In an interview with Tervisegeenius, Sergey Saadi, a general practitioner at the Preventive Medicine Clinic, says that around 20 percent of diseases are caused by the genetic make-up of a person at birth, while the remaining 80 percent are influenced by lifestyle and habits.
“Unfortunately, Estonian men have a habit of not complaining, and they often get to the doctor too late,” Saadi said. He added that recently men are seeking help more than before, for example, for alcohol abuse.
“1-2 glasses of wine or 2-3 bottles of beer a day is a daily entertainment or reward for many people, and ending the day with a bottle of wine is unfortunately not uncommon either,” he said, highlighting a worrying trend.
How can alcohol affect men’s physical and mental health?
The cells that are most sensitive to alcohol are usually the cells that reproduce rapidly – the cells responsible for the safety and health of our particularly sensitive organs. These include the heart, liver, brain and reproductive organs.
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to cardiovascular disease, central nervous system problems, hormone imbalances, disrupted sleep phases and sleep architecture, for example. It can also cause high blood pressure and be the root cause of obesity and chronic allergic skin problems. And, of course, alcohol is addictive – people constantly want to get the pleasure of alcohol and “reward” themselves with a drink.
Does it matter whether you drink hard liquor or beer?
Whether you consume stronger alcohol or drink beer or cider, for example, makes no real difference. They have slightly different mechanisms of action, but regardless of this, alcohol is ultimately equally harmful to the body. And beer, for example, contains more purines than strong alcohol, which can contribute to the build-up of uric acid in the body and thus to gout.
It has also been reported here and there that red wine, for example, is good for your health and even your cardiovascular system. Yes, that may be true, but it is only true for people who are absolutely healthy, get enough exercise, sleep very well, have low stress levels and eat healthily. And again, limit yourself to one glass of wine three times a week. There are some studies that suggest this, but these studies do not suggest that this behaviour is like eating potatoes, which is more or less suitable for everyone.
You mentioned that alcohol affects hormones, including male hormones. Can this be interpreted as meaning that too much alcohol affects masculinity in general?
It certainly is! For example, if irreversible liver damage occurs after alcohol abuse, especially fatty liver, the production of male hormones will eventually be severely disrupted and the amount of male hormones in the body will decrease, while the amount of female hormones will increase. This also happens when a man likes to drink a lot of beer, which is rich in phytoestrogens that mimic the effects of female hormones in humans. If these hormones are out of balance, it’s very likely that your sex life will end up being worse.
What do recent studies say about alcohol consumption – how much is a lot?
In general, we still follow the classic recommendations of the National Institute for Health Development. This means that the health risk increases dramatically if alcohol consumption exceeds the low-risk limit, i.e. if a woman drinks more than two units of alcohol a day and a man more than four units. There must be at least three alcohol-free days per week. One unit of alcohol is 10 grams of pure or absolute alcohol. For example, 500 ml of 5.2% beer is 2.1 units; 120 ml of 12% wine is 1.1 units and 40 ml of 40% spirits is 1.3 units.
What do you think about the advice “if you drink alcohol, drink water”?
In a sense, it is sensible to drink water in addition to alcohol, but there is a risk that this can create a sense of alienation and the impression that the effects of alcohol on the body are less damaging if large quantities of water are consumed. This is not the case and it is important to understand that alcohol should be consumed in limited quantities.
What does your practice say – is the Estonian man still a man who doesn’t cry and doesn’t go to the doctor?
You could say that it is. Studies also show that men are about 60% less likely to see a doctor than women. People often go to the doctor as a last resort, and sometimes it may already be too late to successfully resolve a health problem. In fact, it is very wrong to be sceptical about prophylaxis or preventive medicine, because prevention, not cure, is the key to good health!
Of course, loved ones can try to influence the man to go for a medical check-up. However, it is important to understand that day-to-day “going to the doctor” is more likely to create defiance. It is therefore perhaps wise to sit down with the man if possible and try to talk things through. Of course, if necessary, you can also seek advice from a psychologist or your family doctor, who will be able to give good advice.
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