WHEN the Dow goes down, so does the importance men place on their sexual health, says a recent poll conducted among 42 general practitioners (GPs). Half the respondents say that they had seen a drop in the number of patients complying with or seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) in the past six months as a result of the recession.
And more than half of those GPs believe that finance matters more to Singapore men than their sexual life.
Unfortunately, the findings can mean much more ominous things for men than just a sexual slump.
'It is important that Singaporean men understand how having a safe and satisfying sex life ultimately contributes to their overall good health,' says Peter Lim, whose Institute for Men's Health is spearheading the 'Restore the man' programme, raising awareness of the testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS).
'ED is a window into vascular and heart disease, and a potential indicator for diabetes, hypogonadism, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, depression, and especially the metabolic syndrome.'
To help prevent the complications that ED can cause, the Restore the Man programme has added another weapon to its TDS-fighting arsenal - an online questionnaire. Go to www.menshealth.org.sg and men who score moderate to severe on the Ageing Males Symptom questionnaire will be mailed a free testosterone blood test voucher. They can subsequently approach clinics under the Restore the Man programme. The usual consultation fee applies, but the testosterone test is free.
