Ralph De La Cruz: Women take lead on men’s health issue
First, let me make one thing perfectly clear: This is NOT a problem for me.
At least I don’t think it is.
I don’t have … uh … OK. Let’s just say I don’t need no stinkin’ Viagra. Or Levitra. Or Cialis.
(This is where Austin Powers would add a “Yeeeah baby.”)
Whew. That was tough.
You know how it is for us guys. We’re quick with the wink and nod, and the puffed-up chest. Not so great with the information and straight talk.
Which I suppose is why Spirit of Women (spiritof
women.com), a coalition with headquarters in Boca Raton, is taking on the issue of low testosterone in middle-aged men.
They call it Low T.
Funny how people come up with cute little phrases when it comes to issues of sexuality. As if we’re all 15 again and struggling to stifle a snicker.
“That’s what Spirit of Women does,” said Tanya Abreu, president of the health network. “It takes on a lot of issues that people don’t want to talk about.”
Spirit of Women has partnerships with hospitals in 70 cities, including Boca Raton Community Hospital, to advance women’s health. And often, that means men’s health.
The group commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a survey about, uh, this issue. Harris contacted 2,008 women older than 30 who’ve been in a romantic relationship with a man for at least three years.
Only 43 of the women said their partners had been diagnosed with Low T. And 968 said they displayed the symptoms, such as decreased libido and weak erections.
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A little less than half — 997 — said their partners did not display the symptoms. Which, considering those include low energy, depression, grumpiness and irritability (uh-oh), makes me think they were either lying, pumping their partners with Prozac, or living with a candidate for canonization.
Not surprisingly, the survey determined that Low T affects both people in a relationship. What was surprising is the extent of the impact.
“What struck me about the survey was the depth of concern the women had, not so much about sexual issues, but for the quality of emotional life of their partner,” Abreu said.
About three-quarters of women whose partners had symptoms or had been diagnosed with Low T said they had less physical intimacy, which you’d expect. But half also said that their communication suffered and that they felt lonelier as a result.
Of those whose partner had been diagnosed with Low T, just over half said they were satisfied with their pre-diagnosis relationship. After diagnosis and treatment, the number skyrocketed to 81 percent.
But it’s not just about feeling, uh, chipper and getting along with your partner. Research by the University of California at San Diego found that in men 50 and older, Low T resulted in a 33 percent greater risk of death. It’s believed that 5 million American men have Low T.
So, you might ask, why did it fall on a women’s group to bring this issue to light?
“Let me tell you, I think there’s something to the notion that men are genetically predisposed to be the hunters and women are genetically predisposed to be the gatherers,” Abreu said. “I believe that’s why women gather the information and make 85 percent of the medical decisions in our society.
“People ask me, ‘Why isn’t there a Spirit of Men?’” Abreu continued. “Men don’t come to meetings. Women are the gatekeepers to family health. And not just for children. A study once found that men who suffered acute heart attacks often called their wives before they called 911.”