As men get older, many things about their bodies begin to change. Some of these changes are good, but many of them are bad. In fact, many of them come with health problems that could be very dangerous.
Despite the plethora of information on the Internet and in library books about the male body and the problems it faces as it ages, most men still remain ignorant to the possible complications they need to be aware of.
Of course aging men need to consider how their bodies will become tired and slow, and memory loss is another common side effect of aging, but there are many other things that can occur within an aging man’s body that each and every man needs to be aware of.
1. Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
In addition to all of the different problems men can experience as they age, there is also the matter of obesity to consider. Around 75% of people older than 60 are obese or overweight, and obesity can lead to many more diseases that can complicate the human body further after a certain age.
Obesity is linked to conditions such as type-2 diabetes and numerous kinds of heart disease. It also leads to things such as breast cancer, colon cancer, and high blood pressure (a precursor to heart disease).
A related problem is metabolic syndrome, a combination of certain risk factors which not only cause the metabolism to stop working properly, but also put you at risk of certain cancers, heart disease, and developmental diabetes.
It’s not difficult to make minor lifestyle changes in order to avoid both obesity and metabolic syndrome. Reducing alcohol intake, increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids, exercising regularly, and avoiding foods with high-fructose corn syrup are all simple ways to protect your aging body from obesity and metabolic syndrome.
2. Arthritis
Although this is a fairly common concern of aging men, most people don’t realize just how many men are affected by it. About half of all the elderly population is impacted by this condition, and it is one of the leading causes of disability among elderly people.
Arthritis is simply painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints. It can be caused by many things, which is why it is so common. Years of playing football, wearing high heels, or simply walking upright on two legs can cause arthritis.
Although it is a common disease, there are many ways to prevent arthritis as well as ways to prevent arthritis from becoming worse. It is helpful to keep a fairly healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight. This helps keep joints mobile and useful and prevents putting too much pressure on your joints.
3. Cancer
The likelihood that you would develop a given type of cancer generally increases as you age. The chances for breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer grow considerably more than that as age increases.
Lung cancer, more than any other type of cancer, takes more victims as time goes on. This is because one of the main causes of lung cancer is smoking. Smoking is an ugly habit that most people develop at a relatively young age and continue throughout their lives because it is very difficult to quit.
However, with the growing rates of both smokers and lung cancer related deaths, doctors are putting more and more stress on the need to stop smoking. This is especially important for the elderly as their age causes their chances of developing lung cancer to rise.
4. Prostate Problems
The risk of prostate cancer rises with age. It is important for men who have reached and surpassed the age of 40 to have regular prostate exams. This way, any cancer or other complication with the prostate such as prostatic hyperplasia can be found early on and treated accordingly.
5. Testicular Problems
Although men of all ages are at risk for testicular problems, the chances of having testicular problems such as testicular cancer and some swelling caused by a buildup of fluid around the testicle rise as age increases.
Impotence and sexual dysfunction are also problems that become more common as men age. As many as 30% of men over the age of 65 experience these kinds of problems, and there are many things that may cause them. Some of these possible causes are diabetes, chronic alcoholism, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and kidney disease.
Kate Stefanaski is an RN living in the state of Florida working at Florida Hospital Orlando. One trend she has noticed is that sometimes what people consider to just be normal aging is in fact linked to low testosterone, and for this she often refers patients to RejuveHealthClinics.com for additional options.
Sources: http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/older-mens-health,
http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/aging-health-challenges
Featured images: image source
