It is funny how this touches a nerve in the sort of upper-east side female commentariat who would never consider joining the military or allowing their progeny to do so.
Brent, you make an interesting observation about theory and practice. Rationalizing from a distance is very different than rationalizing up close with practices that work. The military already has a rigorous physical curriculum and this interest in testosterone looks at a health factor too often ignored at all institutional levels. Thanks for the comment.
The real problem is that even as men die younger and continue to suffer from most diseases at higher rates than women; and even though the economic disenfranchisement of men and unaddressed psychological issues continue to disproportionally affect men, particularly young men, with higher rates of homelessness, alcohol and drug problems and suicide; we continue to blame men for their problems. Meanwhile we have 10 Federal Governmental offices responsible for the wellbeing of women and none whatsoever for the wellbeing of men.
The politicization of testosterone on both sides is a problem of neglect. The military is not the best place to do a population study of the effects of an epidemic decline in testosterone levels (most likely related to obesity in my opinion). Historically the US military hasn't been an institution that has taken the health of its soldiers as paramount, often seeing the longterm health of veterans as expensive, and the lives of these men as disposable. I have just as much distrust of the military as I do for the CDC. But at this time what we desperately need is not a testosterone campaign within the military, an institution that would not know what the results mean or what to do with them, what we need is a National Office of Men's health. We need an institution dedicated to studying the problems of men, including dropping testosterone levels but also the economic and social factors that contribute to decreased life expectancy and diseases of despair. What I fear is a cohort of men in the military being made infertile due to misguided testosterone replacement en mass, when no one with medical knowledge (or sense) is driving the program.
Thanks for the comments. Yes, an Office of Men's Health is the ideal. The fact that a government agency (the military) is actually concerned about a leading problem in men's health is a plus. And the program is being run by doctors and medical professionals. If anything, maybe this effort puts men's health on the map of a government agency and is at least a step in the right direction. Declining testosterone is a serious problem and the consequences of it are being felt. It might not be all one wants, but at least there is some effort being made in a real way. Maybe the next step is something more comprehensive.
And those who do test low do not have to go on replacement therapy. It's up to the individual.
It's intereresting how the crowd who usually demand that people "educate themselves" express opinions that are explicitly ignorant.
It is funny how this touches a nerve in the sort of upper-east side female commentariat who would never consider joining the military or allowing their progeny to do so.
Brent, you make an interesting observation about theory and practice. Rationalizing from a distance is very different than rationalizing up close with practices that work. The military already has a rigorous physical curriculum and this interest in testosterone looks at a health factor too often ignored at all institutional levels. Thanks for the comment.
Part of the problem with this topic and so many other issues is not what is said but who is saying it.
Right on the money! The narrative is important and the reason it's important to avoid the bait and switch.
The real problem is that even as men die younger and continue to suffer from most diseases at higher rates than women; and even though the economic disenfranchisement of men and unaddressed psychological issues continue to disproportionally affect men, particularly young men, with higher rates of homelessness, alcohol and drug problems and suicide; we continue to blame men for their problems. Meanwhile we have 10 Federal Governmental offices responsible for the wellbeing of women and none whatsoever for the wellbeing of men.
The politicization of testosterone on both sides is a problem of neglect. The military is not the best place to do a population study of the effects of an epidemic decline in testosterone levels (most likely related to obesity in my opinion). Historically the US military hasn't been an institution that has taken the health of its soldiers as paramount, often seeing the longterm health of veterans as expensive, and the lives of these men as disposable. I have just as much distrust of the military as I do for the CDC. But at this time what we desperately need is not a testosterone campaign within the military, an institution that would not know what the results mean or what to do with them, what we need is a National Office of Men's health. We need an institution dedicated to studying the problems of men, including dropping testosterone levels but also the economic and social factors that contribute to decreased life expectancy and diseases of despair. What I fear is a cohort of men in the military being made infertile due to misguided testosterone replacement en mass, when no one with medical knowledge (or sense) is driving the program.
Thanks for the comments. Yes, an Office of Men's Health is the ideal. The fact that a government agency (the military) is actually concerned about a leading problem in men's health is a plus. And the program is being run by doctors and medical professionals. If anything, maybe this effort puts men's health on the map of a government agency and is at least a step in the right direction. Declining testosterone is a serious problem and the consequences of it are being felt. It might not be all one wants, but at least there is some effort being made in a real way. Maybe the next step is something more comprehensive.
And those who do test low do not have to go on replacement therapy. It's up to the individual.