Australian Medical Association

MJA media release - Male reproductive health problems may coexist with, or represent a marker for, other common conditions including heart disease and diabetes, according to an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia.

Dr Carol Holden (PhD), of Andrology Australia, Monash University, VIC and co-authors Dr Carolyn Allan and Dr Robert McLachlan of Andrology Australia and Prince Henry’s Institute, Melbourne, VIC, analysed research linking diabetes and cardiovascular disease to erectile dysfunction (ED). The authors noted that the research also identified connections between obesity and depression with reproductive health disorders. 

“Studies suggest that the degree of risk for a cardiovascular event after developing ED is similar to that due to being a current smoker,” Dr Allan said.

AMA Vice President, Dr Steve Hambleton, today urged Australian men to be proactive about their health and seek advice and support from their family doctors to keep themselves in good shape for a longer life.

Dr Hambleton said that National Men’s Health Week commencing tomorrow provides an opportunity to focus on changing the complacent ‘he’ll be right, mate’ attitude of many Australian men.

“Men often experience poorer health outcomes than women, and have a higher probability of dying at a younger age,” Dr Hambleton said.

“A big factor in this is the ‘don’t fix it until it’s broken’ approach that many men have towards their bodies and health, which means they do not regularly seek health advice, and which puts them at greater risk of diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, at an early age.

AMA Position Statement: Men's Health - 2005