Andropause is a medical condition that affects men, and like many other health issues, remains taboo, i.e., rarely talked about. Just as menopause affects hormone levels in women, andropause is a decrease in testosterone production in men. Testosterone is important for fat metabolism, red blood cell production, bone density, and retaining muscle mass.
Starting in his mid-30s, a man’s testosterone level will begin to fall about 1.6% each year. For some men, they man not notice this change in their hormone levels. For others, their levels may decrease faster due to lifestyle factors such as excessive alcohol consumption or improper use of opioid medications, obesity, poor diet, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, cancer, or hypothalamus/pituitary gland diseases.
Andropause symptoms are often overlooked as common signs of aging or mistaken for something else. Though the condition itself isn’t life threatening, it can lead to a greater risk for disease, such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. It also impacts men physically, mentally, emotionally, and sexually.
Symptoms often include:
If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms listed above talk to your doctor. Because andropause presents itself in many different symptoms, it can be difficult to diagnose. A physical exam and blood tests can determine if your testosterone levels are low and if further testing is needed. Pituitary imaging and testing
For patients who present with low testosterone levels after testing, doctors may recommend trying to increase hormone levels naturally by:
Depending on the severity of symptoms you experience and the impact they have on your life, a doctor may also recommend testosterone therapy. Therapy may be administered in the form of pills, patches, gel, injections, nasal spray, or pellets implanted under the skin. Another therapy, called “troches” or “gum and cheek hormone therapy”, uses waxy lozenges that sit between the gum and cheek in your mouth or under your tongue until they dissolve, allowing the hormones to bypass the digestive system and enter the bloodstream directly.
Hormone therapy does come with some side effects. If your doctor determines that you are a candidate for this therapy, it’s important to talk with him/her and determine which treatment options are right for you.
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