Fatherhood Has Heart-Healthy Benefits

While fatherhood may make men a little less manly by lowering their testosterone levels, nature apparently gives fathers a heart-healthy bonus in return. New U.S. research has found that becoming a dad reduces the odds of dying from medical issues related to the heart, when compared to those men who remain childless. The report on the study recently appeared in the journal Human Reproduction.

The new findings come on the heels of a recent study of 600 men in the Philippines, which revealed that the main male hormone testosterone drops following fatherhood.

The latest study results are from a joint effort of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), the U.S. government, and a number of universities, to conduct the single largest study to date on male fertility and mortality, involving almost 138,000 men.

While heart disease experts agree that the study cannot definitively prove that a link between fatherhood and mortality exists, they also agree that an association between the two may be likely. Previous research has suggested that men who are married, have a social life filled with friends, and perhaps even a family Fido, reduce their likelihood of developing heart problems, and suffering death due to a heart-related illness.

It stands to reason that a growing family would encourage a man to live a healthier life in an effort to ensure that he is around to care for them. The simple ability to reproduce is also a sign of genetic health, as those unable to produce offspring often suffer a genetic weakness that could lead to heart-related medical issues at some point in life.

According to lead researcher Dr. Michael Eisenberg, a Stanford University urologist and fertility specialist, “There is emerging evidence that male infertility is a window into a man’s later health.” He then added, “Maybe it’s telling us that something else is involved in their inability to have kids.”