Have you heard about Male Menopause – medically known as “Andropause”?

Have you heard about Male Menopause – medically known as “Andropause”?

An age-related decline in male hormones, also known as testosterone deficiency, androgen deficiency or hypogonadism.

From the age of 40, testosterone production begins to fall. Many men attribute testosterone only to fuel their libido, but there is much more to this hormone than that. Besides being responsible for pubertal changes, is also plays a huge role in mental focus, physical energy, muscle mass maintenance and regulating our innate flight or fright response.

It differs to female menopause in a number of ways. For starters, not all men will go through it and it does not shut down the reproductive organ function which will still allow males to be fertile. It is a much more gradual process and it could take years for a significant reduction in hormones levels.

So what are the symptoms?

They may include but not limited to a decrease in energy, somber mood, low self-confidence, concentration issues, sleep disruption, body fat accumulation, infertility, less drive and decreased bone density.

How can one find out if they are suffering with this?

Booking a consultation with your doctor and he will request a blood test to assess the testosterone levels.

Outlook

There is always a possibility where men can manage their symptoms without medical management. Unless andropause is causing a significant disruption to your life. Dr. Cajee has found that the major obstacle in addressing male menopause is patients being shy to relay their concerns to their practitioners. One needs to talk to their doctor about their symptoms.  Dr. Cajee stresses the importance of optimizing hormone status as testosterone deficiency has been linked to accelerated aging.

How does one address the symptoms?  

It starts off with making dedicated healthier lifestyle choices which includes, a healthy nutritional diet plan, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake, getting enough sleep and finding a coping making mechanism to help reduce stress levels. Just by implementing these few changes, most men witness a dramatic improvement in their symptoms and overall health.

For men who do not feel significant changes, they may try alternative therapies such as IV drip therapy. Atelier Clinic specializes in this treatment which includes natural testosterone booster molecules such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The treatment typically takes 45 minutes and results are noticeable from after having completed two sessions. However, some men notice improvements from their first treatment. Alternatively, testosterone replacement therapy is one of the medical options which seems to be controversial as it may have some unwelcomed side effects if utilized incorrectly. One will need to weigh all the pros vs cons before making a decision on starting this form of male hormone replacement therapy.

Much more is needed in terms of creating awareness about this medical condition. It is also extremely important for medical practitioners to dive into this topic with their patients as it is quite often overlooked.

This article is written by Dr. Zubair Cajee designation of the author: general practitioner and well-being specialist at Atelier Clinic LLC.