Getting older means your hormones will change. Interestingly, hormonal changes don’t just affect women, men do too. Some doctors notice that men are reporting some of the same symptoms that women experience in perimenopause and menopause.
Getting to know andropause
Andropause is more often called as “male menopause” or the “change of life”. It describes on how hormone levels in men change as they get older. For your information, men go through andropause when their levels of testosterone start to drop as they get older.
Besides that, after age 40, testosterone levels start to decrease, and the symptoms of andropause start to show. Moreover, the same set of symptoms also calls as testosterone deficiency, androgen deficiency, and late-onset hypogonadism.
On the other hand, menopause in men is different from menopause in women in a number of ways. Firstly, it doesn’t happen to all men. For another, it doesn’t mean that their reproductive organs shut down completely.
Symptoms of andropause
The beginning of male menopause is associated with a variety of health issues, including:
- low energy
- trouble concentrating
- insomnia
- depression or sadness
- less motivation
- less self-confidence
- increased body fat
- lowered muscle mass and feelings of physical weakness
- growth of breasts
- low libido
- infertility
- erectile dysfunction
- decreased bone density
How to manage the symptoms?
Follow these tips to manage the symptoms:
- Eat a well-balanced diet that is full of the vitamins and nutrients you need
- Be active on a regular basis
- Get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.
- Manage your stress levels
How is andropause diagnosed?
In addition to that, the doctors will take the following to establish a diagnosis of andropause:
- have a check-up done
- inquire about symptoms
- initiate diagnostic procedures to rule out any underlying medical issues
- order blood testing, which may involve assessing testosterone levels
Sources: NHS, Web MD, Healthline, Mayo Clinic, Henry County Hospital