“Male Menopause” – Myth or Fact?

We are often met with the question, do men have hormones? All humans have hormones and hormonal changes are a natural part of life. Surprisingly these changes are not exclusive to women. As men age, naturally testosterone levels drop. Doctors have reported men having experienced some symptoms associated with menopause.

If you were assigned male gender at birth, testosterone is a hormone produced in your testes. It is know as the sex hormone, but it does so much more than that. It drives your physical and mental energy, maintains your muscle mass, regulates your responses and is vital for your body to function properly.

What is “male menopause”?

The “male menopause”, often call Andropause is a term that has been floating around for while with little understand to what it actually is.

The labelling of this condition or set or symptoms is not 100% accurate. The name suggests that a sudden drop in hormone levels occurs which is what usually happens when females experience menopause. 

However, men's drops in testosterone levels are normally steady and unproblematic. If you believe your testosterone levels have significantly dropped, the best thing to do would be to seek medical advice or test your hormone levels by ordering a test.

A testosterone deficiency can be responsible for a number of issues you may not realise are related. 

• loss of muscle mass
• fat redistribution
• lack of enthusiasm or energy
• mood swings and irritability
• difficulty sleeping or increased tiredness
• poor concentration and short-term memory

These symptoms can seriously affect someone's happiness, everyday life, self-esteem and confidence, so it's important to look into them if you are experiencing any or know someone who may be struggling.

Recognising low testosterone levels

A man's testosterone level declines on average about 1% after the age of 40. However in some cases it can begin to decrease before this age has been reached.

Low testosterone levels often go noticed as many people are not aware of the symptoms that come with it. Testosterone levels can be checked by a simple blood test, but they are not normally routinely done.

Can “male menopause” be treated?

Similar to hormone replacement therapy in women, testosterone can also be replaced with TRT treatment, testosterone replacement therapy. Restoring your testosterone levels can be life changing and enhance your everyday life in many ways. This treatment is for treating low testosterone levels however, it cannot be defined as a treatment for “male menopause”.

If you want to discover more about how TRT has been changing men's lives, our latest blog post has all the details.

So what's the verdict? Myth or fact?

There is not enough evidence to define “male menopause” as medical condition and will not be diagnosed by a medical professional. However testosterone deficiency is a treatable condition that many men struggle with. 

Other ways to help testosterone levels improve would be to make little lifestyle changes such as adjusting to a healthier diet, exercising and looking after your mental health.