In the same way that women experience body changes and discomfort when they reach the menopause, men may undergo a similar hormonal change between the age of 40 and 55 years, called Andropause.
Andropause is caused by a drop in the testosterone level of men as they get older and despite the fact that there is no obvious sign of onset, such as cessation of menstruation in women, the changes in mood, health and sexual functioning have been well documented and are directly linked to the lower hormone levels that occur naturally with advancing age.
Body changes in men are likely to occur quite slowly but may include mood swings, tiredness, low energy levels, lowered libido (sex drive) and a feeling that he just isn't as physically able as he once was. The drop in testosterone levels may also mean that the man is more at risk for developing serious health problems like heart disease and bone that are weak and break easily.
What You Need to know about Andropause:
* It may occur between 40 and 55 years of age, but is very difficult to predict exactly when hormone levels will start to drop.
* The hormonal decline is gradual and may be difficult to recognize at first-symptoms like loss of energy and decreased sex drive, along with mood swings may be the first clues that something is changing.
* You may or may not need to consult your physician-both mild and severe symptoms are common in Andropause and each case is different.
* Andropause first appeared in medical texts in the 1940's so it is not something new or foreign but recent developments in hormone testing mean that it is now possible to measure the testosterone level in the blood and make a conclusive diagnosis.
In the past, symptoms were often overlooked or dismissed as being a case of mild depression and 'all in the mind' but these days help is available to ease discomfort and aid understanding of the changes the man may be experiencing.
* Symptoms are often not very specific and because men are often unwilling to open up about it may help to know that it is something that is known and understood and lowered levels of hormones can be used as evidence that there are indeed changes occurring in the body. A lot of research is being carried out by the scientific and medical community to help men and their families experience as little disruption and discomfort as possible.
