Decoding the most common changes in appearance and function.
“You don’t wake up
one morning and realize it is different. It’s a gradual process, but starting
around age 40, the changes become more noticeable,” says Madeleine Castellanos,
M.D., author of Penis Problems: A Man’s Guide. So what does it mean
when a penis looks and acts different?
1. Color
Atherosclerosis, a
common problem of aging, restricts blood flow, affecting heart, brain and
penis. With less blood in the area, the penis appears lighter in color, says
Dr. Castellanos, who is also a sex therapist with a private practice in New
York. This is nothing to worry about as long as you have regular checkups that
show that everything else is in working order. Also, just as skin everywhere
shows effects of aging, so does the penis skin. It may appear more mottled.
2. Size
Touchy subject. The
truth is the penis will shrink a little as time goes on from decreased blood
flow and testosterone. “By the time a guy is in 60s and 70s, he may lose a
centimeter to a centimeter and a half in length,” explains Dr. Castellanos. She
adds, if a guy carries belly weight, the penis will appear smaller without it
actually being smaller. “The penis starts inside the body. If you have belly
fat, it comes down and extends over the base of the penis. The belly covers the
base of the penis, making it appear shorter.”
3. Sensitivity
Testosterone helps
support nervous tissue. When its levels start to drop, there will be an
accompanying decrease in sensitivity, making it more difficult to reach orgasm.
Also, the erection won’t be as hard.
“This is a case of use it or lose it,” says
Dr. Castellanos. She explains that guys can protect their penile health by
having erections every day. They don’t have to be point of orgasm, but daily
erections keep the arteries in shape and bring blood flow to the area. “It’s
just like if you don’t go to the gym, your muscles will get thinner and your
arteries will close up. The same thing happens with a penis,” she adds.
4. Decline in urinary
function
Urinary problems —
issues with being able to “go,” or with being able to hold back flow — have to
do with prostate health. It affects 20% of men in their 40s, 50% to 60% of men
in their 60s, and 80% to 90% of men in their 70s and 80s. Preventive actions,
courtesy of Dr. Castellanos:
1.
Maintain
a healthy weight.
2. Get on your feet.
Sitting all day puts a lot of pressure on the prostate.
3. Do moderate exercise
several times a week to maintain the tone of the pelvic floor muscles. Jogging
or brisk walking will do the trick. The Mayo Clinic also recommends Kegel
exercises for men.
4. Make sure you’re
getting enough zinc and selenium.
5. Limit alcohol
consumption. Alcohol increases the conversion of testosterone to estrogen and
increases inflammation in the area.
6. Ejaculate several
times a week to flush out the area.
5. Erectile
dysfunction (ED)
ED develops in 5% of
men at age 40, up to 15% at age 70. It can be the result of a variety of
intertwined causes:
·
Biology – illness, medications, poor health habits of the male
partner
·
Psychological – anxiety, depression, stress in
either partner
·
Relationship – lack of trust and intimacy, or
emotional conflict between the couple
·
Psychosexual skills – lovemaking skills of either
partner, or the interplay between the two
Because of this
complexity, simply popping a pill such as Viagra or Cialis without addressing
the underlying cause as a couple may lead to failure, says Dr.
Castellanos.
“First, go to a
physician for a complete checkup to rule out any chronic conditions. If that
doesn’t yield any conclusive information, seek the help of a competent sex
therapist, who can help you both psychologically and physiologically,”
says Dr. Castellanos. You can find recommendations at the American Association of Sex
Educators, Counselors and Therapists.
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