Key Takeaways

• On average, men are much less likely to look after their health by exercising and sleeping well and are less likely to get their health checked by a GP.
• Researchers identify that scientific studies need to better account for gender differences.
• While there are many reasons for the differences in men and women, one crucial factor differentiating the two are differences in the hormonal (endocrine) system.
• On average, men produce a higher quantity of androgenic hormones, like testosterone and DHT, and women produce more oestrogens, like estradiol.
• While there is sexual dimorphism between men and women due to differences in genes, we cannot necessarily define men and women in this way.
• One common misconception in men surrounds the ageing process and the general decline in testosterone we see in men over time.
• Trends in testosterone levels in men are a crucial metric that has brought concern to researchers.
• One pressing issue that comes under the title of ‘silent killer’ is mental health in men.
• While in the past, differences between men and women were used to create disempowering gender narratives, we can make men feel better supported and heard, so that they can use knowledge positive to tackle their unique challenges

Did you know that men in the U.S. live on average five years fewer than women? Are you aware that men are nearly three times more likely to be alcohol dependent compared to women? Or that men are more likely to be insulin-resistant than women for any given level of body fat?

Our current information age allows experts in all fields to disseminate knowledge to a vast audience. We can search for anything at any time and get a result. Fitness and health are no different. While it can be challenging to pick through the reams of content to find transparent answers to our questions, the increased access to information should on average give us more tools to improve our health, especially for men in an industry saturated with male-focused content. Despite this, there are many common health issues of which men remain unaware and continue to fail to address.

As a society, we need to speak more directly to men and help them truly understand how their lifestyle impacts their physical health, mental health and, ultimately, their life expectancy. On average, men are much less likely to look after their health by exercising and sleeping well and are less likely to get their health checked by a GP. Our current evidence base echoes this sentiment and identify that scientific studies need to better account for gender differences. Men vary in many ways compared to women, especially regarding factors like chronic disease risk and mental health.

Welcome to the first chapter in our series covering all things men’s health. We aim to give you the ‘need to know’ on statistics, causes, effects and solutions for many common male health concerns. We understand that men present a unique physiology compared to women and that advice and information should be tailored to men and women where applicable.

Mars versus Venus

Differences between men and women cover almost all facets of what we believe it means to be human, whether that is physiology, psychology or sociology. Crime rates, academic performance, risk-taking, and socioeconomic status all statistically differ between men and women. While there are many reasons for the differences in men and women, one crucial factor differentiating the two are differences in the hormonal (endocrine) system. As a general statement, men produce a higher quantity of androgenic hormones, like testosterone and DHT, and women produce more oestrogens, like estradiol. These create differences in male and female characteristics generally.

It is important to point out that while there is sexual dimorphism between men and women due to differences in genes, we cannot necessarily consistently define men and women in this way. There will always be outliers. Barring characteristics like genitals, the differences between men and women lie upon a sliding scale, including differences in sex hormone production. This means that we cannot define women and men based on differences in sex hormones. Despite averages, some women are taller than men. Some men are more empathetic than women, and so on.

“Andropause”

One common misconception surrounding men includes the ageing process and the general trend of a decline in testosterone production. This process is sometimes referred to as “andropause”, similar to the menopause in women.

On average, after the age of 30 years old, men’s testosterone tapers off by around one to two percent per year. However, while many individuals think that these changes are inevitable, age-related reductions in testosterone are not solely attributable to natural causes, with changes in lifestyle being key factors. Sleep, diet, exercise, and lifestyle are often the true drivers of these changes.

Of course, as we age our priorities change, with healthful activities taking the back seat to familial, career and financial concerns. We often underestimate the power of our lifestyle in impacting sex hormones and fail to correctly prioritise them. For example, it can take as little as one week of shorter sleep to reduce your testosterone by 15%.

Generational decline

Trends of testosterone levels in men are a crucial metric that have brought concern to researchers. Studies have shown that, between the late 1980s to early 2000s, men’s bioavailable levels of testosterone dropped by nearly 50% on average. Other research has corroborated these findings, with another study demonstrating a five-fold increase in the prevalence of low testosterone in men, from 2000 to 2016. This trend was observed in men, regardless of age. While the reasons for this aren’t entirely known, body composition was a significant factor. Testosterone is crucial to the function and development of men and placing a bigger emphasis on personal responsibility for health is a key factor in reversing these trends.

Misunderstanding male mental health

While we often label diseases like diabetes and heart disease as ‘silent killers’ due to their lack of apparent symptoms, one pressing issue under the same umbrella in men is mental health. However, statistics present a conundrum regarding men’s mental health. Only half as many men are diagnosed with depression and anxiety as women, yet three-quarters of all suicides are men. Men are nearly three times more likely to be alcohol dependent than women, and two-thirds of all drug-related deaths are men, yet women are over 40% more likely to have been treated for a mental health issue.

Due to various factors like non-specific diagnosis criteria, differences in symptoms, societal norms, and more, there is an apparent lack of representation for men in mental health. As a result, men are much less likely to identify with and positively cope when presented with stress and mental health issues. While solving this gender mental health gap requires research, policy change and population-level intervention, we can still teach men positive coping strategies and create discussion around the pre-requisites to good mental health, which includes our diet and exercise habits.

Helping you digest the headlines

While in the past, differences between men and women have been used to create disempowering gender narratives, we can better support men by using knowledge positively to help them deal with their unique challenges. Turning the tide on the gender gaps in health requires awareness and knowledge before change can be effective.

Stay tuned to see more in this series on men’s health, in which we will cover many more topics in detail, including male fertility, low testosterone, ageing, and more.