Men's Health

Disease / Phenomenon

Men's health covers the physiological systems and conditions specific to or disproportionately affecting men, along with the patterns of risk that shape male longevity. Core domains include hormonal balance centered on testosterone, prostate function, reproductive and sexual health, cardiovascular risk, muscle and bone maintenance, metabolic regulation, and mental health. Men experience higher rates of cardiovascular mortality at younger ages, greater visceral fat accumulation for a given body mass, and distinctive age-related endocrine changes. They also engage less frequently with preventive care in many populations, which contributes to later diagnosis across several conditions. Common concerns include benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, declining androgen levels, and sarcopenia.

Underlying biology centers on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, in which GnRH drives LH and FSH release, stimulating Leydig cell testosterone production and Sertoli cell support of spermatogenesis. Testosterone acts through the androgen receptor and is converted by 5-alpha-reductase to dihydrotestosterone and by aromatase to estradiol, a balance central to prostate and metabolic outcomes. Sex hormone-binding globulin governs free hormone availability. Nitric oxide and cGMP signaling underpin erectile function, while mTOR and myostatin pathways regulate muscle protein balance. Oxidative stress and inflammation modulate all of these. This page maps the processes, pathways, and biomarkers involved.