5 Men's Health Myths Debunked

June is Men's Health Month. Across the country many organizations are celebrating and spreading awareness with screenings, health fairs and other health education. We'd like to take a moment and call out some myths around men's health that still continue to live on today. 

Here's a round-up of 5 men's health myths and why we think it's time the world stopped believing them.

Prostate Cancer only occurs in older men

FALSE: it's true that the average age of diagnosis is about 66, and about six in ten prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in men age 65 or older, according to the American Cancer Society. But younger men getting prostate cancer has increased six-fold in the last 20 years and if it occurs earlier in life, it's likely the tumor is growing rapidly, making for a greater chance of an aggressive cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men; about 1 in 38 will die from it.

Baldness stems from styling hair

FALSE: Baldness is actually a result of genetics and very rooted hereditary issues. There's also other internal and hormonal influences that have little to do with how much product you're using in your hair.

Osteoporosis only affects women 

FALSE: Osteoporosis affects both women and men. Generally men are often safer than women from this disease because they typically have larger skeletons, and aren't physically affected by menopause. Their bone health typically is better but it doesn't mean osteoporosis doesn't occur in men. it often occurs in men who don't eat healthy or exercise. 

Breast cancer doesn't affect men 

FALSE: Almost 2500 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in men every year. What's more, if the disease occurs in men, it is likely highly aggressive. Yes, it is quite rare, the incidence of the disease is on the rise. Factors like obesity, liver disease, genetics and overall estrogen exposure can potentially lead to breast cancer in men.

Alzheimer affects only really old men 

FALSE: We have to be mindful that Alzheimer's is not tied to age-related memory loss or forgetfulness. Yes, it's one of the symptoms but this disease has a severe degenerative nature that affects speech, motor skills and exaggerates dementia or memory loss., leaving the condition incurable. It is known to affect people above 65 years of age, but in some cases it can also manifest itself in much younger people. In fact early-onset Alzheimer's affects a small number of people every year.

Common Diseases in Men

1. Heart Disease

▪ Leading cause of death for men in the United State, killing 307,225 men in 2009 – 1 in every 4 male deaths. 

▪ 50% of men who die of heart disease have no previous symptoms.

▪ Between 70% and 89% of sudden cardiac events occur in men. 

▪ Leading risk factors: High LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes are some of the risk factors for heart disease. 

2. Stroke

▪ Third leading cause of death in the United States.

▪ Stroke death rates are higher for African-Americans than for whites, even at younger ages.

▪ Each year, about 795,000 people suffer a stroke. 

▪ Leading risk factors: High blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, carotid or other artery disease, atrial fibrillation or other heart disease, TIAs (mini-strokes), high red blood cell count, sickle cell anemia, high cholesterol, physical inactivity, obesity, excessive alcohol intake and some illegal drugs.

3. Cancer

▪ Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Testicular Cancer

▪ Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men. 90% is caused by smoking.

▪ Prostate cancer and skin cancer are the most common types of cancer. 

▪ Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. and the third most common cancer in men and women. 

▪ Leading risk factors: Race (African-Americans have highest risk for prostate cancer), obesity, smoking, age, and family history of cancer are just some of the most common risk factors. 

4. Diabetes

▪ 29.1 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 8.1 million may be undiagnosed and unaware of their condition.

▪ 1.7 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in U.S. adults in 2012.

▪ Leading risk factors: Obesity, physical inactivity, family history, race (African-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians and Asian-Americans are at higher risk), age, andhigh blood pressure.

5. Depression and Suicide

▪ Highest among white males. 

▪ Four times higher among men than women.

▪ Eight leading cause of death among men; higher for younger men. 

▪ Leading risk factors: Mental health conditions, substance abuse, or serious or chronic health conditions.

6. Erectile dysfunction

▪ Two-thirds of men older than 70 and up to 39% of 40-year-old men have problems with erectile dysfunction.

▪ Leading risk factors: Most often caused by atherosclerosis, damaged nerves after surgery, neurological or psychological factors, certain medications, or chronic illness. 

7. COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

▪ 80-90% of COPD deaths are caused by smoking. 

▪ Men are nearly 12 times as likely to die from COPD then men who don’t smoke. 

▪ Leading risk factors: Smoking. 

8. Kidney Disease

▪ More than 26 million American adults have chronic kidney disease and millions more are at risk and don’t know it.

▪ Leading risk factors: Diabetes, high blood pressure, and family history.