Can Men have Menopause Too?
Technically, men cannot have menopause as the definition of menopause means the cessation of menstruation. However, men go through a similar process called the andropause, which has similar symptoms experienced by women!
Known as Andropause, the male menopause has not received as much publicity as the female menopause because there are no clear-cut symptoms such as cessation of periods.
In general, older men have lower testosterone levels compared to younger men. At the age of 40, the testosterone level in their blood starts to decline gradually at around the rate of one percent a year. Between the ages of 45 to 50, a steep drop happens. This is characterized by bodily changes such as changes in attitudes and moods, fatigue, a loss of energy, sex drive and physical agility. The problem is that this tends to happen at a time of life when many men begin to question their accomplishments and direction in life. As such, it is often difficult to realize that the changes occurring are related to just external conditions.
Attitude, psychological stress, alcohol, injuries or surgery, medications, obesity and infections can contribute to the onset of andropause.It is therefore essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle to delay andropause.
Signs and Symptoms of Male Menopause
• Decreased sex drive—the first sign that most men notice is a decreased interest for sex and a lack of morning erections. This is accompanied by poor erectile function, increased refractory period (time between erections), weak ejaculation as well as a reduced amount of semen. While menopause phase, men become less interested in sex and has less frequent sex. Another related symptom is that sex becomes less enjoyable for the man.
• Fatigue—easily tired and physical activity takes more time to complete and with considerable effort.
• Forgetfulness—a noticeable lack of ability to remember things is also one of the signs of male menopause.
• Unable to concentrate—during menopausal period, men finds difficulty in focusing and concentrating.
• More Emotional—during menopausal period men face difficulty in dealing with events or actions of others, which they used to deal easily before.
• Weight gain—Increased body fat and weight with loss of muscle mass is the another sign of male menopause.
• Difficulty sleeping—Men dealing with menopause also finds difficulty in falling asleep or not sleeping well or restless before waking up.
• Confused, indecisive, lack of self-confidence—the inability to make decisions, confused and reduced self-confidence makes them more frustrating person.
• Cardiovascular disease—Clinical studies are also being concluded which shows an association between low-testosterone levels and an increase in cardiovascular risk factors in man.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment