And Why You Should Be Watching, Too
Men are taking control of their wellness, which is a positive step in the right direction. Historically overlooked and often rendered taboo, men’s wellness – encompassing everything from the mental to the physical – is finally part of the clinical conversation. Empower Pharmacy Field Sales Manager Adam Blechta believes there are four men’s wellness trends we all should be watching right now.
Trend #1: Lower Alcohol Intake
Young people aren’t drinking as much as their older counterparts. Specifically, it’s Gen Z and Millennials who drink less than the generations that came before them.1
“That trend will continue, especially among young men who are committed to their own wellness and will seek out emerging therapies like those offered at Empower Pharmacy,” Blechta says.
Recent studies confirm this trajectory. Researchers from the University of Michigan and Texas State University report that the percentage of American college students who do not drink alcohol increased from 20% to 28% over the last two decades. “Similarly, 23.6% of non–college students reported alcohol abstinence in 2002 compared with 29.9% in 2018,” researchers noted.2
The World Health Organization says there is actually no safe amount of alcohol intake that will not affect health.3
Trend #2: Improving Body Composition & Weight
For decades, weight management was viewed primarily as a women’s issue as diet and exercise programs were mainly marketed toward women. Now a societal shift is changing the way weight management is discussed...not to mention that it’s creating more awareness among men of how and why they should pay attention to their weight.
“As obesity rates in the U.S. keep climbing, therapies like GLP-1 agonists will continue to be relevant in addressing men’s wellness,” Blechta says. Blechta believes improving body composition/weight management is one of the top two reasons why men visit the doctor in the first place (the other reason is erectile dysfunction, based on Blechta’s experience with providers).
Interventional endocrine therapies, including TRT and hypothyroid supplementation, play an important role in the symphony of interrelated processes that drive metabolic health. Many progressive providers combine hormone replacement therapies and GLP-1 agonists with a personalized approach that addresses each patient’s specific needs. These innovative therapies require access to a variety of compounded formulations and dosage forms that can only be found at the most advanced integrative compounding pharmacy serving men's health providers and patients across the U.S. That compounding pharmacy is Empower Pharmacy.
Trend #3: Addressing Sexual Wellness
Erectile dysfunction is one of the top reasons why men make a doctor’s appointment and probably always will be, according to Blechta based on his extensive experience with providers. As openly talking about the issue becomes more common, more men will feel comfortable addressing it with their doctor. While there are some commercial medications to treat ED, compounded drugs provide more options. “We have compounded formulas that can be customized for patients seeking treatment for premature or delayed ejaculation in addition to ED,” Blechta says.
Addressing ED requires a tailored approach to treat common co-conditions that are often overlooked within conventional therapies. Forward-thinking, expert providers have created compounded formulations that also address arousal, response and ejaculation timing within a single dose that is also designed to address ED. Specialized providers often benefit from accessing a variety of options necessary for a wider patient population, including ICI therapies, custom PDE5 dosage forms, sex hormones, melanocortins and combination therapies This particular area of treatment will keep growing, especially as baby boomers go into retirement and prioritize their wellness.
Trend #4: Prioritizing Mental Health
The push for men to prioritize their mental health will continue, as Blechta says, it is a big concern among health providers he works with. Issues like depression are coming to light among men, along with emerging therapies to address the issues. According to Mental Health America, depression affects around six million men in the United States4. An article published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry notes that men routinely underutilize the mental health resources available to them because they could be seen as weak5. However, attention to men’s mental health has been and is still increasing. The article goes on to say that this trend will continue. Health providers and society, as a whole, should encourage men to abandon outdated social norms and take care of their mental health.
Why You Should Watch These Trends, Too
Simply starting a conversation with your patients about these wellness trends could put them at ease and allow a space for them to address any concerns they have with their own wellness. If you have patients who need solutions for wellness concerns or enhancements to improve their wellness, you’ll need a reliable pharmacy partner to help.
- 1. Biggs, O. (2022, March 17). National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) - Millennials and Gen Zers Embrace “Life Can Take You Higher than Alcohol.” https://nphic.org/blog/738-millennials-and-gen-zers-embrace-life-can-take-you-higher-than-alcohol
- 2. McCabe, S. E., Arterberry, B. J., Dickinson, K., Boyd, C. J., Ford, J. J., Ryan, J. E., & Schepis, T. S. (2021). Assessment of Changes in Alcohol and Marijuana Abstinence, Co-Use, and Use Disorders Among US Young Adults From 2002 to 2018. JAMA Pediatrics, 175(1), 64. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.3352
- 3. World Health Organization: WHO. (2023, January 4). No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. Who.int https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health
- 4. Infographic: Mental Health for Men. (n.d.). Mental Health America. https://www.mhanational.org/infographic-mental-health-men
- 5. Affleck, W., Carmichael, V., & Whitley, R. (2018). Men’s Mental Health: Social Determinants and Implications for Services. The National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6109884/
