What is Andropause?

It is a well-known fact that women struggle with the physical aspects that accompany the process of growing older. When Menopause hits, women often suffer from drastic mood swings, dramatic and uncontrollable weight gain, and intolerable hot flashes and night sweats. For women, the change is dramatic. It can't be missed. Although many women lament the dramatic and obvious changes when they occur, the straightforward aspects of menopause may put them at an advantage over the more insidious, slow change known as Andropause that men often experience.

Andropause (also known as man-opause or male Menopause) is a condition that creeps up on men as they age. It is similar in many respects to menopause in that symptoms are often caused by hormonal changes; however, unlike Menopausal symptoms, the symptoms men experience are usually more subtle. While women experience a complete physiological shut down of the reproductive system, men experience a very slow and steady decline of hormone levels and reproductive functioning.

The slow decline in men's testosterone levels causes a number of symptoms that men don't always recognize as being related to the aging process. Andropause is the stage in a man's life when signs of aging appear. Similar to women going through menopause, men who are experiencing Andropause may suffer from mood fluctuations such as nervousness or even depression. Diminishing testosterone levels can cause a decrease in energy levels, a diminished libido, Hot flashes, sweating, and insomnia. Overall, the combination of lower hormone levels and other symptoms of Andropause can cause a variety of health problems including high cholesterol and high blood pressure. These symptoms can be distressing to men, especially those who were extremely healthy throughout their youth and midlife.

There are treatments for Andropause; men can opt for hormone replacement, which is very similar to the hormone replacement therapy offered to women suffering from Menopause symptoms. Testosterone replacement therapy has the same basic principles as hormone replacement therapy for women. A doctor first must diagnose hormonal irregularities as the cause of a man’s symptoms. Lifestyle changes including exercise and a regiment of dietary and nutritional supplementation is often recommended in conjunction with hormone treatments. The combination of the lifestyle changes and hormone treatments often help restore a person to what they consider “normal”.

Recognizing that men experience hormonal changes very similar to those experienced by women is the first step to aging comfortably. Hormone treatments have become more and more popular among men. Hormone replacement therapy has the potential to significantly enhance the quality of life for men as well as women as they grow older. Because hormones affect humans both psychologically and physically and can have pervasive effects on multiple organ systems in the body, treating Andropause by restoring balanced hormones has the potential to affect the way we view the process of aging. Hormonal replacement makes it possible for both men and women to enjoy the zest that they had for life in their youth while maintaining a physiological balance that is so essential to good health.