Andropause: Everything You Need To Know About The Male Menopause

The more common name for andropause is "male menopause." It talks about cisgender men's age-related decrease in testosterone. Symptoms can include weariness, sleeplessness, mood swings, and more. Fertility may also be impacted.

Males assigned at birth (MAAB) who are 50 years of age or beyond experience a decrease in testosterone production during male menopause. It is frequently connected to hypogonadism. Lower testosterone levels and comparable symptoms are present in both disorders.

The terms "androgen deficiency," "late-onset hypogonadism," and "testosterone deficiency" refer to the same set of symptoms. In this article, we outline the common signs, symptoms, causes and treatment for andropause.

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Andropause or male menopause is a condition where testosterone production in males begin to drop after a certain age.

Male menopause less common than thought

In describing a set of concrete symptoms for male menopause for the first time, British researchers have also determined that only about 2 percent of men aged 40 to 80 years suffer from the condition.

Signs

Male menopause can lead to issues with the body, sex, and mind. As you age, they usually get worse. They may consist of:

• Inadequate energy, sorrow, or depression
• Insomnia or having trouble sleeping
• An increase in body fat
• Decreased muscular mass and a sense of being physically weak
• Decrease in libido 
• Infertility
• A decrease in drive
• Reduced self-esteem 
• Trouble focusing 
• The development of breasts, or gynecomastia 
• A decline in bone mass
• Erectile problems

In addition, you might get hot flashes, reduced testicle size, body hair loss, and swollen or sore breasts. Osteoporosis has also been connected to low testosterone levels linked to male menopause. This disease causes your bones to weaken and chip easily. These symptoms are uncommon. They usually start to impact MAABs as FAABs go through menopause.

Causes

One of the key indicators of andropause in males is a decline in testosterone levels. But as men become older, their bodies start producing less testosterone, and they also start producing more of a different hormone called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which is responsible for removing useable testosterone from the blood.

A portion of the accessible testosterone in the blood is bound by SHBG. Bioavailable testosterone refers to testosterone that is free of the SHBG hormone and can be utilised by the body. Men who suffer from andropause-related symptoms have reduced blood levels of bioavailable testosterone. Consequently, the body's tissues that are activated by testosterone receive less of it, which could lead to a variety of physical and even mental alterations.

Treatment

Some specialists advise treating males without symptoms or indicators of age-related reduced testosterone to receive testosterone therapy. Your doctor will go over target levels, dosage options, and subsequent testing with you if you decide to begin testosterone therapy.

Testosterone therapy helps some men who are bothered by the symptoms of testosterone deprivation. For others, there may be risks in addition to unclear advantages. Testosterone therapy may promote the growth of breast cancer and metastatic prostate cancer, while more research is required in this area. In addition to raising the risk of heart attacks and strokes, testosterone medication can also exacerbate the development of vein clots.

If your fertility is important to you in the near future, or if you have conditions like prostate or breast cancer, untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea, uncontrolled heart failure or thrombophilia, or if you have recently experienced a heart attack or stroke, your doctor probably won't advise starting testosterone therapy.

Discuss your symptoms, tests, and potential treatments with your doctor if you suspect that you may have low testosterone. You can discuss the benefits and drawbacks of treatment with your doctor.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.