By Syed Azhar

KOTA BARU, MALAYSIA - Sexual problems faced by men above the age of 40 are an early indication that they can develop chronic diseases like heart-related problems or diabetes later, according to a study by the National Population and Family Development Board.

The board's director of reproduction, Dr Norliza Ahmad, said "The Study of Aging Men" conducted extensively in 2006 with the cooperation of Malaysian Society of Andrology showed that almost 60% of men between the age of 40 and 70 in the Klang Valley suffered from erectile dysfunction.

The study also suggested that a high percentage of them suffered from life-threatening illnesses like high blood pressure and diabetes, which were possibly due to their lifestyle and inability to tell the truth about the state of their sexual health.

"Men with sexual problems should get professionals to examine them to detect early symptoms of major illnesses but many choose to keep silent about it without knowing that by telling the truth, it may save their lives," she said in her speech on behalf of Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil at the Third Sexual Health Conference titled "Special Attention to Men" yesterday.

Conference organising chairman and head of Men's Health Clinic at Universiti Sains Malaysia Assoc Prof Dr Shaiful Bahari Ismail said there were many cases of men with erectile dysfunction who had a high tendency of developing chronic diseases.

"We have had many cases of men who suffered from ED who died years later of diseases like diabetes or heart-related problems."

"Although not conclusive, it is still a fact that penile dysfunction could cause problems to the heart."

There were many recorded cases where patients with ED never knew they had diabetes until they underwent tests, he said.

"That is why more experiments are needed to prove that sexual health is important to the male population," he said.

He said the two-day conference, attended by participants such as medical practitioners, was to give insights on the study of sexual health among men.

At least 14 local and international speakers presented their findings on topics such as stress and anger management, male sexual health, psychological causes of sexual dysfunction, male reproductive health, prostate diseases and androgen deficiency in aging males.