The Weaker Sex (Men)

NY Times ^ | June 17, 2006 | MARIANNE J. LEGATO

[neverdem]

WHEN I say I study gender-specific medicine, most people assume I mean women's health. Patients ask me, "Do you take care of men too?"

I may be partly to blame for the confusion: in the years since the revolutionary 1985 report on women's health from the United States Public Health Service, I — along with many of my colleagues — have tried to atone for the fact that for so long the majority of diseases that afflicted both genders were studied exclusively in men.

Over the past two decades, we've radically revised how we conduct medical research and take care of our female patients. And we've made valuable discoveries about how gender helps determine vulnerability to illness and, ultimately, the timing and causes of death. But I now believe that we doctors and researchers may have focused too much on women.

What emerges when one studies male biology in a truly evenhanded way is the realization that from the moment of conception on, men are less likely to survive than women. It's not just that men take on greater risks and pursue more hazardous vocations than women. There are poorly understood — and underappreciated — vulnerabilities inherent in men's genetic and hormonal makeup. This Father's Day, we need to rededicate ourselves to deepening our knowledge of male physiology.

Men's troubles begin during the earliest days in the womb. Even though there are more male than female embryos, there are more miscarriages of male fetuses. Industrial countries are also witnessing a decline in male to female birth ratios, and we don't know why.

Some scientists have argued that the probability of a male child declines as parents (especially fathers) age. Still others have cited the prevalence of pesticides, which produce more birth defects in male children.

Even when a boy manages...

[martin_fierro]

I cry like a baby when it's time for the dreaded prostate exam.

[edpc]

It's not just that men take on greater risks and pursue more hazardous vocations than women.

Odd....I thought the greater risks and hazardous vocations were women.

[ansel12]

Live fast, ride hard, die young.

When I met Chargin Charlie Beckwith I wondered at his build (big gut, out of shape), after some thought I realized that hard living doesn't make for a healthful, metro sexual middle, and old age.

Burning brightly means you pick up a lot of injuries, and sometimes you die, women can keep their extra years, living is what men do and they do it with excess.

[Porterville]

BS.

[zarf]

I like women doctors with large breasts and low cut lab jackets.

"May I check your colon?" "Anytime doc".

[demlosers]

Marianne J. Legato, M.D., F.A.C.P.

Dr. Legato is an internationally known academic physician, author, lecturer, and specialist in women's health. She is the founder and director of the Partnership for Gender-Specific Medicine at Columbia University. The first collaboration between academic medicine and the private sector focused solely on gender-specific medicine the science of how normal human biology differs between men and women and of how the diagnosis and treatment of disease differs as a function of gender. Dr. Legato has spent her research career doing cardiovascular research on the structure and function of the cardiac cell, which is supported by the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Legato writes for the scientific and lay communities.

Degrees:
 • A.B. Manhattanville College
 • M.D., New York University College of Medicine
 • Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine
 • Fellow, American College of Physicians

Associations:
 •  Professor of Clinical Medicine, Columbia University College
    of Physicians & Surgeons
 •  Founder and Director, Partnership for Gender-Specific
     Medicine at Columbia University
 •  Charter Member, Advisory Board Office of Women's
     Research, NIH
 •  Co-Chair & Co-Author, Research on Women's Health for
     the 21st Century Task Force

Awards:
 • New York's Best Doctors List, New York Magazine, 1996-
    2003
 • Outstanding Woman in Science, American Women's health
    Association, 2002
 • Woman in Science, American health Women's Association,
    of New York City, 2002
 • Heroine of Women's Health, Ladies Home Journal, 2000
 • American Health Hero, American Health for Women, 1997
 • Woman of the Nineties, Mirabella Magazine, 1994
 • Research Career Development Award, National Institute of
    Health, 1972-1977
 • J. Murray Steele Award, American Heart Association New
    York Affiliate, 1971
 • Martha Lyon Slater Fellowship, American Heart Association
    New York Affiliate. 1965-1968
 • Four Year Senior Investigator, American Heart Association
    New York Affiliate, 1968-1972

Appearances:
 • The Oprah Winfrey Show
 • The Today Show
 • Good Morning America
 • Lifetime TV
 • Good Day New York
 • The Joan Hamburg Show

Publications:
 • Author, Eve's Rib
 • Author, The Female Heart: The Truth About Women and
    Heart Disease
 • Author, What Women Need to Know: From Headaches to
    Heart Disease
 • Founder/Editor, The Journal of Gender Specific Medicine
 • Founder/Editor, Gender and Health
 • Editorial Board, Prevention Magazine and Cardiovascular
    Risk Factors
 • health Advisor, Ladies Home Journal
 • Editor, Principals of Gender Specific Medicine (In Press),
    publication in Spring 2004

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[neverdem]

BS.

Did you happen to read this guest OpEd?

[DannyTN]

The stronger sex is the weaker sex because of the weakness of the stronger sex for the weaker sex.

[rdb3]

I cry like a baby when it's time for the dreaded prostate exam.

Is it that bad? I have one scheduled shortly.

[AZLiberty]

No big deal. Just relax. That's the key.

Colonoscopy wasn't too bad either, except for one point in the middle where it seemed like the doctor turned left when he should have gone right. This woke me up from the anaesthesia for about 10 seconds, but then I went back to sleep.

[rdb3]

That doesn't sound too bad. Thanx.

Sounds like I'll be asleep like when I had my upper-endoscopy. Throat was sore afterwards, though.

[fieldmarshaldj]

""I cry like a baby when it's time for the dreaded prostate exam.""

"Is it that bad? I have one scheduled shortly."

You'll feel like you're guest-starring in "Brokeback Mountain." ;-)

[The_Media_never_lie]

Just make sure you cannot see both hands of the doc while undergoing the exam.

[muir_redwoods]

"Even though there are more male than female embryos, there are more miscarriages of male fetuses. Industrial countries are also witnessing a decline in male to female birth ratios, and we don't know why."

Sure you know why, you're just reluctant to state that the weaker female is unable to successfully carry the male fetus to term.

There Doc, it's all in how you want to view your data and what agenda you want to promulgate.

[Mr. Brightside]

The weaker sex?

Pat Roberson- 2000 pound leg press.

Madalyn Albright- 400 pounds.

[SkyPilot]

"The night before my prostrate exam, I am so excited I can't fall asleep."

[fieldmarshaldj]

Hey, you know it's a bad sign when doc is inside of you and says, "I don't know how to quit you."

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

This is just one more thing I've noticed about the men vs. women thing. Just watch TV for a few hours. Not only are men portrayed as either bumbling, stumbling morons or alcoholic child abusing monsters, but every other commercial pitches some sort of "women's health" medication.

I'm just waiting for the day when we see drugs designed "specifically for the prevention of hangnails in women" or some other trivial malady.

I bought some herbal tea about a month ago and on the package there was an ad that said that a portion of the proceeds go to prevent "women's heart disease."

Isn't heart disease the #1 killer of MEN? And don't get me started on breast cancer. I'm starting to think the USA spends more money on breast cancer research than national defense and social security combined.

[kenth]

Throat was sore afterwards, though.

Well, if your throat starts to get sore from the prostate exam, tell the doc that he's gone a little too far.   ;-)