You’ve probably heard of the menopause in women, but did you know men go through a similar hormonal change as they age? For some older men, the onset of male menopause can be a difficult time, with different symptoms beginning to affect their well-being, male menopause can have an even bigger impact on their mental health.
Understanding “male menopause” –
The male menopause is the name given to an age-related change in the hormone levels of men. It’s the dramatic reduction in the amount of testosterone the body produces which causes the menopause to kick in.
There are a host of areas which are controlled by the amount of testosterone in your body. Those include the heart, the brain, the kidneys, the muscles and the sexual organs, among other things. The one key link between them all? A large dip in that all-important testosterone.
“Male menopause” is commonly used as a title because it affects men as they age, and has similar symptoms to the female menopause. But is it the same?
This term is something of a misleading tagline. Whilst there is a very real change which happens to some men at a certain point in their life, the name itself encompasses a lot of different conditions.
It’s very common for a man’s testosterone levels to decrease by as much as 1% every year after the age of 40. It’s for this reason some medical professionals like to steer clear of the term “male menopause” altogether. It’s natural for testosterone levels to lower, but extreme cases are a condition in and of themselves.
The physical and emotional changes associated with male menopause and why men should always seek a proper medical diagnosis for said symptoms
Some of the most common changes you can expect to experience are things like:
- Increased body fat
- Breast tissue growth
- Erectile dysfunction
- Lowered bone density
- Loss of muscle mass.
Ultimately, your doctor will want to ensure you’re being given the best treatment possible for your body. That’s why they’ll go out of their way to ensure there are no other (potentially more harmful) underlying health factors which are causing the drop in testosterone.
The effect on men’s mental wellbeing
Owing to the importance of testosterone’s role in your brain, there’ll be very direct and noticeable changes to your general attitude:
- Memory loss
- Concentration levels
- Sex drive.
There are also secondary, indirect, conditions can be just as damaging as those which are caused as a direct medical result of your situation:
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Irrationality
- Lowered productivity.
Helpful tips and advice for managing symptoms, lifestyle changes and treatments that can help, and other useful information
- Testosterone replacement therapy
- Finding a healthy diet
- Getting the right level of exercise.
If you would like to know more, click on this link to read the full guide.
