HOW THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEMAGES: ERECTION
As a man ages, it will take a bit longer to achieve an erection, and he’ll notice that the erection will probably be less firm than when he was younger. After the age of 60, it may take a man 15 minutes to become fully erect, as compared to seconds for a young teenager. Ejaculation also takes longer and requires more stimulation, but all these changes might actually be advantageous to men who had problems with premature ejaculation in their early years, as well as to their partners.
The volume of a man’s ejaculate decreases slightly, and he may not have an orgasm with every sexual encounter, which is probably a 180-degree turnaround from his youth. Regardless of these changes, how-ever, sex can still remain a big part of his life.
Every man should have a yearly physical exam, including a prostate exam, starting at the age of 40. Your internist or family practitioner will feel for enlargement and asymmetry in the prostate gland. Some other tests may include a blood test for prostatic-specific antigen, or PSA, which is a good way to monitor prostate cancer if a diagnosis for cancer is positive. PSA levels may be elevated even if the prostate is enlarged and no cancer is present. However, I would not recommend a PSA as a sole screening test for prostate cancer. Another test, called prostatic acid phosphatase, is a blood test that will also show that the prostate is enlarged.
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