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Challenges During the Andropause
Male Menopause and its effect on men's health.
If you need a definition, the Andropause is the time in a man's life when the hormones naturally start decline
usually during their late forties or early fifties.
And this decline continues into the eighties. Many men have questioned whether the male menopause is more myth
than reality. Well, the andropause is a gradual process, not an abrupt one and not exactly the same as menopause.
However, like women undergoing menopause, the decline in hormones in men result in them suffering from symptoms
of the andropause.
Symptoms of andropause can vary from person to person.
Between the ages of 50 to 70, some men report symptoms such as
- erectile dysfunction (failure to achieve an erection),
- general tiredness, mood changes,
- night sweats and
- sometimes palpitations.
Most men attribute erectile dysfunction to be the most significant event of the andropause. Apart from
erectile dysfunction, mood changes can take place too. Some patients complain of nervousness, irritability
and even depression. Other patients undergoing andropausal changes report the feelings of wanting to
be closer to family and friends. In the andropausal years, men and take on a more "maternal" role, as if transitioning
to become more motherly than fatherly. They become more concerned about their friends and family, as if
regretting their former attitudes. Older men tend to be closer to their family and are more interested in domestic
issues than when they were younger. It is as if the lack of testosterone makes them more "feminine". They take
on more homely roles of cooking, cleaning and looking after children.
In andropausal men, night sweats and palpitations occur because of an overactive autonomic system in
response to falling testosterone levels. To assess for hypogonadism, which is in part the clinical basis of the
andropause, the doctor will check for physical signs in men including hair loss particularly in the armpit and genitalia.
Psychological Challenges in the Andropause
Throughout the life of a male there are several psychological issues that he struggles with, and these challenges
are often amplified during the time of the andropause: -
- sexuality
- emotions
- mind
- courage
- productivity
- personality
- character
- boyish behaviors
The sexuality of a youthful man aged between 15 to 30 years when his testosterone was at an all time high, drops to
the ebb during the andropause. Young men often have testosterone levels exceeding 1000ng/dl. Compare this with 80
year-old men, whose average testosterone is 200ng/dl. You might say the sexuality of a man in the andropause is
down 80%, a seemingly disastrous event.
Cognitive Challenges in the Andropause
The most common reported symptom of andropause was memory loss. Often the memory loss is so minor it does
not affect everyday functioning. This memory loss has sometimes been referred to as "age related memory loss"
and is not as severe as Alzheimer's disease
NOTE: The Information on this site is provided for information only,
and is not meant to substitute for the advice of your own physician or other medical professional.
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