While the life-expectancy gap between men and women has decreased, it's no secret that men still need to pay more attention to their bodies. Several things work against men:

• They tend to smoke and drink more than women.
• They don't seek medical help as often as women do.
• Some men define themselves by their work, which can add to stress.

There are also health conditions that only affect men, such as prostate cancer and low testosterone. Many of the major health risks that men face - like colon cancer or heart disease - can be prevented and treated with early diagnosis. Screening tests can find diseases early, when they are easier to treat. That is why it's important to have regular checkups and screenings.

It might be helpful to know that many men, especially as they age, have problems with impotence (erectile dysfunction) or loss of libido (reduced or lost interest in sex). Some men also have problems with ejaculation, while others actually have a condition with which their testicles fail to make the normal amount of testosterone, a principal androgen or male sex hormone.

Low testosterone has a number of negative effects on mental, sexual and physical health. The most common type of treatment for testosterone deficiency is known as testosterone replacement therapy and it is prescribed to treat symptoms and problems associated with Hypogonadism - the medical term for low levels of natural testosterone and/or relative Andropause - the medical term for low –normal levels of natural testosterone.

About nine percent of American men are thought to have impotence, and it is more common as men age. Many things can cause impotence:

• atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• depression and other emotional illnesses
• pelvic surgery
• kidney failure
• multiple sclerosis
• stroke
• some types of epilepsy
• alcoholism

Some men who take medicines for heart disease or drugs that can affect the central nervous system, such as hormonal medicines or heroin and cocaine, are at-risk for impotence.

Loss of libido(reduced or lost interest in sex) also can occur at different points in a man's life. It can happen for many reasons:

• stress
• illness
• medications
• emotional problems
• reduced levels of male sex hormones

Uneven sexual desire, at times, between you and your partner is normal and inevitable in long-term relationships. It is how you handle these challenges that makes the difference.



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