Men's Health

Researchers are now warning that men who take Viagra could be putting their fertility at risk. According to a study conducted by Queen's University, the prescription drug could harm sperm and reduce its ability to fertilize an egg.

Furthermore, the scientists claim that fertility clinics prescribing the drug to men could actually be reducing their chances of fathering a child.

Dr. David Glenn, who led the research, said:

"It is worrying that some IVF clinics are using Viagra in order to boost fertility results. Couples who go there for treatment are, by definition, already having problems getting pregnant. Viagra may simply be making these worse. Giving male partners something that could make the problem worse is scarcely the right approach."

Dr. Glenn and his team of researchers arrived at these conclusions following a study in which they bathed human sperm in a Viagra solution to give the same exposure as seen in the blood of a man after taking the pill. While they found that the Viagra made the sperm more active than when it was not exposed to the drug, they also found that it damaged the acrosome - a cap-like structure that contains the chemicals needed for the sperm to break into an egg.

Cleveland Clinic has been doing research to look at how cell phone use may affect fertility. The conclusion: high cell phone use in males may lead to decreased sperm count, as well as a higher percentage of "abnormal" sperm.

"Our results show a strong association of cell phone use with decreased semen quality. However, they do not prove a cause-and-effect relationship," lead researcher Dr. Ashok Agarwal told Reuters.

Radiation emitted by handsets may be the cause of the damage.

"There was a significant decrease in the most important measures of sperm health with cell phone use and that should definitely be reflected in a decrease in fertility" added Agarwal.

According to the results of a new study by an international team of researchers from the United States and Canada, men who consume a high amount of sugary drinks have an increased risk of developing gout. Gout is common amongst men over age 40, and is caused by an excess level of uric acid in blood.

For men with gout, high levels of uric acid thus lead to the deposit of crystals around joints, which results in swelling and intense pain. One of the most commonly affect joints by gout is the knee.

In this study, researchers examined 46,000 men age 40 and older over the course of 12 years. At the beginning of the study all of the men were healthy, and none had any history of gout. Over the 12 years, the men were quizzed about their dietary habits, with particular attention being paid to soft drinks and other sugary drinks.

During the follow-up period of 12 years, there were 755 new cases of gout in the group of men.

What the researchers found was that the risk of gout increased when men consumed at least five to six servings of sugary drinks per week. Those who trank more than two servings per day were at an 85% increased risk of developing gout.

Some fruits high in fructose, which many of us don't think as unhealthy or bad, were seen to increase the risk of gout. These would include apples and oranges, which double your risk of developing gout.

These risks of developing gout were seen to be independent of other factors, including age, high blood pressure, alcohol intake, diuretic use, body mass index, and diet.

When we think of steroid use, the first thing that comes to mind are professional sports players who use steroids to gain an edge on their opponents. Instead, according to a new report issued by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the average American steroid user is a white male around age 30 who's educated, earns an above average income, and is not particularly athletic. In fact, the report revealed that most men abused steroids in order to look better.

"In total, our findings belie the images of (steroid) users as mostly risk-taking teenagers, cheating athletes, and a group akin to traditional drug abusers," said Jack Darkes of the University of South Florida, Tampa, and co-investigators.

Researchers recruited 1955 male steroid users for the study from websites dedicated to strength training and muscle-enhancing substances, mass emails, and print media. The men thus completed surveys on their background, lifestyle habits, and history of their steroid use.

A lot of men and women who suffer hair loss feel hopeless and depressed as they deal with Alopecia. Fortunately, with the help of modern science, more and more treatments for hair loss make it easier than ever to cope. Dr. Shapiro's Hair Institute, who perform Hair Transplants in Florida, offer a glimpse of the results one can achieve by getting revolutionary treatment to battle a receding hairline.

One thing that Dr Shapiro stresses is to know what to look for if your planning this type of treatment. On his website, he offers videos of what to expect from companies who provide this type of service. 65% of men suffer from hair loss in their lifetime but that doesn't mean its a lost cause. There are things you can do to get the head of hair that you are happy with. With today's technology and advances in treatment, there is no reason that is stopping you from doing something about hair loss and Dr Shapiro's Hair Institute is a great place to educate yourself about your options.

Did you know there are many eye exercises that can help you overcome many eye ailments and diseases? Just like physical exercise, eye exercise can help boost your bodies defense system against problems ranging from dry eyes to macular degeneration. Doing a mere 15 minutes a day of eye exercises can help reduce the strain of everyday use that your eyes contend with.

Here is what one of the clients of naturaleyecare.com said about their experience doing eye exercises:

Are you one of the 65% of American men who suffer from hair loss? If so, you will be you be happy to learn that the The American Hair Loss Association has started a blog to help men cope and share ideas of your options. The topics listed on their blog are far reaching and include topics such as children's hair loss, hair loss treatment, hair transplant and ongoing research.

If you have never heard of the American Hair Loss Association, their mission statement reads:

The American Hair Loss Association is committed to educating and improving the lives of all those affected by hair loss. It is our goal to create public awareness of this devastating disease of the spirit, and to legitimize hair loss of all forms in the eyes of our medical community, the media and society as a whole.

We recognize that hair loss is not only a complex medical condition, but one that affects every aspect of the hair loss sufferer's life. For this reason we are dedicated to providing resources and support to those who are actively researching effective treatments and to those who are committed to fighting this emotionally devastating disorder.