An upsurge in media attention recently regarding the so-called "male
menopause" has left many men rushing to their doctor to treat symptoms they
believe may be related to low levels of testosterone. Also referred to as low-T, andropause, or (its medical name) late-onset hypogonadism, the idea behind the
concept of male menopause is that the decline in testosterone levels that occurs
as men age may be producing a characteristic and potentially treatable set of
symptoms.
But some experts argue that the analogy to the process in women (with some
authors even using terminology like "male PMS") has been carried too far. While
it is true that testosterone levels do decline as a man ages, the decline in
female hormones occurs to a significantly greater extent, and the symptoms in
women associated with decreased estrogen levels are known and have been
clinically documented for years.
Symptoms of a potential male menopause are less clearly defined.
Sexual
dysfunction is a common complaint, but other nonspecific symptoms- like
depression, mood changes, weight gain, or fatigue- have been interpreted by some
as symptoms of a male midlife change....
Women may not be the only ones who suffer the effects of changing hormones. Some doctors are noticing that their male patients are reporting some of the same symptoms that women experience in perimenopause and
menopause.
The medical community is currently debating whether or not men really do go through a well-defined menopause. Doctors say that male patients receiving hormone therapy with testosterone have reported relief of some of the symptoms associated with so-called male menopause.
What Is Male Menopause?
Since men do not go through a well-defined period referred to as menopause, some doctors refer to this problem as androgen (testosterone) decline in the aging male, or what some people call low testosterone. Men do experience a decline in the production of the male hormone testosterone with aging, but this also occurs with some disease states such as
diabetes. Along with the decline in testosterone, some men experience symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, depression, and
sexual problems. The relationship of these symptoms to the decreased testosterone levels is still controversial.
Unlike menopause in women which represents a well-defined period in which hormone production stops completely, testosterone decline in men is a slower process. The testes, unlike the ovaries, do not run out of the substance it needs to make testosterone. A healthy male may be able to make sperm well into his eighties or longer.
However, as a result of disease, subtle changes in the function of the testes may occur as early as 45 to 50 years of age, and more dramatically after the age of 70 in some men.
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
Hot flashes (or flushing) is the most common symptom experienced by a woman prior to and during the early stages of menopause. Hot flashes can be caused by other conditions. Diagnosis is made by taking a patient history and at times, blood tests. Treatment options include hormone therapy, bioidentical hormone therapy, and medications. There are non-FDA approved natural remedies.
Sexual health information including birth control, impotence, herpes, sexually transmitted diseases, staying healthy, women's sexual health concerns, and men's sexual health concerns. Learn about the most common sexual conditions affecting men and women.
Men's health is an important component to a happy lifestyle and healthy relationships. Eating healthy, exercise, managing stress, and knowing when to have medical tests for a particular age is key to disease prevention in men.
Depressive disorders have been with mankind since the beginning of recorded history. In the Bible, King David, as well as Job, suffered from this affliction. Hippocrates referred to depression as melancholia, which literally means black bile. Black bile, along with blood, phlegm, and yellow bile were the four humors (fluids) that described the basic medical physiology theory of that time. Depression, also referred to as clinical depression, has been portrayed in literature and the arts for hundreds of years, but what do we mean today when we refer to a depressive disorder? In the 19th century, depression was seen as an inherited weakness of temperament. In the first half of the 20th century, Freud linked the development of depression to guilt and conflict. John Cheever, the author and a modern sufferer of depressive disorder, wrote of conflict and experiences with his parents as influencing his development of depression.