DEAR DOCTOR K: I'm a man in my 60s. I've been taking a calcium supplement to protect my bones, but I recently read that men shouldn't take calcium supplements. Why not?
DEAR READER: I wish I could give you a clear answer. Several recent studies have raised a question about whether regular use of calcium supplements might be bad for the heart. The bottom line: It's too early to know if this risk is real.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I'm an avid biker. But could my biking lead to erectile dysfunction?
DEAR READER: Biking is an excellent form of exercise. But occasionally, if men who bicycle many hours each week are not careful, it can lead to temporary erectile dysfunction.
DEAR DOCTOR K: It's obvious that there are some health problems that affect only women, and others that affect only men. But for the health problems that affect both women and men, are there differences in symptoms, or in reactions to treatments?
DEAR READER: That's an interesting question. Perhaps surprisingly, the answer is yes. Heart disease is a good example.
DEAR DOCTOR K: A few months ago, I noticed that my penis had developed a bend in it. It hurts when I have sex, and it's embarrassing. Is there a treatment?
DEAR READER: What you describe sounds to me like Peyronie's disease. This condition causes a curvature of the penis. It can also cause pain with erection, and it may interfere with sexual function. The pain often is more of a problem at the beginning of the condition than later. Even if the bend in the penis remains, the pain often resolves.
The following Q&A is excerpted from “Testosterone for Life,” written by my colleague Abraham Morgentaler, M.D., and published by Harvard Medical School. For more on low testosterone, read my column from October 10, 2012, “Could I have low testosterone?“ Q. Is it true that if a person has a normal sex drive, then he must have [...]
DEAR DOCTOR K: I have chronic prostatitis. Antibiotics haven't helped. What other treatment options are there?
DEAR READER: Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate. This walnut-sized gland secretes fluid into semen. Prostatitis is widespread and affects men of all ages. According to a study published in the World Journal of Urology, about two out of every 100 men worldwide suffer from chronic prostatitis.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I'm a man in my late 70s, and I'm having trouble holding my urine. Medicines have helped somewhat, but not completely. My doctor says he's tried every medicine and that I may have to live with my problem to some degree. Is there anything else you can suggest?
DEAR READER: Though you may not guess it from TV ads, losing control of urine -- incontinence -- is not just a woman's problem. Men, particularly older men, can have trouble too. Studies find that one in four men your age experience incontinence at least once a year -- and as many as one in 10 experience it nearly every day.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I'm a man in my mid-60s. Lately I've been unable to perform sexually. Are there non-drug strategies I can try before turning to medication?
DEAR READER: Even if you'd prefer to handle this drug-free, start with a trip to your doctor. There may be a straightforward explanation for your erectile dysfunction (ED), such as a side effect of medication. If this is the case, maybe the drug can be discontinued or a new one substituted that is less likely to produce ED.
DEAR DOCTOR K: My wife and I don't want any more children, so I've scheduled a vasectomy. What will happen during the procedure?
DEAR READER: A vasectomy is a minor surgical procedure that will make you unable to father any more children. The sperm that is ejaculated during sex travels through two tubes, one on either side of the scrotum. Each tube is called the vas deferens. A vasectomy cuts or blocks the vas deferens.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I'm a 75-year-old man who recently underwent prostate cancer surgery. I've begun to have what I think are hot flashes. I'm baffled, because I thought hot flashes were a female problem. Could I be having male hot flashes?
DEAR READER: In short, the answer is yes. As with hot flashes in women, sex hormones are to blame. Women get hot flashes at menopause, when their estrogen levels drop. In men, the problem is testosterone, a type of hormone called an androgen. More specifically, declining testosterone levels can lead to hot flashes in men.
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff is a practicing physician, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Editor in Chief of Harvard Health Publications. Learn more »
Harvard Health Publications is the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, providing the general public with authoritative, trustworthy, and accessible health information. Learn more »
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