What men can do now to protect their health later. Men can begin to lose testosterone as early as their 30s, and that decline only accelerates with age.
HOUSTON — Are you eating right? Exercising regularly? While most men may think of these habits in terms of managing their weight, the impact goes much deeper, all the way to testosterone levels and sexual health.
For Men’s Health Awareness Month, KHOU 11’s Shern-Min Chow sat down with Dr. Travis Greene, a urologist with UT Physicians, to talk about what men can do now to protect their health later.
Breaking the “tough guy” mentality
We’ve all heard the joke — men avoid doctors until something’s broken. Or, as Dr. Greene puts it: “Rub dirt on it!”
But that old-school mindset is shifting.
“In your 20s, you should really be looking at starting exercising, starting eating healthy, avoiding all the fried foods, not smoking, not, no excessive alcohol intake, just to kind of set you up for the future,” Greene advises.
The testosterone tipping point
Greene warns that men can begin to lose testosterone as early as their 30s — and that decline only accelerates with age. Symptoms can include weight gain, osteoporosis, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction.
Despite what social media might advertise, self-prescribing supplements isn’t the answer.
“You should be seeing a physician, either an endocrinologist or a urologist, specifically one that specializes in men’s health,” Greene said.
For those who qualify, proper medications and testosterone replacement therapy may be an option. But there’s a lot men can do on their own.
Diet & exercise: The first line of defense
According to Greene: “Anything that’s good for your heart is going to be good for this as well. So, avoiding fried and fatty foods, avoiding red meats all the time. Just a well-balanced diet with fruits and vegetables is going to be the most helpful thing.”
And yes, lifting weights can actually help boost testosterone naturally.
“Regular exercise, especially resistance training… has been shown to actually increase people’s testosterone levels,” Greene said.
Staying ahead of prostate problems
As men approach 50, it’s time to keep a closer eye on prostate health — and that includes monthly testicular self-exams.
“A lump or a bump or something abnormal,” Greene said. “Once monthly is sufficient, just in the shower, doing an exam and getting familiar with that area.”
Early detection is key when it comes to treating prostate cancer. Thanks to advances in treatment, many men now have less invasive options.
“Things like focal therapy just treat the prostate lesion and you don’t treat the entire prostate to where you don’t have all of those sexual side effects and urinary side effects that were always very prominent in the past,” Greene said.
Bottom line: Take charge now
Men’s Health Month is the perfect reminder to take charge of your well-being, not just for the body you see in the mirror, but for the life and vitality you want to keep.