To whom do men turn when they struggle with aging, when they experience age-related physical and mental changes, when they question their lifestyle, their career and relations? Women have peer groups at work or intimate meetings with girlfriends, where they complain about skin-sagging and gain of bodyweight, first greying of hair, varicose veins and age spots, and where they are able to discuss their feelings about sex, partnerships and their fear of aging. And it even seems to be more legitimate for a woman to talk to her gynaecologist, dermatologist or the family doctor about her worries.

But who is a man's 'homme de confiance'? Who can men talk to about how careless they act with their own body?

Medical check-ups and prevention are not an issue in male discussions. Men do not have a physician ? like women have their gynaecologist ? who looks after them regularly. Men are raised into a social role model where strength and superiority do not allow any weaknesses, especially health-related ones. Men mostly postpone medical check-ups and talk about symptoms only if they are compatible with manliness. Only half as many men compared to women are taking part in cancer prevention. Their eating habits are worse than women's. About 70% of all males between 30 and 50 years of age are overweight and high cholesterol levels are more frequent in men than women. Men love doing extreme sports. However, they do not exercise as regularly or thoroughly as women. Most physical activities done by men promote illness, injury and even death.

Somehow men feel invulnerable. However, we all go through these processes: The male body builds up until the age of 20, when it reaches its maximum functional capacity. From there on this capacity can only be maintained through a healthy lifestyle ? sports, sound nutrition etc. From 40 onward the aging process can only be controlled by an anti-aging-strategy that includes medical check-ups, health and fitness assessments, highly personalized lifestyle and weight management programmes, proper nutrition and sensible fitness activities emphasizing prevention. The primary goal should be to increase quality of life and life expectancy, thus staying healthy and young for a long time.

 

Scientists also found that men experience something like a menopause, called andropause, from the age of 55, or younger. These hormonal imbalances cause men's life to be even more tiring. While women receive hormonal treatments when they are in their climacteric, men do not. However, a research study at the Medical College of Wisconsin, performed on veterans between ages 61 and 81, showed that hormonal treatment of 6 months improved the body composition of all men tested, resulting in 14% less body fat, 9 to 12% more muscle mass, firmer skin and even improved erectile capacity.

We all die too young, but why do men die younger than women'

Untreated hormonal imbalances, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, manliness, age, smoking, high cholesterol levels, bad eating habits, a sedentary lifestyle, stress and family history are some of the reasons why men die younger than women. The most amazing thing is that men could do something about it. Doing nothing is doing the wrong thing.

Staying physically active is key to good health well into later years. Yet only about one in four older adults exercises regularly. Many older people think they are too old or too frail to exercise.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Act or be acted upon. Stay Fit4Life.