Men health check

More info on men’s health screening

A health checkup for men is just as important as for women. But “health” can be very different for both sexes. So is the case with disease.
Certain pathologies do not occur in one sex and do in the other, simply because of anatomical differences. Consider an STD on the penis or a serious disease such as prostate cancer. Also, certain syndromes are more common or less common in either gender. For example, diabetes is more common in men, as is pain during urination. Also, we more often see problems with the hormone testosterone – produced by both men and women – in men. Research shows that syndromes that occur in both men and women can present and develop differently in both sexes. As a result, some diseases require different treatment in men than in women.

The cause for the long list of differences between men and women is not always clear or unambiguous.
But it is important to pay attention to it.

When is a health check for men useful?

Men experiencing symptoms or suspecting a deficiency or disease may benefit from one of Easly’s men’s health tests. We thus offer a health check for men who like to be well informed about their health without having to go to the doctor right away. Self-testing allows you to take a test in the comfort of your own home that is analyzed by a professional laboratory and reviewed by one of our own doctors. If necessary, our doctors will then advise you on follow-up steps.

The prostate

The prostate is a small organ located just below the bladder in men. The prostate consists of several lobes, with which it completely encloses the urethra.

The function of the prostate is to produce prostatic fluid. Prostate fluid is a component of sperm. This is because semen consists of a relatively small proportion of sperm cells and a relatively large proportion of fluid. Each prostate lobe contains many glandular tubes that carry prostatic fluid to the urethra. Prostate fluid serves to protect the sperm.

Disorders of the prostate
The prostate is an organ that grows larger as men age. This growth often begins around age 50. Enlargement of the prostate leads to symptoms in a proportion of men. This is because a larger prostate can make the urethra narrower on the one hand and irritate the bladder on the other. These are possible symptoms of prostate enlargement:

• Frequent urge to urinate, including at night
• Difficulty “getting going” with urination
• Little pee power, weak jet
• Taking longer to empty
• Feeling unable to urinate completely empty
• Nadruppelen
• Difficulty holding up urine / incontinence

Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Each year, some 13,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. With prostate cancer, symptoms, especially in the beginning, may be absent. This is because prostate tumors often grow slowly. Possible symptoms include pain in the lower abdomen or bone pain.

PSA
PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen and is a term that will sound familiar to many Dutch people. PSA is a protein made by the prostate gland. Even if there are no problems with the prostate, small amounts of PSA are released into the blood. A normal PSA level does not rule out prostate cancer.

If the PSA is elevated, it can have several causes, such as benign prostate enlargement, a bladder infection, prostatitis (an inflammation of the prostate) or prostate cancer. Moreover, the PSA normal value depends on age. As age advances, higher PSA values are accepted.

Thus, interpreting the PSA value is not always easy, but it is useful as an indicator of the effect of prostate cancer treatment.

Vitamins for men

Vitamins are of interest to everyone, regardless of gender. Easly offers a B12 test and a vitamin D test, which can be very helpful. Among other things, B12 is involved in the production of substances in the nervous system, red blood cells and DNA. Sufficient B12 also plays a role in the immune system and keeps the risk of cardiovascular disease low. Vitamin D is needed to maintain healthy and strong bones and for healthy functioning of the kidneys, parathyroid gland, functioning immune system and muscles.

STD test man

A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is an infection with a bacterium, virus or parasite transmitted through unprotected sex. An STD can be located in different parts of the body, depending on sexual orientation. They are most common on the penis, in or around the anus and in the mouth.

About 100,000 STD infections occur annually in the Netherlands. GGD research shows that men who have sex with men are more likely than average to have an STD and therefore need to be tested more often. In recent years, however, the number of STD infections among heterosexual men has also been rising.

Below we take a closer look at the two most common STDs. If you want to learn more about STDs, visit our page on STDs.

Chlamydia
The chlamydia bacteria can be found in the penis, anus or throat (and in the vagina in women) and is transmitted through unsafe sex. However, the risk of transmission through oral sex is small. About 50% of men do not develop symptoms with chlamydia. Despite the absence of symptoms, the bacteria can be transmitted. If you do have symptoms, they usually arise one to three weeks after you contract chlamydia. Untreated chlamydia can cause serious long-term inflammation, such as in the bladder and rectum. So it is important to detect and treat chlamydia as soon as possible.

Complaints consistent with chlamydia

• Pain or burning sensation when urinating
• Discharge from the penis (especially in the morning)
• Itching at or discharge from the anus
• Blood or mucus in the stool
• Pain in the balls

Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea, known as the clap, is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The majority (80%) of the more than 20,000 infections detected at family doctors and through Centers for Sexual Health (CSG) in 2020 were in the category of men who have sex with men.

Infection with gonorrhea usually occurs through contact between penis and anus, but can also be transmitted through the throat, hands and even through sex toys. About 90% of men develop symptoms with gonorrhea infection. Symptoms arise in most cases two days to two weeks after the infection, but can also occur at a later time.

Note that even if no symptoms are present, gonorrhea can be transmitted.

In men, the bacteria cause infections of the urethra, rectum, throat and epididymis.

Symptoms consistent with gonorrhea:

• Burning sensation or pain when urinating
• Pus-like discharge from the penis (gonorrhea)

Cholesterol, cardioprofile

As many as 1 in 3 Dutch people have cholesterol that is too high! Excess cholesterol (especially LDL cholesterol) is not good. You can read more about it on our cholesterol page.

When determining cholesterol levels, a complete “fat spectrum” or “lipid spectrum” is actually determined. This includes:

• Total cholesterol
• The lipoproteins HDL and LDL
• The free fatty acids, or “triglycerides,”

Cholesterol itself is a substance present in very low concentrations in blood because it is not readily soluble and transportable. Because the concentration is so low, it is also difficult to measure. For this reason, all variants of cholesterol that are soluble in blood (the lipoproteins) are measured and summed together with the triglycerides to one value: total cholesterol. If total cholesterol is higher than 5, it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. High cholesterol by itself does not cause any symptoms. That’s why it’s important to have it checked.

Risk factors contributing to cardiovascular disease:

• genetic predisposition
• smoking
• hypertension
• underlying diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic kidney injury
• obesity and little exercise
• unhealthy eating and drinking
• age and gender: men have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, also with age the risk of cardiovascular disease increases
• Composition: Turkish, African (Sub-Saharan), Hindu, Asian-Surinamese or Caribbean background

What is a male hormone?

Testosterone is the preeminent hormone linked to men. With the male hormone test, you can measure this value.

What hormone is released during stress?

The three hormones cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine are called stress hormones. Cortisol in particular is essential for maintaining a properly functioning body during times of both mental and physical stress.