Here's how men in their 50s go through a certain type of menopause
Symptoms of male menopause include low energy, depression or sadness, decreased motivation, lowered self-confidence, difficulty in concentrating, insomnia, increased body fat, reduced muscle mass, feelings of physical weakness, gynaecomastia, erectile dysfunction, etc.
Is your male partner being grumpy, having 'issues' or mood swings? Well, he could be going through manopause or male menopause because as men age, their testosterone levels drop, leading to a condition called andropause!
Andropause refers to the age-related changes in male hormone levels. The same group of symptoms is also known as testosterone deficiency, androgen deficiency and late-onset hypogonadism.
Rita Bakshi, chairperson, International Fertility Centre, says, "Testosterone is a hormone produced in the testes that fuels the sex drive, changes during puberty and mental and physical energy. It maintains the muscle mass, regulates a man's fight-or-flight response and regulates key evolutionary features."
Dr Archana Dhawan Bajaj, gynaecologist and obstetrician, Nurture IVF Centre, says, "Called Androgen Deficiency of the Ageing Male (ADAM), it usually happens naturally to most men in their 50s as the level of testosterone production drops. She adds, "Psychological problems could also trigger andropause."
Dr Saket Kant, senior endocrinologist, Sri Balaji action Medical Institute, adds, "Andropause can cause physical, sexual and psychological problems."
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Symptoms include low energy, depression or sadness, decreased motivation, lowered selfconfidence, difficulty in concentrating, insomnia or difficulty in sleeping, increased body fat, reduced muscle mass and feelings of physical weakness, gynaecomastia, or development of breasts, decreased bone density, erectile dysfunction, reduced libido and infertility.
Dr Vineet Kumar Surana, senior consultant, Endocrinology, Aakash Healthcare, adds, "Decreased bone mineral density and osteoporosis, are also some symptoms. But, none of this is specific to just andropause and it's better to consult an endocrinologist."
The testosterone levels start declining when a man hits his 30s. "By the age of 80, they are only about 20 per cent of what they were in youth. It is an under-diagnosed problem, with only about 5 per cent of those affected getting treatment," adds Dr Saket.
Testosterone levels decline at the rate of around 1 per cent per year, but the rate of decline varies in different individuals.
The levels are also affected by factors like chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive lung disease, inflammatory arthritic disease, renal disease, HIV-related diseases, metabolic syndrome, emotional stress and medications.
Dr Rajeev Sood, HOD, Urology, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, says, "Nearly 15-25 per cent of men above the age of 50 years will experience serum testosterone levels way below the threshold that's considered normal. The Indian Andropause Society suggests that Indian men above 40 could need monitoring."
Men who smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day seem to have an earlier onset of andropause symptoms."
But, there is less awareness about andropause as the symptoms aren't that dramatic. Doctors say most men don't want to acknowledge that they might have a 'problem' or lower testosterone levels, which leads to it remaining undetectedfor a longer period of time. Dr Saket says, "Unlike women, men do not have a clear cut signpost such as the stopping of menstruation to tell them they are in andropause."
Instead, it comes as a gradual and distressful decline in their sexuality, overall energy with increasing moodiness. As testosterone helps regulate your mood, when this level drops, men feel depressed, feel sad, and cater with problems like emptiness, anxiety, irritability, or anger. Doctors say yoga can be helpful in this case, especially the Surya Namaskar, which is known to balance hormone levels. The most common treatment for symptoms is making healthier lifestyle choices.
For example, the doctor might advise you to eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise, get enough sleep, and reduce your stress. If testosterone levels are low, testosterone replacement therapy may help relieve symptoms like decreased libido, depression and fatigue. But, as with hormone replacement therapy in women, testosterone replacement therapy has potential risks and side effects. Replacing testosterone may worsen prostrate cancer But andropause isn't like female menopause.
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It doesn't involve a complete shutdown of the reproductive organs. In menopause, the production of female hormone drops suddenly. In men, there's a gradual decline in hormone levels. Rita says, "The major difference between the two is that in women, the ovaries run out of ova just before or during the time period of menopause. However, the man never runs out of sperm and a healthy male is capable of producing sperm well into his 80s." But, symptoms like low sex drive, night sweats, hot flashes and weight gain are common amongst men and women.