Last week, it was a great privilege to be in a conversation with a pair of women who lamented the low-energy relationship they were in. At first, it was easy to feign ignorance about the tenor of the discussion but it took a little more time to realise that these were deeply unhappy women who felt trapped in a serious situation they felt helpless about. It was clear then, to me at least, that this was a topic to be examined more closely hence we arrived at this week’s essay.
For the most common issues that have contributed to this situation amongst men, it is important to be clear about certain factors. Namely, lifestyle and medical issues have much to do with this condition. These problems tend to be more common in men than in women but it is also clear that some others among the conditions are unique to men. In several essays in the past on this page, we have stated also that the modern man is often only blessed with 50 percent of the energy level of his immediate predecessor, who is his father. This happens mainly due to constantly changing lifestyles that emphasize more and more comfort over physical exertion to the point that even a sedate walk over a short distance of a few hundred meters is considered stressful. In many cases, the option of some motorised transportation is preferred. There are serious implications for these choices.
Many men would feel tired and even overwhelmed daily not necessarily because they are engaged in more serious, physically demanding work but because of the drudgery of the work they are involved in. Many men lead busy lives but more still are simply busy running around in circles without making impressive advances in their careers or finances, which then leaves them overwhelmed. On the other hand, lifestyle factors are capable of inflicting negative energy levels on men due to their abnormal sleep patterns, exercise habits and diet. Irregular sleep patterns and sleep apnea among those men who snore are important factors for consideration in seeking the possible reasons why certain men could have such low energy levels that they would always complain about it.
To make the picture complete, it needs no emphasis that the man who snores is likely to be overweight or obese with a short neck and involved in a heavy amount of work be it physical or mental or both. It is only occasionally that there may be abnormalities in the structures of his neck and throat that help to promote such a status. In the final analysis, however, whatever may be the predisposing cause, such a situation is likely to cause low energy levels in men. Another common medical cause is a low level of testosterone. Therefore, a man who experiences a low energy level may constantly feel tired and may be unable to complete simple tasks without feeling exhausted.
There are other important symptoms associated with low energy levels and these include brain fog, difficulty concentrating on tasks at hand, lack of motivation and feeling sleepy during the day amid serious work. Low energy may arise when a man is under significant stress, which may be emotional, physical or due to poor health. It is a condition that may occur when a man exercises too much or too little. It is why we have always admonished readers on this page that the best form of exercise is the regular, moderate pattern of exercise.
Some people may observe that their energy levels have reduced after staying away from regular exercise for a long time. Exercise increases both adrenaline and muscle coordination, both of which lead to increased strength. A lack of adequate exercise will lead to muscle weakness. Contrarily, too much exercise leads to fatigue, so it is important to be able to find the right balance. It is valuable to emphasize that the principal male sex hormone is testosterone, and it must be noted that this hormone plays a huge role in mental and physical energy levels. As men get older, there is a natural decline in the circulating level of testosterone, a condition known as male hypogonadism. This leads to low energy levels, fatigue and depression. Other symptoms of low testosterone are irritability, difficulty with concentration, anaemia, hot flushes, depression, erectile dysfunction, infertility, and a decrease in muscle mass and body hair, including beards. Some will have reduced energy levels and reduced stamina while others will develop more breast tissue. Others will develop a loss of bone mass too.
A poor diet could cause people to develop low energy levels. It is far more useful to imbibe a habit of eating vegetables, whole grains like maize, rice and millet or food derived from them and proteins. These are guaranteed to boost a man’s energy levels. Therefore, eating meals that lack major nutrients or those that do not have enough calories can cause low energy and fatigue. The same can be said for those men who suffer from depressive illness. These men often lose interest in family, work or even hobbies and feel at all times a certain lack of motivation in dealing with those aspects of their lives. Such a medical situation can cause difficulty with concentrating, trouble sleeping, withdrawal from family and friends, anxiety and sadness, anger or aggression and a lack of sexual desire. To make things worse, men are less likely to talk about their depression or to even acknowledge it and seek treatment. Medical conditions like heart disease, obesity, diabetes and the use of certain medications often contribute to this situation in men. Another medical condition that may negatively impact the energy level in a man is thyroid disease. This gland, sitting in the lower part of the front of the neck, is responsible for regulating the body’s metabolism and other essential functions. When this gland is not producing enough of the relevant hormones, a condition known as hypothyroidism develops.
While hypothyroidism is more likely to develop in women, men can also suffer from the condition. Its development will cause an intolerance of colds, changes in appetite and diet and fatigue. With time, brain fog will also form part of the picture and the person would seem to be always in confusion with a low energy level.
Anaemia, which is most likely to develop over time, is another medical condition that can lead to a low energy level. The most common variant of this is caused by a nutritional lack of iron leading to what is known as iron deficiency anaemia. Another cause of this kind of anaemia is bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, usually from gastritis and peptic ulcers. Low energy levels and constant fatigue remain the hallmark of these conditions.
The last one of these medical conditions that often lead to low energy levels developing is known as sleep apnea, which we previously talked about in the opening paragraph of this essay. This is a disorder in which normal breathing patterns are interrupted during sleep. Such temporary cessation of breathing may last as little as 10 seconds at a time and multiple times each night so that the man wakes up in the morning with headaches, trouble concentrating on tasks, irritability and some level of anxiety or sadness. Ultimately, this situation has an effect quite similar to that of insomnia on the overall well-being of a man. Therefore, insomnia and sleep apnea go hand in hand in conferring a low energy status on many men.
This is most probably due to a fungal infection and it is found in places where ventilation is poor and where people live closely together. So, it will spread among people in close and constant physical contact such as in homes, school dormitories and hostels and where you might share towels and other damp items of clothing. People with medical conditions like diabetes are also prone to having it. As a result, it is important to first exclude this particular condition as a likely cause and then this skin disease can be satisfactorily treated.
Dear doctor, human blood is said to be scarce in blood banks due to the poor blood donation culture among Nigerians. Is there any animal whose blood can be safely transfused into a human being in cases of emergency?                                       070557****
The simple answer to your question is no. For one, it is always easier to get a human being to be the blood donor than to capture an animal that will provide such blood. Secondly, any human being will perceive such blood from an animal as a foreign protein and deploy every cell in the body to fight it. This is not a conscious decision initiated by the person but by certain cells initiating such mechanisms in an attempt to actually defend the person’s biological integrity. That will certainly result in the death of the person due to complex reactions beyond the scope of this essay.
Thank you very much for your prayers and supportive words. MRI is a more recent development and its main advantage is that it does not emit radiation. Due to this advantage over CT, it can be used repeatedly as often as necessary in an individual. MRI rather makes use of the body’s magnetic field which differs between tissues such that the resolution it produces is often more detailed than that of the CT scan. However, the MRI is not as suitable for cancer of the neck region as the CT scan because of the constant movement in that area due to the necessity of breathing.
Well, I should thank you sir, both for your positive feedback on the essay written about okra, and your prayers. The compendium will ultimately come soon enough, sir. As for your problem with neck pain, that cannot lead to mental illness. It is simply not possible because the causes of mental illness have become quite clear over the ages and pain around the head and neck is not one of the causes. Depending on your overall health, you may benefit from the use of a cervical collar.
The variation generally depends on the width of the vagina. However, most normal hymens already have an opening at their centre to allow for the passage of menstrual blood when the periods begin. In order to permit an instrument as large and rigid as the penis, the rent caused cannot be classified as a micro-perforation. A perforation that meets this criterion will have to be created with something as tiny as a needle. Consequently, there will be no negative implication for conception and delivery because the sperm cells are microscopic and all that is required is for one to swim through the opening no matter how small. The head of a descending baby is backed by enough uterine power to overcome any remnant of a hymen.
Thank you very much for your kind words. It is, in fact, even more important that you get it treated because the results you obtained show that you have a mixed infection involving bacteria and fungi although Staph. aureus is not a usual bacteria that cause infections in the female genital tract. The bacteria could cause such serious complications that a miscarriage can result. The only important precaution is that the antibiotic prescribed for you should have no adverse effect on the developing fetus and it is certain that your doctor will bear this in mind.
The nature of the condition you have which is probably what the doctor tried to tell you is De Quervain’s disease. But that is a tendon inflammation although some joint swelling can result. However, getting an X-ray done is only part of the story and with a suggestion of osteoporosis, the changes going on in your body as a whole are likely quite profound. Accordingly, you must do your serum proteins, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase in an attempt to determine where the problems lie. With a figure as low as 4.5 mg/dl, the meaning is that you may be suffering from hypoparathyroidism (low parathyroid function), vitamin D deficiency or kidney failure. And unless the approach to your treatment is comprehensive, you will end up swallowing a new set of drugs with no solution to your distress.
