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The Male Biological Clock: The Startling News About Aging, Sexuality, and Fertility in Men
Arguing that men have age-related fertility issues as relevant as those of women, a guide to countering a man's biological clock discusses the links between older fathers and birth defects, the effects of age-related testosterone reduction, and the controversy regarding male menopause. 40,000 first printing.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published December 28, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 23, 2010
I picked up this book because I work with people struggling with infertility. I have done far less educating myself on male issues than female, so I am glad I picked up this book. It was a very brief, concise crash course and a reminder that men are definitely not put through enough testing and assessment when there are fertility issues as women are. It provided hope that there are a few steps between examinations and IVF that may not be explored if you don't have the right doctor. The book also explored how to play detective if there are low testosterone issues for men, and ways that you can get some control and make changes. Very good read!!
July 26, 2019
Thoroughly professional and up to date
It should be noted that this is more narrowly focused than the title would suggest. Dr. Fisch's book is not so much about "the male biological clock" as it is about the male biological clock as it relates to male sexual performance and fertility. As such it is an excellent book for those men who are concerned about being able to father children and to perform well sexually. And it is not just for the older male. There is a lot of useful information for younger males as well who are having problems with conception and performance.
This is also a good book for the female partner because it emphasizes that infertility is often a male problem and not a female problem as is usually thought to be the case. In fact, Dr. Fisch believes that 40% of infertility problems are on the female side, 40% on the male side, with the remaining 20% of undetermined or shared origin. If you're a woman and suspect that the fault might be his, you might buy him this book.
Dr. Fisch uses the phrase "male biological clock" to emphasize that even though men do not go through a menopause as such as do women, their sexual biological clock does indeed gradually run down. However, as Frisch phrases it, "Not all men are created equally biologically." (p. 18) Instead, some are as sexually capable as a thirty-year-old at eighty, when others are like seventy-year-olds when they are in their thirties. Fisch gives reasons and explanations for this, and presents some things you can do about it.
His discussion centers around four "key physical factors." They are "semen," "sperm," "testosterone," and "erections." There are chapters devoted to these factors as well as ones on sexual health in general and a final chapter on "Working as a Team," which is about sexual partners helping one another to overcome male dysfunctions. Fisch's treatment is precise, focused, a bit clinical (but that is good), and authoritative. There are a number of helpful charts and biologically correct drawings to illuminate the text--which somehow reminds me of a book I found in a neighbor's bookcase many years ago when I was an impressionable teenager. It was called, "What You Can Do about Sex after Sixty." All the pages were blank.
How the times have changed! If that book were to be "written" today, the "Sixty" in the title would have to be changed to, say, "Eighty."
An important part of this book is devoted to how couples might go about solving their infertility problems. Dr. Fisch describes various procedures, evaluates them and reveals how much they cost. There's even a chart on page 89 showing how much it costs to have a baby using four different types of treatment. He also explains who might benefit from testosterone treatment and who might not. He describes how Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis work and if they're "right for you" while weighing the efficacy of other methods to achieve the same thing.
There are some surprises. A side effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e.g., Prozac) is that while their antidepressant qualities might take "weeks to kick in, their orgasm-delaying effects happen within about four hours." (p. 83) This is good for young men with premature ejaculation problems, but not so good for older guys because SSRIs "can interfere with both erectile function and the ability to achieve orgasm." (p. 75)
Another interesting fact is that being overweight can cause testosterone levels to drop. Dr. Fisch explains that "Excess body fat does this because testosterone is normally broken down in the body's fat cells; hence, if you have a lot of fat, your body breaks down testosterone extra-quickly, leading to a deficiency." He adds that "abdominal or 'belly' fat [the old spare tire] has a greater capacity to break down testosterone than other types of fat." (p. 47)
Bottom line: a thoroughly professional, carefully written, closely edited, and easy to read introduction to a subject of especial interest to men (especially middle-aged) with sexual and fertility problems. Reading this book first before going to the doctor might save you a lot of time and money, and at the very least can help you to ask the right questions.
--Dennis Littrell, author of the mystery novel, “Teddy and Teri”
It should be noted that this is more narrowly focused than the title would suggest. Dr. Fisch's book is not so much about "the male biological clock" as it is about the male biological clock as it relates to male sexual performance and fertility. As such it is an excellent book for those men who are concerned about being able to father children and to perform well sexually. And it is not just for the older male. There is a lot of useful information for younger males as well who are having problems with conception and performance.
This is also a good book for the female partner because it emphasizes that infertility is often a male problem and not a female problem as is usually thought to be the case. In fact, Dr. Fisch believes that 40% of infertility problems are on the female side, 40% on the male side, with the remaining 20% of undetermined or shared origin. If you're a woman and suspect that the fault might be his, you might buy him this book.
Dr. Fisch uses the phrase "male biological clock" to emphasize that even though men do not go through a menopause as such as do women, their sexual biological clock does indeed gradually run down. However, as Frisch phrases it, "Not all men are created equally biologically." (p. 18) Instead, some are as sexually capable as a thirty-year-old at eighty, when others are like seventy-year-olds when they are in their thirties. Fisch gives reasons and explanations for this, and presents some things you can do about it.
His discussion centers around four "key physical factors." They are "semen," "sperm," "testosterone," and "erections." There are chapters devoted to these factors as well as ones on sexual health in general and a final chapter on "Working as a Team," which is about sexual partners helping one another to overcome male dysfunctions. Fisch's treatment is precise, focused, a bit clinical (but that is good), and authoritative. There are a number of helpful charts and biologically correct drawings to illuminate the text--which somehow reminds me of a book I found in a neighbor's bookcase many years ago when I was an impressionable teenager. It was called, "What You Can Do about Sex after Sixty." All the pages were blank.
How the times have changed! If that book were to be "written" today, the "Sixty" in the title would have to be changed to, say, "Eighty."
An important part of this book is devoted to how couples might go about solving their infertility problems. Dr. Fisch describes various procedures, evaluates them and reveals how much they cost. There's even a chart on page 89 showing how much it costs to have a baby using four different types of treatment. He also explains who might benefit from testosterone treatment and who might not. He describes how Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis work and if they're "right for you" while weighing the efficacy of other methods to achieve the same thing.
There are some surprises. A side effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e.g., Prozac) is that while their antidepressant qualities might take "weeks to kick in, their orgasm-delaying effects happen within about four hours." (p. 83) This is good for young men with premature ejaculation problems, but not so good for older guys because SSRIs "can interfere with both erectile function and the ability to achieve orgasm." (p. 75)
Another interesting fact is that being overweight can cause testosterone levels to drop. Dr. Fisch explains that "Excess body fat does this because testosterone is normally broken down in the body's fat cells; hence, if you have a lot of fat, your body breaks down testosterone extra-quickly, leading to a deficiency." He adds that "abdominal or 'belly' fat [the old spare tire] has a greater capacity to break down testosterone than other types of fat." (p. 47)
Bottom line: a thoroughly professional, carefully written, closely edited, and easy to read introduction to a subject of especial interest to men (especially middle-aged) with sexual and fertility problems. Reading this book first before going to the doctor might save you a lot of time and money, and at the very least can help you to ask the right questions.
--Dennis Littrell, author of the mystery novel, “Teddy and Teri”
October 21, 2023
Interesting read for both partners if you are exploring the effects of TrT and SSRis on your sexual health.
November 8, 2012
I noticed, after writing one progress report, that at least, with iPhone, you cannot cut & paste these notes into a review, so, I'm done with progress notes. I'll keep a running tally in this review section.
I picked this book up to acquaint myself with the physiological changes, @66, that are inevitable more or less. Naturally, anomalies are, if not the norm, more frequent with old equipment. So recently, in the throws of one of these storms, I began to asses my endgame options, until stumbling upon page 119, where a paragraph is sort of offhandedly devoted to frequent bicyclists . . . bingo! I can stow the valediction, perhaps, for another day!
Finished and gave it to a friend for a birthday present. Great book by Harry Fisch, MD. practicing in Manhattan. Lots of good information here. I recommend it to anyone that wonders, cares or is curious about their reproductive and excretory equipment. There's diagrams, terminology, case studies and up-to-date clinical and intuitive data on men's reproductive and sexual health, relating to health in general.
January 26, 2009
interesting from a clinical perspective .. and a societal critique of the way fertility issues are consistently blamed on female partners
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews