Whenever it comes to aging, women are not the only ones, who deal with sudden hormonal imbalances and associated symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes, exhaustion and weight gain. Men do experience symptoms of hormonal imbalances or precisely, low testosterone level as they age, and this condition is commonly called, male menopause or andropause.
Dr. Marina Johnson explains the male menopause or andropause in detail along with its associated symptoms and how to detect whether you are suffering from it too or not. She also suggests that andropause and its related symptoms are reversible with appropriate testosterone hormone replacement therapy,.
What Is Andropause or Male Menopause?
Just like menopause in women, men can experience lowered level of testosterone in their early 40s or 50s. The deficient levels of testosterone, an androgenic hormone, experienced by men as they age is referred to as andropause or male menopause.
Dr. Marina says that in contrary to the menopause in women, male menopause and it’s symptoms are reversible with an appropriate bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).
About 30% of men, aged between 70-79, experience low level of testosterone hormone.[1]
Causes for Having Low Testosterone Levels
Dr. Marina says that before undergoing testosterone replacement therapy, a man should get all the appropriate tests, prescribed by your endocrinologist, done. This will ensure you to successfully evaluate and be well aware of the exact cause behind the decreased level of androgenic hormone.
Although the primary cause of testosterone deficiency is growing age, the condition is also associated with some life-threatening medical conditions like diabetes, pituitary gland and brain tumors. Dr. Marina warns that such medical conditions should be given proper attention and must be treated as early as possible.
Andropause can also be caused by prescription drugs used to cure treatable conditions like chronic stress, insomnia and other health problems linked with poor lifestyle choices since the drugs prescribed to treat such conditions can lead to reduced sexual functioning and low testosterone levels.
Is the Andropause Treatable?
Dr. Marina says that if the responsible factor behind low testosterone levels are recognized earlier in life and treated well, the andropause and its associated symptoms can be reversed naturally without the need to undergo testosterone treatment or prescription drugs. She suggests that the ultimate goal behind andropause treatment is to enable a man to help his body to restart the production of sufficient amount of testosterone on its own.
Dr. Marina further adds that even though Viagra is a very useful drug in treating the erectile dysfunction in the males, a common symptom of andropause, consuming it without proper endocrine evaluation could result in delayed detection of the root cause of decreased androgenic hormone levels.
The appropriate hormone treatment can only be chosen after proper evaluation. This can significantly reduce the chances to take Viagra pills and promotes healthy sexual functioning.
How Endocrinologists Can Help?
Endocrinologists are specialized medical practitioners that help you with appropriate examination and the detection of hormone disorders. Dr. Marina suggests that consulting a qualified endocrinologist will enable you to determine the possible cause behind testosterone deficiency and the best available treatment options.
After all, getting expert advice is always going to bring you good.
Do I Have It?
Following are the ten questions prepared at the St. Louis University Medical School to promote better understanding and easy detection of the symptoms associated with deficient level of androgen in older men. These ten questions are called Androgen Deficiency in Aging Males (ADAM) questionnaire.[2]
- Do you have a decreased in libido or sex drive?
- Do you have a lack of energy?
- Do you have a decrease in strength and/or endurance?
- Have you lost weight?
- Have you noticed a decreased “enjoyment of life”?
- Are you sad and/or grumpy?
- Are your erections less strong?
- Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your ability to play sports?
- Are you falling asleep after dinner?
- Has there been a recent deterioration in your work performance?
If your answer is “yes” for the questions 1 or 7, or even to any three or more questions out of the aforementioned 10 ADAM questions, then you are likely to have declined level of testosterone or androgenic hormone. Dr. Marina suggests that with the help of appropriate testosterone hormone replacement therapy, you can get rid of these symptoms successfully.
