Could being a tough guy become a deadly mistake?
Women live longer than men, all over the world. In the US, men live around 76 years, while women live till 81.
Experts have been watching this trend for decades. Even as infectious disease has plummeted, other lethal health conditions like heart disease have affected men more than women.
So what’s going on?
There used to be a belief that men died earlier but were generally healthier before their death. Women disproportionately have more non-lethal, chronic conditions like arthritis and depression.
But researchers found this isn’t the case. It has more to do with pervasive, lifelong social and behavioral differences between the genders.
“It is both biology and behavior. Men have biological vulnerabilities,” Dr. David Shusterman, board-certified urologist and founder of UroLongevity and Modern Urologist, told The Post. “But the bigger problem is that men tend to practice reactive medicine. They wait until something is obviously wrong.”
Hey, guys — is it macho to stay sick?
An online survey from the Cleveland Clinic showed 72% of men would rather do chores like cleaning the bathroom than go to the doctor. But why the reluctance?
Research shows men are anxious about both the visit itself and about a potential diagnosis, and they’d rather try home remedies or fix whatever appears to be the problem themselves first.
But perhaps most striking: They see health help as wimpy.
“As a man, I sometimes feel that seeking healthcare is seen as a sign of weakness, which makes me more skeptical and hesitant to go,” a 49-year-old participant said.
As much as 41% of participants were told as children that men don’t complain about health issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic survey.
This silly belief is so engrained that it has real consequences — including that men are more than 30% less likely to get preventative care compared to women.
“Ignoring symptoms is not toughness, it is delayed diagnosis.”
Dr. David Shusterman
Man up and see a doc!
Men experience earlier cardiovascular risk, more visceral abdominal fat, metabolic decline and hormonal changes that can affect muscle, energy, sexual function and weight, Shusterman said. Those hormonal changes include a gradual decrease of testosterone production starting at age 35.
But that doesn’t tell the whole story. These problems may be common, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do anything about it.
A habit Shusterman says frustrates him the most is that men “normalize” problems that can be addressed.
“They say, ‘I’m just getting older,” he said. “Aging is real, but many of these changes are measurable and treatable.” The best way to see if something is or isn’t worth worrying about is to talk to your doctor.
For example, erectile dysfunction can be an early vascular warning sign; urinary problems can signal prostate enlargement or bladder dysfunction; fatigue can reflect sleep apnea, metabolic disease, low testosterone or cardiovascular risk.
“Ignoring symptoms is not toughness, it is delayed diagnosis,” he said. “My philosophy is that aging should be measured, understood and acted on early. Men fall behind when they ignore the early signals.”
Don’t wait for wifey to step in
A big reason men die earlier than women is because they’re less socially connected, according to a report from Harvard Medical School. Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline and premature death, according to the World Health Organization.
Having a partner makes a big difference. “A spouse or partner may notice changes that a man ignores,” Shusterman said. “Partners often push men to get evaluated.”
Married men tend to live two years longer than their unmarried counterparts. But that doesn’t mean single men are doomed.
“Single men can do very well if they create structure around their health,” Shusterman said. “The key is not marital status alone. The key is accountability, routine testing and not waiting for a crisis.”
How to close the gap
The first step is to stop treating health as an emergency response system, Shusterman said. That means getting ahead of problems and seeing your doctor regularly. Keep up to date on tests and screenings so you can know about any problems early.
He recommends men see their doctors for:
- Annual physicals
- Blood pressure monitoring
- Cholesterol and diabetes screening
- Prostate evaluation
- Testosterone and hormone testing when symptomatic
- Sleep apnea screening
- Cardiovascular risk assessment
- Body composition tracking
- Colon cancer screening
- Management of weight and metabolic health
The goal is more than increasing the time you’re alive, but also increasing quality of life.
“More good years where a man is physically strong, sexually functional, mentally sharp and metabolically healthy,” Shusterman added.
