Men’s health quiz: Facts every man should know
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Men’s health quiz: Facts every man should know
Men may believe they know everything there is about their body and health, but let’s put that to the test. Here’s a quiz specifically for men testing themselves on how much health knowledge they really have:
1. A man has erectile dysfunction when he:
a. Cannot ejaculate
b. Ejaculates too early
c. Has trouble getting or keeping an erection and therefore can’t have sex
d. Has a low sexual desire
Correct answer: C. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is when a man is unable to get and or keep an erection that allows sexual activity with penetration. Occasional ED is considered normal and can often be caused by drinking too much alcohol, lack of sleep or anxiety. But if ED is frequent and is affecting your relationship with your partner, it could indicate an underlying health issue. See your doctor about ED as there are a variety of ED treatments.
2. Is male “middle-age spread” (extra fat around the belly) inevitable?
a. Yes, it’s inevitable for everyone, especially men
b. Yes, but only if there is a family history
c. No, it’s common but not inevitable
d. No, it only occurs in people who don’t exercise enough
Correct answer: C. Whatever you call it, middle age spread is a frustration for many men (and women) as they get older. Carrying excess weight in the abdominal area places one at a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure. There are numerous factors that cause it but generally it happens to men who are not very physically active, are consuming too many calories with poor food choices, and a change in hormones that reduces muscle mass. It is possible to prevent excess weight in this area by staying active, making healthy food choices, cutting back on alcohol, reducing stress, and getting adequate sleep.
3. Wearing a hat or using a blow-dryer causes baldness
a. True
B. False
Correct answer: B. There is no evidence that wearing a hat or using a blow-dryer causes baldness. Male pattern baldness occurs because the hair follicle becomes smaller, resulting in shorter, finer hair and eventually no hair.
4. Wearing briefs can make a man infertile
a. True
b. False
Correct answer: B. Even though high temperatures for a prolonged period of time may affect sperm count such as frequent hot tub use, the evidence that wearing briefs leads to lower sperm counts is inconsistent.
5. The bigger a man’s shoe size, the bigger his penis
a. True
b. False
Correct answer: B. This is a long-standing myth that was debunked by a 2002 study in the British Journal of Urology. Two urologists measured the stretched penile length of 104 men, ages 17 to 85, with shoe sizes 5 ½ to 13, and found no association between foot and penis size. It was not feasible to measure erect penis size, but stretched penile length is a valid estimate of erect length. It is also not true that hand or nose size correlates with penis size.
6. Men hit their sexual peak at age 18
a. True
b. False
Correct answer: A. It is true that men do hit their sexual peak at age 18, at least in regards to a man’s level of testosterone which peaks at 18. However, peak hormone levels don’t equate to peak sexual performance.
7. There are more men who die from prostate cancer than any other type of cancer
a. True
b. False
Correct answer: B. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women in the U.S. Prostate cancer is second for men. The American Cancer Society estimates that one in 41 men will die from prostate cancer.
8. Men are more likely than women to attempt suicide
a. True
b. False
Correct answer: B. Women are three times more likely to report attempting suicide than men. However, men are four times more likely to actually die from suicide. If you know of anyone who is suicidal, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
9. What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
a. Blood in urine
b. The need to urinate frequently especially during the night
c. Weak or interrupted urine flow
d. The inability to urinate
e. All of the above
Correct answer: E. Each of the symptoms listed can be indicators of prostate cancer. However there are other conditions affecting the prostate that also have these same symptoms, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Any man who is experiencing any of the symptoms needs to see a urologist to determine what the exact cause is.
10. What changes after a man has a vasectomy?
a. Change in semen
b. Change in sex drive
c. Change in climax sensation
d. Change in erections
e. none of the above
Correct answer: E. Nothing changes except that sperm are no longer in semen and a man will be unable to get a woman pregnant.