A man’s heart is essential for his life, while his prostate gland is essential to propagate life. A man can live without a prostate gland, but not so for the heart. That small but mighty muscle is a vital organ keeping him alive, and it is quite a workhorse compared to the prostate gland’s role in male fertility. According to Nova, a human heart beats about 100,000 times per day, adding up to 35 million times per year. During an average lifespan, that adds up to over 2.5 billion heartbeats. Compare that to an estimated 4,233 orgasms in a lifetime for the average man.

Thus, it seems obvious that each man should be invested in maximizing his heart health, as well as the network of arteries and veins that circulate blood throughout his body. Together they make up the cardiovascular system (cardio = heart, vascular = blood vessels). If it fails, death is the inevitable result.

As I write this, it’s November, the month of raising consciousness about men’s health. It’s now almost 20 years since men began dedicating this Men’s Health Month to growing a moustache as a way to boost awareness. This led to creating the nickname “Movember” for the 11th calendar month. With nearly 270,000 new prostate cancer (PCa) cases diagnosed annually, PCa advocacy groups and foundations seize upon this time of year to spotlight the importance of early PCa detection.

It’s also about PCa prevention. On November 22, 2015, we published a blog on how heart-healthy choices actually promote prostate health. It’s not just our opinion. It’s based on solid evidence that the same practices that prevent heart disease contribute to the prevention of aggressive prostate cancer. Over the years, we have posted scores of blogs on the value of healthy diet, regular exercise, attention on stress management, and good social relationships for men’s cardiovascular and prostate wellness.

It’s now seven years since that earlier post. As I write this, Movember has rolled around again, and I join members of one of America’s most esteemed clinical institutions in weighing in on the heart-prostate connection. In observance of Movember, Dr. Mitchell Humphreys, a urologist with the Mayo Clinic Health System, cites what experts say about the importance of good cardiovascular health habits for prostate cancer patients. “They want to maximize how they’re doing from a cardiovascular standpoint, which means the healthier the body is, the better they’re going to do from their cancer, both before treatment, during treatment, and even after treatment.”^[i]

It’s great that men’s health awareness has an annual month devoted to it, but let’s not overlook it during the other 11 months of the year. True, an annual PSA test plays a role in early detection of prostate cancer, but thinking about our prostates once a year is not enough. Each and every day we choose what we put in our bodies and how we give them a workout. If cardiovascular health matters to you, remember that you’re also doing your prostate gland a favor when you care for your heart.

NOTE: This content is solely for purposes of information and does not substitute for diagnostic or medical advice. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing pelvic pain, or have any other health concerns or questions of a personal medical nature.

References

[i] Hansen, Charlotte. “Men’s health month brings awareness to prostate cancer.” News800.com, Nov. 12, 2022. https://www.news8000.com/mens-health-month-brings-awareness-to-prostate-cancer/