ANDROPAUSE

Andropause or male menopause, appears in some aging men, and has some superficial similarities to menopause effects in women. Andropause may be related to the slow but steady reduction of the production of the hormones testosterone in middle-aged men, and the consequences of that reduction. A steady decline in testosterone levels with age in men is well documented.

 

Apparently, symptoms caused by a drop in the male hormone testosterone include:
Anger and social withdrawal, Irritability, Hypersensitivity, Anxiety, Hot Flashes, Mood swings, Depression, Lack of libido, Back and head aches, Insomnia.
External factors that can cause testosterone levels to fall include certain forms of medication, poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, illness, lack of sleep, lack of sex, stress or surgery.

Some researchers prefer the term "androgen deficiency of the aging male" ("ADAM"), to more accurately reflect the fact that the loss of testosterone production is gradual in contrast to the more abrupt change associated with menopause. The "D" is sometimes given as "decline" instead of "deficiency". In some contexts, the term "partial androgen deficiency in aging males" ("PADAM") is used instead.

Proponents of andropause as a distinct condition claim that it is a biological change experienced by men during mid-life. Andropause is a decline in the male hormone testosterone. This drop in testosterone levels is considered to lead in some cases to erectile dysfunction, diabetes, loss of energy and concentration, depression, and mood swings. While andropause does not cause a man's reproductive system to stop working altogether, many experience bouts of impotence.

The theory is that andropause is caused by a very gradual testosterone deficiency and an increase in sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) that occurs from age 40 onwards. Testosterone declines 10% every decade after age 30 (1% per year).

Proponents of this theory claim that by their mid-50s, about 30 percent of men experience andropause. It is thought that about 5 million American men do not produce adequate testosterone, which leads to early andropause. In Australia, about 1 in every 200 men under the age of 60 and about 1 in every 10 men over 60 have low testosterone. Regardless of location, the most likely males to develop early andropause are those with diabetes, hypertension, and some genetic disorders.

In 'Male Menopause', a book by Jed Diamond, a lay person, andropause is defined as a change of life in middle-aged men, which has hormonal, physical, psychological, interpersonal, social, sexual, and spiritual aspects. Diamond claims that this change occurs in all men, generally between the ages of 40 and 55, though it can occur as early as 35 or as late as 65. The term "male menopause" may be a misnomer, as unlike women, men's reproductive systems do not cease to work completely in mid-life; some men continue to father children late into their lives (at age 90 or older).

Ps: Please share with every middle aged man in your life, especially politicians, senators, reps, ministers, governors, civil servants. We need a cure urgently now that we know the problem. If you have found a cure, please share it here.