Dr. Turek's Blog

Male Fertility and Manual Labor

Can Physical Labor Improve Men’s Fertility?

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

Not sure why, but I’m a big fan of manual labor. Maybe it’s because my dad was a blacksmith and welder who could build or fix anything. A true master of manual intelligence, his self-worth was tied to the fact that the building stands, the gadget works and the lights are on, and not on […]

Pre-Cum and Pregnancy

Myths Surrounding Pre-ejaculate and Pregnancy

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

Pulling out is a very commonly used contraceptive. Officially called coitus interruptus, this ancient method of birth control is also an inexpensive, organic, and hormone-free. Pulling out is defined as removing the erect penis from the vagina and vulva before ejaculation. Believe it or not, 60% of reproductive-aged women in the U.S. who have had […]

Drinking While Conceiving: How Booze Affects Fertility

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

Why does 60% of the world’s population over 15 years old drink alcohol? Some imbibe for social reasons, to enhance sociability and enjoyment, and others bend an elbow to help cope with problems or stress. Regardless of motive, excessively hitting the sauce, which has been reported in 25% of U.S. adults, can have serious social and […]

Infertility, Genetic Infertility

Will My Son Also Be Infertile?

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

It’s only been about a generation or so since we have come to realize that a significant chunk of male infertility is caused by subtle genetic changes in male DNA. Sure, syndromes based on larger, chromosomal alterations such as Klinefelter syndrome have been known for 60 years, but the finding of smaller DNA mutations causing […]

HRT for men

Real Benefits of Male Hormone Replacement

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

Is testosterone therapy really all it’s cracked up to be? Does it really help your sex life? Does it actually help you live longer? Is testosterone the medicinal Holy Grail for men? And how, pray tell, have we come to believe that anabolic-suffused competitive bodybuilders, those (spray) tanned Adonis’ with ripped, ballooned muscles everywhere, are […]

Best Medicine for Humans is Humanness

The Best Medicine for Humans is Humanness

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

I have to say that I have led a truly privileged life in medicine. Throughout my long and storied education as a physician and caregiver, I have stood on the shoulders of many great mentors. In high school I had teachers who imbued biology and physics with wonder, awe, and hard-to-see logic. And then there […]

urologist second opinion

Men Who Became Fathers Thanks to a Second Opinion

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

Second opinions are commonplace in law, business, building and construction, and car repair. However, the idea that “two heads are better than one” really began in medicine. Second opinions should be considered when the diagnosis or treatment is unclear or when a treatment hasn’t worked. If the answer to “what should we do now?” is […]

Vasectomy Post-Roe V Wade Era

Rediscovering Vasectomy in the Post-Roe V. Wade Era

Posted on by Paul Turek, MD

For the last 40 years, since Roe V. Wade, abortions have been a federally protected, constitutional right. But in June 2022 the Supreme Court ruled that there is nothing in the US Constitution that addresses abortion and handed the abortion issue to individual states to decide on its legality. And this has sent shock waves […]