Male Menopause?
Andropause
The Andropause is defined as a syndrome associated with a decrease in sexual satisfaction or a decline in a feeling of general well-being with low levels of testosterone in older men. It differs from the menopause in a several ways.
Not all men will experience symptoms.
It doesn’t involve a complete shutdown of the reproductive organs. It does, however, occur at roughly the same time as the menopause (between 40-60) and has obvious implications for male fertility. The same group of symptoms is also known as testosterone deficiency, androgen deficiency, and late-onset hypogonadism.
Testosterone fuels sex drive, changes during puberty, mental and physical energy, it maintains muscle mass, regulates fight-or-flight response and regulates other key evolutionary features.
Testosterone Changes Over the Years
Before puberty, testosterone levels are low. Then they increase as a person sexually matures, fuelling typical changes in male puberty, such as:
growth of muscle mass
growth of body hair
lowering of voice
changes in sexual functioning.
Testosterone levels then tend to decline an average of 1 percent per year after men turn 30. Some health conditions can cause earlier or more drastic declines in testosterone levels.
By age 60, it is estimated that more than half of men are impaired by andropause. The causes of low testosterone are mainly related to aging, but are influenced by other factors that trigger andropause such as stress, alcohol consumption, certain medications, obesity, infections.
artwork by balancedmedicalsolutions
Symptoms of Male Menopause
Andropause can cause physical, sexual, and psychological problems. They typically worsen with age. They can include:
mood swings and irritability
low energy
depression or sadness
decreased motivation
lowered self-confidence
difficulty concentrating
insomnia or difficulty sleeping
increased body fat
reduced muscle mass and feelings of physical weakness
gynecomastia, or development of breasts
decreased bone density
erectile dysfunction
reduced libido
infertility
Diagnosing and Treating Male Menopause
A blood test is all that’s needed to analyse testosterone levels. Doctors, however, are far more likely to prescribe lifestyle changes such as healthy diet, exercise, sleep and stress reduction over hormone replacement therapy due to potential damaging side effects. For many men, the symptoms are manageable, even without treatment. However, some symptoms can interfere with everyday life and happiness, so it’s important to know that assistance and solutions are out there. Speak to a doctor in the first instance.
References
