
Why the Richest Man in America Dies Younger Than the Poorest Woman | Rep. Troy Carter (Ep. 19)
The richest man in America lives roughly six fewer years than the poorest woman. Four of every five suicides in the U.S. are men. And since 2000, fifteen bills across nine Congresses have tried to create a federal Office of Men's Health. Not one has ever received a committee vote. On this episode of Talk With Turek, Dr. Paul Turek and co-host Rob Clyde sit down with U.S. Representative Troy Carter, primary sponsor of the State of Men's Health Act, to unpack why men's health has been left out of federal health policy for two decades, and why this bill has a genuine shot at changing that. The conversation covers the clinical reality behind the statistics, from prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease to the mental health crisis among American men, and traces the legislative history back to the late Congressman Donald Payne Jr., who championed this cause before his own death from diabetes complications. Dr. Turek and Representative Carter also look at what the existing Office of Women's Health has accomplished since 1992, and what a men's health equivalent could mean for the next generation of American men. One thread runs through the entire conversation: men's sexual and reproductive health does not exist in isolation. It is deeply connected to a man's overall health, from cardiovascular function to metabolic disease to mental wellbeing. A man managing type 2 diabetes is significantly more likely to experience erectile dysfunction, and a man who feels comfortable raising that concern with a doctor is often a man who is more likely to stay engaged with his health more broadly. Dr. Turek and Representative Carter discuss why a federal office focused on men's health has to treat sexual health as a legitimate entry point into the broader system, not a separate or secondary concern. 15 Bills, 9 Congresses, ~30 years, Not One Committee Vote: Can Men's Health Finally Win? There is a common assumption that a healthcare system designed largely by men must already work in men's favor. Executive Producer and Turek Clinic CEO, Jennifer Harris sees it differently: “I understand why people might think that. But as a wife and a mother, my interest is a lot more personal than any assumption about the system. I want my husband, the father of my children, to have every possible year available to him. Without a consolidated Office of Men's Health, we are leaving real opportunities to keep men well on the table, and that gap does not check party affiliation, race or income before it shows up. This is not a men's issue or a women's issue. It is a family issue.” Reach out to your own congressional representative and ask where they stand on the State of Men's Health Act, H.R. 7602. Connect With Us • Website: theturekclinic.com • Book a consultation, in person or virtual: 888-887-3545 • Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and watch on YouTube at @TalkWithTurek Production Credit • Produced and recorded in South Pasadena, California, in association with Galaxy Media Ventures • Executive producers: Jennifer Harris and Rob Clyde • Associate producer: Max Flora • Engineered and edited by Drew Unser Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Please consult a qualified physician about your own health.