It is now well established that men can experience similar symptoms to women going through the menopause, and the term ‘Andropause’ is used to describe this process. Women often go through a rather dramatic and rapid “change of life – Menopause” but for men, the decline in testosterone production is slow and often goes unnoticed. Andropause begins in the early 30’s and most commonly presents with symptoms in the 40’s and beyond. Because the change is so slow, symptoms are often attributed to “just getting old”, or “normal ageing” or, “he’s over 40 and has hit the wall.”
SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE:
- Loss of energy and poor recovery from exercise
- Weight gain, especially abdominal, “middle-age spread”
- Reduced interest in sex ,romance and courting behaviour
- Reduced ability to obtain and maintain an erection
- Loss of drive and motivation, reduced “passion” for life
- Concentration and memory changes
- Muscular fatigue
- Anxiety, irritability and depression
- Joint and muscle aches
- Dry skin, sweating
Testosterone decline can also be influenced by many other factors such as chronic illness, medication, inherited conditions, trauma, lifestyle factors and major stress of any sort. Each man is unique in terms of his hormonal constitution and requirement and so treatments are individualised.
All ageing men will present with a degree of testosterone deficiency and many symptoms can be improved with testosterone cream applied once a day. Maintaining a youthful level of testosterone has many benefits to a man’s physical, mental and sexual health, which include enhancement of physical and sexual energy and vitality, motivation, drive and assertion.
Men with an optimal testosterone level will have harder and stronger erections and increased endurance and performance. Even if they don’t have a problem in that area, it will all just be better.
There are also significant benefits in terms of prevention of heart and blood vessel disease (partly by improving the cholesterol profile), stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, depression and dementia. Men with established cardiovascular disease or diabetes often experience improvement in their condition and will be able to reduce their requirement for medication. Male hormones are also known to significantly enhance the immune system and assist with the improvement of auto-immune conditions. Men of any age including the older man can benefit from testosterone replacement therapy.
A man’s testosterone level can be assessed with a saliva sample and a baseline blood PSA (Prostate Antigen) is taken (unless the man has had one in past 3 months). Men who are suspected of having prostate or breast cancer are excluded from treatment along with those who have any major organ failure.
Testosterone is one of many hormones that decline with ageing. Careful assessment and management of these is a major aspect of anti-ageing or wellness medicine and has been the subject of intense research over the past ten years.
Intelligent eating choices, regular weight-bearing and “cardio” exercise and more youthful hormone levels are the key to living healthier, more passionate and longer lives. |
