ANDROPAUSE – The Male Menopause

Andropause or the male menopause is the term applied to the psychological and physical changes that the male body and mind undergo around the age of 45. These changes can start as early as the mid 30s and progress as he ages.{{more}}

The term andropause or the male menopause was coined about 20 years ago, but the changes were documented since 1944. There are several other words used to describe the male menopause and these include words such as ADAM, PADAM and SLOH. These words describe the hormonal changes that take place in men as they age. Unlike women who go through a sudden “change of life”, men don’t. On the contrary, the changes in men are gradual. These changes result from a slow decline in the hormone testosterone in the man’s body. This decline eventually lead to a deficiency and low testosterone levels, hence the term ADAM or Androgen Deficiency or Decline in the Aging Male. Because the level of the testosterone declines slowly over the years from age 40, the changes that occur are also slow and result from hypogonadism or low testosterone levels. Hence, the SLOH or Symptomatic Late Onset Hypogonadism.

The symptoms of this andropause constitute what is classically known as the male “mid-life crisis”. These changes include:

1. A decrease in energy and drive, including sexual and physical energy and drive. The man becomes tired more often and takes longer to recover from it. He also loses sexual desire and has less firm erections, accompanied by less nocturnal erections.

2. Psychological changes include irritability, nervousness, fatigue, depression, anxiety, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, poor memory, and difficulty sleeping

3. Generalized aches and pains, including stomach cramps, headaches and lower back pain.

4. Physical changes include a decrease in the strength and bulk of the body muscle, a weakening of the bones or osteoporosis and an increase in body fat, especially that covering the internal organs.

5. The body also undergoes metabolic changes because of lower testosterone, with an increase in the cholesterol and lipid levels and an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and heart attacks.

For comments or question contact:

Dr Rohan Deshong

Tel: (784) 456-2785

email: deshong@vincysurf.com