While fatherhood may make men a little less manly by lowering their testosterone levels, nature apparently gives fathers a heart-healthy bonus in return. New U.S. research has found that becoming a dad reduces the odds of dying from medical issues related to the heart, when compared to those men who remain childless. The report on the study recently appeared in the journal Human Reproduction.
The new findings come on the heels of a recent study of 600 men in the Philippines, which revealed that the main male hormone testosterone drops following fatherhood.
The latest study results are from a joint effort of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), the U.S. government, and a number of universities, to conduct the single largest study to date on male fertility and mortality, involving almost 138,000 men.
While heart disease experts agree that the study cannot definitively prove that a link between fatherhood and mortality exists, they also agree that an association between the two may be likely. Previous research has suggested that men who are married, have a social life filled with friends, and perhaps even a family Fido, reduce their likelihood of developing heart problems, and suffering death due to a heart-related illness.
It stands to reason that a growing family would encourage a man to live a healthier life in an effort to ensure that he is around to care for them. The simple ability to reproduce is also a sign of genetic health, as those unable to produce offspring often suffer a genetic weakness that could lead to heart-related medical issues at some point in life.'
According to lead researcher Dr. Michael Eisenberg, a Stanford University urologist and fertility specialist, “There is emerging evidence that male infertility is a window into a man’s later health.” He then added, “Maybe it’s telling us that something else is involved in their inability to have kids.”
The new findings come on the heels of a recent study of 600 men in the Philippines, which revealed that the main male hormone testosterone drops following fatherhood.
The latest study results are from a joint effort of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), the U.S. government, and a number of universities, to conduct the single largest study to date on male fertility and mortality, involving almost 138,000 men.
While heart disease experts agree that the study cannot definitively prove that a link between fatherhood and mortality exists, they also agree that an association between the two may be likely. Previous research has suggested that men who are married, have a social life filled with friends, and perhaps even a family Fido, reduce their likelihood of developing heart problems, and suffering death due to a heart-related illness.
It stands to reason that a growing family would encourage a man to live a healthier life in an effort to ensure that he is around to care for them. The simple ability to reproduce is also a sign of genetic health, as those unable to produce offspring often suffer a genetic weakness that could lead to heart-related medical issues at some point in life.'
According to lead researcher Dr. Michael Eisenberg, a Stanford University urologist and fertility specialist, “There is emerging evidence that male infertility is a window into a man’s later health.” He then added, “Maybe it’s telling us that something else is involved in their inability to have kids.”
Eisenberg also pointed out that in the study that found an association between fatherhood and decreasing testosterone levels, men having higher levels of the hormone prior to reproducing were also those who were more likely to produce offspring. This fact suggests that having low levels of testosterone might also be associated with an underlying health issue that hampers or prevents reproduction. However, it must be noted that even though having higher levels of testosterone is generally better, having too much, or even too little for that matter, can decrease the level of HDL (good) cholesterol, which is a known risk factor for heart disease.
For the study, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, the researchers periodically surveyed more than half a million AARP members, aged 50 years and over, beginning in the 1990s. For purposes of the research, men having never been married were excluded from the study, as were those with heart disease or cancer. This provided the best scenario for focusing only on healthy men who had the most appropriate opportunity, and likely the most intent, of fathering children.
The remaining men in the study after exclusions numbered 137,903, among whom 92 percent were fathers, with half of them having three or more children. Findings of the analysis showed that about 10 percent of those who were fathers had died after about 10 years of follow-up, on average.
Death rates were calculated based on the number of children fathered, and then adjustments were made for factors such as weight, age, household income, and smoking history. However, stress was not among the factors accounted for. Findings indicated that while there was apparently no difference between men with children and those who remained childless, men who were fathers had a 17 percent less likelihood of having died due to cardiovascular issues.
While the results of the analysis are of significant interest, the study had several limitations. The number of men in the study who were childless due to an infertility issue versus being childless by choice is not known, nor is the number of infertility problems suffered by their partners. Known risk factors for heart-related conditions such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure were not accounted for. In addition, fewer than five percent of the study subjects were black, or of other minority race, which means that it is not known if the study results are applicable to them.
For the study, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, the researchers periodically surveyed more than half a million AARP members, aged 50 years and over, beginning in the 1990s. For purposes of the research, men having never been married were excluded from the study, as were those with heart disease or cancer. This provided the best scenario for focusing only on healthy men who had the most appropriate opportunity, and likely the most intent, of fathering children.
The remaining men in the study after exclusions numbered 137,903, among whom 92 percent were fathers, with half of them having three or more children. Findings of the analysis showed that about 10 percent of those who were fathers had died after about 10 years of follow-up, on average.
Death rates were calculated based on the number of children fathered, and then adjustments were made for factors such as weight, age, household income, and smoking history. However, stress was not among the factors accounted for. Findings indicated that while there was apparently no difference between men with children and those who remained childless, men who were fathers had a 17 percent less likelihood of having died due to cardiovascular issues.
While the results of the analysis are of significant interest, the study had several limitations. The number of men in the study who were childless due to an infertility issue versus being childless by choice is not known, nor is the number of infertility problems suffered by their partners. Known risk factors for heart-related conditions such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure were not accounted for. In addition, fewer than five percent of the study subjects were black, or of other minority race, which means that it is not known if the study results are applicable to them.
