Andropause: Menopause for Men
Wives, how do you know when your hubby (or significant other) is entering andropause, or have you even ever heard of such a thing as andropause?
A lot of women like to call it the real "MEN-O-PAUSE." Women go through menopause at a certain time in their life. Men go through something similar, but it is called andropause.
Is he looking at that dream red sports car more often these days?
Is he losing his hair, or losing or gaining more weight recently?
Don't divorce him! Bring him to TIFM!!
He just might be going thru andropause (menopause for men). It is very complex and happens to all men at different times of life. It has different symptoms but common causes. The average human male begins to feel some symptoms of andropause around the age of 40 to 45; which is followed by rapid deterioration after the age of 50.
Symptoms of Andropause may Include:
- Bone loss, thinning or weakening
- Brain fog or confusion
- Changes in hair growth patterns (more some places, less in others)
- Decreased libido or lack of interest in sex
- Erectile dysfunction, loss of erections or infertility
- General achy feeling
- Hot flashes or night sweats
- Inability to sleep
- Lethargy, decreased energy or fatigue
- Mood changes or depression
- Muscle loss or weakness
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Androgens are the class of steroid hormones that are responsible for making human males into "men". Testosterone and its metabolites, called androgens, can start failing as early as age 35! It's like going thru puberty - only in reverse! What causes this is an area of much research and includes hypothalamus dysfunction in sending signals to the testicles to make more hormones, lessening response of the Leydig cells (which make testosterone) to the stimulatory effects of LH and FSH (yes wives, you have these hormones too), and an increase of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG); simply meaning there may be enough testosterone molecules on the bus, but the bus doesn't let the passengers off to go to work!
What can be done? Since there is great variability in andropause (just as there is in menopause), certain lab testing must be performed to determine what and where to start. Obviously, checking testosterone levels is one thing, but also an awful metabolite, called DHT (Dihydrotestosterone), is another. It usually goes up; which causes prostate problems and hair loss. All hormones need to be tested (not just testosterone) as they are all inter-connected. Many physicians only test one or two (which is an invitation to failure or bad side effects). We can test them ALL!
Obviously we do a male hormone panel to measure many substances; including free-testosterone, dihydrotesterone (the bad stuff), etc.
Thyroid function almost always decreases with age, and leads to lethargy, lack of drive and mood changes. We can fix this.
Adrenal function suffers greatly during andropause. This is something that should always be checked. We can fix this also.
Growth hormone is always the first thing we hear requested, and is seldom the underlying need in andropause, but we test for it to be sure. We can fix it if it is broken.
Blood flow needs to be addressed because, at the age of andropause, inflammation from many different sources can cause plaque to develop in the blood vessels, and that is the leading cause of Erectile Dysfunction (ED)! We can fix these too as we are experts in chelation; a form of treatment for both ED and CAD (Coronary Artery Disease).
Heavy metals also peak at the age of andropause, and can cause massive changes in the internal functions of your body. This is our area of expertise as well!
So, wives and spouses, as you can see, andropause can be a complex issue in your guy BUT it is very treatable at TIFM. Call us or drag him in by his ... earlobe ... yeah ... earlobes. We can help him to be the same old sexy guy you once knew! If he is a bit shop-worn around the edges (sagging jowls, droopy eyelids, fat belly, thinning hair, etc.), we can fix those things too!! Call us now before he starts looking to buy that sexy cherry red Porsche or other things that he thinks will help him regain his youth. We can get him there faster!
Male Hormones
Hormone replacement therapy is not just for women anymore. Men also experience imbalances or deficiencies in their hormones, which can include testosterone, estrogen, thyroid, adrenal, cortisone, etc. TIFM understands the possible imbalances and deficiencies that can occur in the male body and therefore offers a complete male hormone panel, which tests the whole body… not just the parts. From the test results, TIFM can prescribe quality custom hormone compounds that will address any imbalance or deficiency than may exist in the body. Call today to schedule your male hormone panel and get your life back on track!
What is Andropause?
By the time men are between the ages of 40 and 55, they can experience a phenomenon similar to the female menopause, called Andropause. Unlike women, men do not have a clear-cut signpost such as the cessation of menstruation to mark this transition. Both, however, are distinguished by a drop in hormone levels. Estrogen in the female, testosterone in the male. The bodily changes occur very gradually in men and may be accompanied by changes in attitudes and moods, fatigue, a loss of energy, sex drive and physical agility.
What's more, studies show that this decline in testosterone can actually put one at risk for other health problems like heart disease and weak bones. Since all this happens at a time of life when many men begin to question their values, accomplishments and direction in life, it's often difficult to realize that the changes occurring are related to more than just external conditions.
A Gradual Hormonal Decline
Unlike menopause, which generally occurs in women during their mid-forties to mid-fifties, men's "transition" may be much more gradual and expand over many decades. Attitude, psychological stress, alcohol, injuries or surgery, medications, obesity and infections can contribute to its onset.
Although with age, a decline in testosterone levels will occur in virtually all men, there is no way of predicting who will experience andropausal symptoms of sufficient severity to seek medical help. Neither is it predictable at what age symptoms will occur in a particular individual. Each man's symptoms may be also different.
Is This a New Phenomenon?
Yes and no. In fact, Andropause was first described in medical literature in the 1940's. So it's not really new. But, our ability to diagnose it properly is. Sensitive tests for bioavailable testosterone weren't available until recently, so Andropause has gone through a long period where it was underdiagnosed and undertreated. Now that men are living longer, there is heightened interest in Andropause and this will help to advance our approach to this important life stage which was identified so long ago.
Increased Diagnostic Capability
Another reason why Andropause has been underdiagnosed over the years is that symptoms can be vague and can vary a lot among individuals. Some men find it difficult to admit that there's even a problem. And often physicians didn't always think of low-testosterone levels as a possible culprit. So these factors often led doctors to conclude that symptoms were related to other medical conditions (i.e. depression) or were simply related to ageing and often encouraged their patients to accept that "they were no longer spring chickens".
This situation is changing. New testing methods are available and there is an increased interest in mens' aging among medical researchers. So much attention is being focused on Andropause that major efforts are underway to quickly share emerging scientific information with the international medical community.
Impact of Low Testosterone
When there is less testosterone available to do its work, the testosterone target-organ response decreases, bringing about many changes.
There is great variability in testosterone levels among healthy men so not all will experience the same changes to the same extent. But typical responses to low bioavailable testosterone levels include:
- Low sex drive
- Emotional, psychological and behavioral changes
- Decreased muscle mass
- Loss of muscle strength
- Increased upper and central body fat
- Osteoporosis or weak bones and back pain
- Cardiovascular risk
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Why Should Andropause be Taken Seriously?
Apart from the impact that Andropause may have on your quality of life, there are other longer-term and silent effects of Andropause that are harder to track: increased cardiovascular risk and osteoporosis.
Andropause & Osteoporosis
In a healthy individual, bone tissue is constantly being broken down and rebuilt. In an individual with osteoporosis, more bone tissue is lost than is regenerated. We've all heard of women suffering from weaker bones, or osteoporosis, after menopause. In men, testosterone is thought to play a role in helping to maintain this balance. Between the ages of 40 and 70 years, male bone density falls by up to 15 percent.
Unfortunately, with advancing age and declining testosterone levels, men, like women, seem to demonstrate a similar pattern of risk for osteoporosis. What's more, approximately one in eight men over age 50 actually have osteoporosis.
The incidence of hip fractures rises exponentially in ageing men, as it does in women, starting about 5 to 10 years later. In Canada, 20-30 percent of osteoporotic fractures occur in men. The incidence of fractures has been increasing in men, whereas it seems to be stabilizing in women - likely due to their lifestyle changes, calcium supplements and hormone replacement therapies (HRT).
Low bone density puts one at risk of frequent fractures, associated pain, and in many cases, loss of independence. Wrists, hips, spine and ribs are most commonly affected.
Two important consequences of osteoporosis are often seen as a slow but progressive rounding of the shoulders as well as a loss of height and back pain. Particularly devastating seem to be hip fractures, up to one third of patients never seem to regain full mobility.
Cardiovascular Risk*
It is now well accepted that women's risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) increases after menopause. Estrogen replacement therapy seems to reverse this trend.
New evidence suggests that a similar phenomenon occurs in men as their testosterone levels diminish with age. While research is not as complete as for women, the clinical findings point to an association between low-testosterone levels and an increase in cardiovascular risk factors in men.
*A cause and effect relationship has not yet been established in large clinical trials. Further clinical research is needed into this important area of study.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy
In many instances, testosterone replacement in men with Andropause can be highly effective and beneficial. It's not for every man, of course, even those who show symptoms on the quiz may have other health problems at the root of it all. Still you should discuss with your doctor if you would be a good candidate for testosterone replacement therapy.
What Should I Expect from Testosterone Replacement?
In various clinical studies, very good responses to testosterone have been reported for men with low-testosterone and they include:
- Improvement in mood and sense of well-being
- Increased mental and physical energy
- Decreased anger, irritability, sadness, tiredness, nervousness
- Improved quality of sleep
- Improved libido and sexual performance
- An increase in lean body mass, a decline in fat mass
- An increase in muscle strength (hand grip, upper and lower extremities)
- Potentially, a decrease in the risk of heart disease
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With testosterone therapy, one's attitude improves, reinforcing self-esteem and self-confidence at work, as well as an increased energy at home and in social activities. Most men will feel more vigorous, experience improved energy levels, mood, concentration, cognition, libido, sexual performance and an overall sense of well-being. These effects are usually noted within 3 to 6 weeks.
Other potential benefits include maintenance or improvement in bone density, improved body composition, muscle mass and muscle strength, as well as improvement in visual-spatial skills.
Patient Checklist — Could You Have Low Testosterone?
If you answer yes to question 1 or 7 or at least three of the other questions, you might have low testosterone levels.
Choose the responses below that best describe how you have been feeling.
Questions:
- Do you have a decrease in libido (sex drive)?
- Do you have a lack of energy?
- Do you have a decrease in strength and/or endurance?
- Have you lost height?
- Have you noticed a decreased "enjoyment of life?"
- Are you sad and/or grumpy?
- Are your erections less strong?
- Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your ability to play sports?
- Are you falling asleep after dinner?
- Has there been a recent deterioration in your work performance?
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For more information, a phone consultation or to setup an appointment, please contact our Patient Care Coordinator, Beverly Brown-Osborn by email or by calling 972-239-6317 x134. |
