Men's Health: Andrology Expert Cao Kaiyong Discusses New Concepts in Men's Health (Part 1)

Men's Health: Andrology Expert

Cao Kaiyong discusses new concepts in men's health

Hou Daize

As "Men's Health Day" approaches on October 28, a reporter interviewed Professor Cao Kaiyong, Chairman of the International Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine Andrology, President of the Andrology Professional Committee of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, and President of Tianjin Cao Kaiyong Traditional Chinese Medicine Andrology Hospital.

Speaking about the current health status of men in my country, Professor Cao said with concern: "Men's health status is not to be ignored and is worrying. However, this problem has not attracted the attention of society, families, and relatives. The most serious issue is the neglect, indifference, and even forgetfulness of men's own health problems. Men are unwilling to see a doctor when they are sick, and they are unwilling to talk about their pain. The number of men suffering from various diseases is many times greater than that of women, but men see a doctor 28% less frequently than women. There are more than 100 million people suffering from erectile dysfunction alone in China, but only 25% of them seek treatment, while 75% do not seek medical attention and would rather endure the pain."

Of the more than 300 million adult men in China, 100 million suffer from sexual dysfunction. Statistics from the International Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine Andrology show that at least 50 million men of reproductive age in my country suffer from infertility, while approximately 150 million men suffer from prostate diseases. The combined number of patients with these three major andrological diseases is very close to the total number of adult men in China. Clinical surveys show that sperm production in adult men is currently half that of 50 years ago; 40% of men over 50 years old suffer from varying degrees of prostate disease; nearly 25% of adult men have varying degrees of sexual dysfunction; 10% of couples of reproductive age suffer from infertility; and 6.5% of adult men suffer from sexually transmitted diseases.

With societal progress and development, the spectrum of human diseases has undergone significant changes, shifting from being primarily caused by infectious diseases and malnutrition to encompassing a wide range of factors including biological agents, social factors, and psychological factors. Due to this shift, the incidence of male diseases such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and infertility has shown a year-on-year upward trend. Half of every 100 men suffer from various male-specific diseases. As many medical experts have predicted, in the 21st century, urological diseases will become the third leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular disease and cancer.

However, even today, with science becoming increasingly widespread and knowledge becoming ever more advanced, many people still believe advertisements on telephone poles, seek treatment from quack doctors and swindlers, or secretly buy so-called aphrodisiacs and kidney tonics, resulting in harm to their own health, their own suffering, and the mistreatment of their partners. Many men do not die from disease, but from outdated ideas and ignorant sexual folly.

Because men's health has long been neglected, and outdated traditional concepts have been perpetuated, men are now facing health risks and suffering. Therefore, men, and society as a whole, must establish correct new concepts about men's health to overcome the current health crisis. To this end, Professor Cao proposes his own new concept of men's health.

New Concept 1: Choose strength, acknowledge vulnerability

Men need to acknowledge that they are physiologically weaker. This is an objective reality, not a source of shame for men, so they should not fall into the misconception of believing themselves to be "stronger."

Traditionally, women are often referred to as "weaker," perceived as having lower physical strength and being at a disadvantage in social competition. However, scientific research indicates that men are physiologically "weaker." Human immune genes reside on the X chromosome; women have two X chromosomes, while men have only one. Due to the weaker genetic makeup in men, if a gene malfunctions, there is no backup gene. Therefore, from the embryonic stage, men are more vulnerable than women, with higher stillbirth rates, lower survival rates, and a higher incidence of various genetic diseases. Furthermore, some complications from diseases are more severe in men than in women; for example, mumps can adversely affect the male reproductive system but not in women.

New Concept 2: Being reluctant to seek medical help doesn't make a real man; men should care about their health.

For diseases specific to men, one should openly and honestly go to the hospital for examination and treatment.

Sexual dysfunction, infertility, and prostate diseases-specifically affecting men's health-are on the rise year by year, increasing at an average rate of 3 percentage points annually. The phenomenon of "female dominance and male decline" is not only a description of social psychology but also a true reflection of men's health status. Faced with the deteriorating health of men, what is puzzling is their long-term indifference towards their own health. Men are reluctant to seek medical attention when ill; statistics show that men visit doctors 28% less frequently than women. Men only go to the hospital when absolutely necessary or when their condition is serious. For minor ailments, they tend to endure them. More often than not, men hastily buy some medicine and try to manage on their own. 80% of patients with serious illnesses admit that because of their long-term neglect of medical care, minor ailments have developed into major problems, delaying the best treatment opportunity.

Men's disregard for health stems from the instilling of traditional patriarchal values. From a young age, men are told that men must be strong and resilient, that they must get up on their own after a fall, that they must not cry when getting injections, that they must not complain when sick, or that they must not whine when tired. Only in this way can men prove they are stronger than women; otherwise, they are considered effeminate and spineless. Women can openly seek medical attention for gynecological problems such as dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, or uterine fibroids; but men with erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, or prostate problems dare not speak out, and even when they do seek medical attention or take medication, they must do so secretly.

We should view men's health issues scientifically and realistically. Caring about health is not a sign of weakness; illness is the body's natural regulation, a distress signal. Men seeking medical attention is respecting science and respecting themselves. Men have the right to seek medical care; men who seek medical care are not necessarily less capable, and men who don't are not necessarily noble. Only by cherishing their own bodies can men contribute to the world. Only with healthy lives can men shoulder greater responsibilities.