Men often suffer in silence, unlike women who share their emotions and feelings.

Are men the stronger sex? The answer is yes when we talk about physical strength, but when it comes to overall health and wellness statistics show that in 2021 life expectancy in men was 71.81 years less than women’s 77.15 years.

They can run faster, lift more weight, but are more likely to be affected by certain diseases that cause them to die younger than women. The main threats to men’s health are conditions of the cardiovascular system, lung or prostate cancer, type 2 diabetes, depression and suicide.

Dr. David Samadi, a prostate cancer specialist and robotic surgeon, explains that “good health depends a lot on the individual person; we all know a man who refuses to go to the doctor, skips annual physicals, eats too many unhealthy foods, has a hard time exercising or doesn’t get enough sleep.”

Added to this is the likelihood of having lifestyles that, in the long run, put their health at risk, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, drug use, a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight or obese.

Is it possible that gentlemen go to the doctor less often when they are suffering physically and mentally, and that this translates into worse results? “Yes, that is the case, men have the bad habit of not taking care of their health, they wait until they are so sick that they have no choice but to go to the doctor, and that is why they often receive late diagnoses for things that are no longer treatable,” confirms the urology specialist at the Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago (HOMS).

“Women tend to have a more pragmatic approach and ask multiple detailed questions. If the patient goes alone, the consultation is much shorter than if he is accompanied by his wife or girlfriend, who usually bring with them a long list of questions,” says the author of the book Let’s Talk About Men.

As director of the surgery program at the Samadi-Homs-Robotic Institute at HOMS, a center that is internationally certified by Accreditation Canada (ACI), he recommends starting to practice good health habits at a young age, and not leaving it to the bottom of the to-do list.

For Samadi, recognized as one of the best prostate oncology surgeons, “men who often say ‘you can’t fix what isn’t broken’ are more likely to be diagnosed with a silent disease after forty or fifty, which could take several years off their lives.

“They may become frustrated or distressed when they have problems with intimacy and end up receiving a diagnosis of erectile dysfunction or low testosterone levels,” which is one of the main causes of many patients’ visits to his office, the doctor explains.

Main threats to men’s health

Non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease, are responsible for more than 70% of all annual deaths worldwide. Men who take the time and initiative to be proactive with their wellness can at least know the diagnosis at an early stage when they are most treatable.

The term heart disease encompasses the various conditions of the cardiovascular system, including coronary heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure, heart valve disease and high blood pressure.

Regarding prostate cancer, Samadi, who has performed more than 9,000 robotic laparoscopic surgeries on patients with prostate, bladder and kidney cancers, reveals that every man should know that prostate cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer, after skin cancer. It is important to have routine annual studies.

Lung cancer has about 90% of the cases related to smoking as the main cause. Metalworkers, painters, industrial cleaners, bakers, plumbers, welders and masons may also be affected.

He explains that type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, while type 2 diabetes can be prevented, or at least managed effectively through new habits.

Finally, Dr. Samadi states that, with regard to depression and suicide, men are especially prone to both. “They tend to suffer in silence, unlike women who share their emotions and feelings,” she points out.

About Dr. David Samadi

He is the director of the Samadi-Homs-Robotic Institute at Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago (HOMS), and can be reached for a free telephone consultation at 809-399-0569. He has extensive experience in urology and men’s health and a tenacious dedication to the successful and compassionate treatment of prostate cancer.

He is qualified as one of the best prostate oncology surgeons and together with his team of professionals helps men of all ages to overcome their urological problems with state-of-the-art technology and minimal side effects.

He developed the SMART surgical technique with the central goal of completely removing the cancerous prostate while simultaneously improving sexual function and preventing urinary incontinence. He has performed more than 9,000 robotic laparoscopic surgeries on patients with prostate, bladder and kidney cancers.