Effects of Lifestyle on Men's Health

Faysal A. Yafi, Natalie H. Yafi

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9780128169407
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Biology
• Index: Biological Sciences

Effects of Lifestyle on Men's Health provides an evidence-based review of the effects of modifiable risk factors such as sleep, diet, stress and exercise on various elements of men's health, notably sexual function, urinary function and cancer prevention and detection. Content highlights the most up-to-date basic and clinical information available, along with future research directions. Each chapter provides an easy to reference bullet point style summary to highlight the salient take-home messages from each section. Researchers and clinicians alike can use this book as a reference point for all matters related to lifestyle and men's health.

• Offers an evidence-based review of the associations between modifiable risk factors (diet, lifestyle, sleep, environment and exercise) and men's health
• Delivers examples of how changes to risk factors improve overall health
• Provides insight into what the future of men's health holds in terms of basic and clinical research

Part 1

Diet

Chapter 1.1

Diet and Sexual Health

Maxwell M. Towe⁎; Faysal A. Yafi⁎; Natalie R. Yafi^{† ⁎} Department of Urology, University of California Irvine, Newport Beach, CA, United States
^† Independent Registered Dietitian, Costa Mesa, CA, United States

Abstract

The link between diet and sexual health is a topic of interest to urologists and the medical community at large due to the negative effects poor sexual functioning can have on quality of life. Because certain sexual disorders have the same pathophysiological phenotype as other medical conditions, many studies have shown that diets leading to these conditions also lead to that particular sexual dysfunction. In many cases, erectile dysfunction is due to limited blood flow due to atherosclerotic plaque buildup in the same way characteristic of coronary artery disease. Therefore, diets high in saturated fat that promote atherosclerosis will lead to both diseases. Other sexual disorders, such as Peyronie's disease and anorgasmia, have fewer clinical correlates with which to compare them. In this chapter, we will outline different men's health conditions and discuss how diet plays a role in either prevention or exacerbation of such diseases.

Keywords

Diet; Sexual health; Erectile dysfunction; Hypogonadism; Peyronie's disease

Introduction

Diet and Health

Our understanding of how diet affects our health is constantly evolving. Nutrition guidelines are changed year to year by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other governing bodies as more research is put out regarding what exactly constitutes a healthy diet. Processed meat was officially classified as a carcinogen in 2015 with red meat being classified as “probably carcinogenic” at the same time [1]. Twenty years ago, it was thought that a proper diet should avoid all fat and include complex carbohydrates as a substantial portion of what we consume [2]. More recently, we have come to realize that refined carbohydrates like white bread and pasta raise blood sugar more than whole grains and that the type of fat (monounsaturated vs polyunsaturated vs saturated) matters more when looking at disease development [3]. Diets such as the Mediterranean diet incorporate many of the nutrients that we now consider to be health-promoting such as fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, monounsaturated fats, and whole grains, and research has shown adherence to this diet correlates with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, obesity, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders [4–7]. The Western diet on the other hand involves processed meat, refined carbohydrates, dairy, and salt, and its health detriments have been documented by numerous studies [8–10]. Data are constantly being produced on this topic to help guide us make the right decisions when deciding what to eat for dinner or what type of snack to have. The fact that we keep adjusting our attitudes toward diet reemphasizes the importance it has for our overall health.

Sexual Health and Overall Health

Normal sexual function is dictated by the interaction of multiple systems including genitourinary, endocrine, neurological, psychological, and cardiovascular [11, 12]. Disturbances of any one of these systems can interrupt various parts of the sexual response cycle and negatively affect sexual health. Rarely then will men present in clinic solely with a sexual complaint, and usually, there is an associated health issue to go along with it. Many times, the two are interrelated, and it can be difficult to distinguish which one causes the other. For example, erectile dysfunction (ED) can be the result of numerous comorbidities such as a diabetes-induced neuropathy [13] or atherosclerosis from CVD [14]. On the other hand, sexual dysfunction can also exacerbate and even be the cause of certain diseases. For example, sexual dysfunction can cause low self-esteem and anxiety that may lead to depression in some men [15, 16]. Additionally, men who are hypogonadal are at an increased risk for developing metabolic syndrome and CVD [17]. Regardless of which one came first, it is important to look at a man's sexual health in the context of his overall health, as one can usually serve as a window into the other.

Diet and Erectile Function

ED is defined as the consistent or recurrent inability to attain and/or maintain penile erection sufficient for sexual satisfaction, including satisfactory sexual performance, and its prevalence increases with age with a worldwide prevalence of ED predicted to reach 322 million cases by 2025 [18]. The pathophysiology of ED is complex and likely variable depending on the context in which it appears. The ED disease process is closely related to that of CVD and diabetes [19], and thus, they share many of the same risk factors such as smoking, obesity, alcohol use, sedentary lifestyle, and psychological distress. The mechanisms that are believed to play a role in ED include endothelial dysfunction, impaired nitric oxide (NO) signaling, oxidative stress, impaired blood flow, and an increase in general inflammation. As diet has been shown to influence the progression or prevention of CVD, diabetes, and other elements of metabolic syndrome, most likely by affecting those mentioned parameters, diet should also play a role in the development of ED.

Food Groups and Erectile Function

Oxidative stress has been proposed as a pathological mechanism behind ED [20, 21]. It stands to reason then that foods that contain a high amount of antioxidant compounds should be protective for sexual health. Fruits and vegetables have largely been studied in this regard and overall have been shown to have this effect [20, 21]. A study in Iranian men found that daily consumption of fruits was associated with a lower risk of ED compared with a diet with only weekly or seldom consumption of fruits and vegetables [22]. Similarly, a study in diabetic Canadian men found an inverse relationship between fruit/vegetable consumption and ED, and this relationship held true while controlling for sociodemographic factors, lifestyle factors, duration of diabetes, and diabetic complications [23]. The authors of this study were able to quantify this beneficial effect further, reporting a 10% decrease in ED risk for each additional daily serving of fruits/vegetables. These results were replicated in a cohort of Albanian men, where the authors reported a 13% decrease in ED risk per each additional serving [24].

Other food types that seem to be associated with lower rates of ED are nuts and fiber. A study looking at the representation of food intake in both ED and no ED groups found nut and fruit intake to be significantly higher in the group without ED [25]. This difference existed even when controlling for BMI, waist circumference, physical activity, and total energy intake. A diet with high fiber content was also found...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Contributors
• Author Biography
• Part 1: Diet
• Part 2: Metabolic Health
• Part 3: Mental Health
• Part 4: Hormones
• Part 5: Supplements
• Part 6: Recreational Habits
• Part 7: External factors
• Index