Andropause sometimes referred to as “Male Menopause” or “Aging Male Syndrome,” is used to describe symptoms that men experience as testosterone production levels decrease with age. Most classically, these symptoms include:
- low libido or decreased sex drive
- increased body fat
- decreased muscle mass and strength
- erectile dysfunction
- depression or low self-esteem
- insomnia or sleep difficulties
As you can imagine, any man experiencing one or more of these symptoms could be suffering from a drastically reduced quality of life as a result. It is natural for testosterone levels to drop by about 1% every year after age 25. However, in some men, this rate significantly increases, and andropause symptoms can show up even in their 30s. This is more likely in men with high stress, tobacco smokers, elevated alcohol consumption, those who are overweight or diabetic, or men with high exposure to environmental toxins (pesticides, heavy metals, certain prescription drugs). All of these factors have been identified as causes of low testosterone.
One of the big problems with andropause is that it is often misdiagnosed or missed entirely. There are a number of reasons for this. For starters, men are well-known to delay seeking medical care until symptoms get quite severe. And the ones that do reach out to their doctors often don’t want to talk about their decreased sex drive, feelings of inadequacy or low mood. The onset of andropause symptoms also follows a varied trajectory and timeline that is much different when compared to the more predictable timeline associated with women’s menopausal onset. One man may not exhibit low testosterone symptoms until he is in his 80’s, whereas another may start seeing changes in his 50’s. Interestingly, if a male lives long enough, he will technically meet the criteria for andropause at some age.
At the end of the day, if one or more of these symptoms are present in any aged male, it is best to have both total and free testosterone levels tested through blood samples. Recognizing suboptimal levels of testosterone is an important first step in finding appropriate treatments to improve the quality of life in these men!
If you’re suspicious that you or a loved one may have low testosterone levels, reach out to your Naturopathic or Medical Doctor to get a proper assessment. If you discover that testosterone levels are indeed low, know that testosterone replacement therapy may be warranted, but there are a number of natural compounds that can be explored first. See here [link to supplement article] to learn more.
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