baldness; depression and suicide; heart disease; type 2 diabetes; erectile dysfunction; prostate enlargement; testicular cancer; infertility; the 'male menopause' and gynaecomastia ('man boobs').   Click the icon for the blog version of this article  Click the icon if you would like to republish this article
To receive a FREE report and the newsletter fill in your email details in the box on the top left. The Natural Recovery Plan Newsletter August 2010 Issue 8. Copyright Alison Adams 2010. All rights reserved Dr Alison Adams Dentist, Naturopath, Author and Online Health Coach www.thenaturalrecoveryplan.com