The Changing Male Marketplace

Real Issues, Real Men

Men are faced with serious challenges as they age, and statistics reflect the trends in men’s health behavior. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted men’s top five causes of death, by percentage of men affected, are heart disease, cancer, accidents, stroke and lung disease. Men’s health behavior may contribute to these factors; CDC reported 23 percent of men smoke, 26 percent of men 20 years of age or older have hypertension, and 70 percent of men 20 years of age or older are overweight. Smoking has been found to be a causative factor in two-thirds of cancers and contributes to non-cancerous lung disease; hypertension is a risk factor in heart disease, diabetes and stroke; and being overweight prompts diabetes and heart disease, not to mention its effect on depression, immune health and end-stage renal failure.

“Rebellions of the belly are the worst,” said English philosopher Francis Bacon, which hits close to home for many men. If asked what most men would like to change about their physical appearance; the answer would most likely be the stomach/belly area. Interestingly, the leading plastic surgery procedure for men is liposuction, particularly love handles and sagging abdomens, according to a study by American Society of Plastic Surgeons. “Many men may not understand that weight gain is different between the genders, but it’s simple to point out: men gain it in their stomachs (the potbelly), right below the sternum, while women tend to gain it lower (in the uterus area and in the hips and thighs,” said Sunil Kohli, vice president, Health Plus Inc.

The belly is also a visual indicator of future health problems. Bob Green, president, Nutratech, noted two-thirds of American men are overweight or obese; and obesity may be harder on men than on women increasing the risk of illness from about 30 serious medical conditions. “People who have excess body fat in the middle, around their vital organs, are more likely to develop heart disease, stroke and a variety of other health problems: gallbladder disease, gallstones, liver disease, type 2 diabetes, gout, osteoarthritis, certain types of caner, sleep apnea, hypertension, abnormal lipids and insulin resistance,” Green said.

According to the Harvard Health Professionals Study, which has followed more than 50,000 men for nearly 22 years, three key lifestyle factors contribute to weight gain for men: less time exercising, more time watching television and eating between meals.

Obesity is the culprit for many later-in-life conditions. Current research suggests weight gain in men may increases colon cancer risk,(1) obese men may be more vulnerable to prostate cancer,(2) and obesity may diminish a man’s fertility.(3)

A national study published in Obesity reported weight loss supplements were more common among women (44.9 percent) vs. men (19.8 percent).(4) Instead, men are turning to other nutrients geared toward their physiology and their desire to build more muscle than fat. Protein, chromium and amino acid supplements may support muscle building, which burns calories more than fat. Another muscle-building supplement, creatine, enhances strength by regenerating ATP, a chemical that supplies energy for the initial seconds of muscle contraction. The supplement is used to increase strength, power, muscle mass and recovery time; and is a popular supplement in the sports nutrition world.

Other metabolic pathways for weight reduction include: optimizing fat metabolism, curbing appetite/cravings and inducing satiety or burning calories/increasing metabolism/stimulating thermogenesis with various ingredients. Ingredients like Advantra Z, Nutratech’s patented bitter orange extract, have garnered attention for their ability to trigger thermogenesis, which can lead to weight loss. “Research tells us that once thermogenesis is triggered, belly fat—the biggest concern for men—is the first kind of fat to go,” Green said.

References

1. Thygesen, LC et al. “Prospective weight change and colon cancer risk in male US health professionals.” International Journal of Cancer. 2008 September;123 (5): 1160-5.
2. Jayachandran J et al. “Obesity and positive surgical margins by anatomic location after radical prostatectomy: results from the SharedEqualAccessRegionalCancerHospital database” BJU International. 2008 August; 102(8): 964-968.
3. Aggerholm, AS et al. “Is overweight a risk factor for reduced semen quality and altered serum sex hormone profile? Fertility and Sterility. 2008 August; 90(3): 619-626.
4. Pillitteri, JL et al. “Use of Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss in the United States: Results of a National Survey.” Obesity. 2008; 16(4), 790–796. doi:10.1038/oby.2007.136