| Treatment for male menopause, or Andropause, focuses on increasing the amounts of testosterone and cortisol and treating the symptoms. Symptoms can be much like those experienced by women.
Other symptoms or physiological factors that can be present in men are - erectile dysfunction, loss of muscle mass, decreased sex drive, mood changes, weight gain, urinary problems caused by an enlarging prostate, hot flashes, the development of breast tissue due to the decrease of testosterone, hair loss, irritable male syndrome, sleep apnea, and depression.
As men reach the age of 40 the production of the hormone testosterone is gradually decreased over time and can result in male menopause symptoms. Since these symptoms can also be related to other conditions it is best to consult your doctor and have some tests run to rule out the other conditions.
Testosterone is important not only for building muscle and maintaining a normal sex drive but plays a part in several functions like bone formation, liver function, growth of the prostate gland and the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.
Diagnosis of male menopause is made by blood tests and one treatment for male menopause is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Obviously, there are risks as well as benefits to this type of treatment and hormone declines can be treated easily.
Treatment includes not only the testosterone replacement but also an individualized nutrition plan along with supplements and a regular exercise plan. You don't have to feel older than you really are. With this type of treatment you can start to feel younger and more alive than you have in a long time. You can start doing the things you thought you would not be able to do anymore.
According to the US Census Bureau, approximately 5 million men have low testosterone and the symptoms that go along with it. But only 5-10% of these men will go to their doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
This is because most men believe that any decline in sexual function or any of the other symptoms related to Andropause are just signs of normal aging. This is far from the truth. It is not normal to feel depressed all the time, can't sleep or have gained so much weight in such a short time.
If you just do not feel like yourself there is help out there for you. All you have to do is realize that something may be wrong and then make an appointment to see your doctor to discuss your symptoms and get some tests run. No big deal and probably worth the effort if you could start to feel like yourself again.
This is what used to be called having a midlife crisis. Men would all of a sudden leave their wives of 25 years and find a girlfriend in her 20's or go buy a motorcycle or fancy sports car to try to compensate for the feelings they are feeling. Research and studies and testing have shown that testosterone is the culprit and treatment for male menopause is probably saving many marriages. |