Why do so many men struggle with their health—and what can they do about it?
As part of Men’s Health Week, Nutrition Network gathered four professionals from around the world to discuss a topic that affects millions of men, but is often not talked about openly enough: the decline in men’s physical, metabolic and mental health.
The panel, with host Tamzyn Murphy, RD, MSc (Dist.), MHPfeatured certified Food Network professionals:
- Peter Cummings – Exercise scientist and metabolic health professional
- Adam Weldzius – Nurse
- Shashikant Iyengar – Metabolic health coach
- Julio Catano – Community coach and advocate
Together, they explored a difficult question: Why do so many men struggle with low energy, reduced strength, poor metabolic health, stress, and reduced quality of life—and are these problems really inevitable?
The response from all four participants was resounding No. While aging is inevitable, many of the health challenges facing modern men are not.
The myth that feeling worse is ‘normal’
Many men are told that weight gain, low energy, poor sleep, decreased strength, decreased libido, and declining health are just part of aging. But Peter Cummings immediately disputed that idea.
When asked what came to mind when I heard the title Strong men, healthy menpointed out the modern tendency to seek quick fixes, ignoring the root causes of ill health.
“When you look at the current lifestyle—sedentary, lack of sunlight, stress, poor sleep habits, highly processed foods—to see things like low testosterone, low energy, and low strength are highly predictable. They are not surprising.”
His message was simple but powerful: before we look to supplements, drugs or hormone replacement therapies, we need to look at the foundations of health:
- Movement & Exercise
- Restful sleep
- Proper Nutrition
- Stress management
- Time outdoors
These aren’t glamorous interventions, but they remain some of the most powerful tools available.
Men often wait too long
One of the strongest themes of the discussion was the tendency of men to delay seeking help. Adam Weldzius, who works extensively with male patients, explained that many men seek care only after symptoms have become impossible to ignore.
As he jokingly said:
“The reason women live longer than men is because men wait until the duct tape stops working to really deal with a problem.”
Behind the humor lies a serious reality. Research consistently shows that men are less likely than women to participate in preventive health care, seek medical advice, or openly discuss health issues. Adam believes this is often linked to expectations around masculinity and power. Many men feel pressured to carry on, take care of others, and carry their burdens quietly. The result is that health concerns often go unaddressed until they become significant problems.
However, Adam also offered an encouraging perspective. Once men get involved with their health and understand that change is possible, they often become deeply committed to improving it.
The hidden epidemic: Insulin resistance
While testosterone often dominates discussions of men’s health, Shashikant Iyengar argued that another topic deserves much more attention: insulin resistance.
Working extensively with people living with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in India, Shashi sees insulin resistance at the heart of many health problems affecting men today. He described an alarming trend of increasing obesity, fatty liver disease, prediabetes and metabolic dysfunction—even among younger people.
Importantly, insulin resistance doesn’t just affect blood sugar. Affects:
- Energy levels
- Body composition
- Systemic inflammation
- Cardiovascular risk
- Hormonal health
Shashi highlighted the link between excess abdominal fat and testosterone levels. Visceral fat increases its activity aromatasean enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen, contributing to hormonal imbalances and worsening metabolic health.
The good news? The same interventions that improve metabolic health often also improve testosterone levels. Shashi’s recipe was refreshingly simple:
“Watch for insulin resistance. Eat more protein and start exercising.”
The testosterone debate
The topic of testosterone has become increasingly popular on the internet, with countless advertisements, supplements and programs promising to increase levels. However, the committee urged caution against reducing men’s health to a single hormone.
Peter noted that while testosterone replacement therapy has a role for some people, many men focus on testosterone without addressing the lifestyle factors that affect it. Poor sleep, inactivity, chronic stress, obesity, highly processed diets and excessive alcohol consumption negatively affect hormonal health. In many cases, improving these upstream factors leads to significant improvements in well-being.
Alcohol, performance and men’s health
An audience question prompted a discussion about alcohol consumption and its effects on health and performance. The panel was unanimous: regular alcohol consumption can negatively impact recovery, sleep quality, body composition, inflammation and hormonal health.
Peter made a point that is often overlooked:
“Exercise is a dose of stress, and sleep is our way of recovering from it.”
If alcohol impairs sleep, it impairs recovery. And if recovery suffers, so does performance. Alcohol also contributes to the accumulation of visceral fat, which further suppresses testosterone. For men seeking optimal health, performance, or longevity, reducing alcohol consumption remains one of the highest-performing interventions available.
Strength is more than muscle
While much of the discussion focused on physical health, Julio Catano brought attention to another form of strength that is often overlooked: Connection, Purpose and Community.
Working with Hispanic communities in the United States, Julio has seen the effects of loneliness, disconnection, stress, and social isolation. He described how many men struggle in silence trying to project strength.
“The macho community isn’t really macho. It’s really a mask they wear to cover their fears.”
His perspective challenged conventional notions of masculinity. Real power, he suggested, is not suppressing emotions or refusing to help. It’s about connection—to family, community, purpose, faith, nature, and self.
Because Community matters more than we think
One of the most exciting moments of the talk came when Peter expanded on the idea of social connection through emerging research around the gut microbiome.
He noted that social relationships can affect health in ways we are just beginning to understand. People who spend time together share microbes, influencing each other’s microbial diversity. Because microbial diversity is increasingly linked to better health outcomes, the connection isn’t just emotionally beneficial—it may also be biologically important.
A Message of Hope
Despite the challenges discussed throughout the panel, the overwhelming message was one of hope. Men are not doomed to lose their energy, strength, vitality or quality of life simply because they age.
- Peter Cummings: “Earlier is better.”
- Adam Weldzius: “We only get one shot at life and you don’t want to sit on the sidelines.”
- Shashikant Iyengar: “Watch for insulin resistance. Eat more protein and start exercising.”
Looking ahead: Take the next step
At Nutrition Network we believe that prevention is just as important as cure. The world needs more health professionals, coaches, educators and community leaders who understand metabolic health.
If today’s discussion resonated with you, here’s how you can continue learning with us:
Final thought
Men’s Health Week is an important reminder that health isn’t something we only think about when something goes wrong. Strong men are not those who ignore symptoms, push away exhaustion, or suffer in silence.
Strong men take responsibility for their health. They ask questions, seek support, invest in their future and most importantly – start before a crisis forces them.
