I respect women, men and transgenders equally as they are. In my medical transcription career, I have worked with the cases more of psychology and neuropsychology patients. Thus I came to know about how physical factors along with emotional factors, societal factors, familial factors affect the mind of a human being.
Few days back during my work, I came across this medical term – “Andropause.” Until then, I was unaware of this medical condition. I googled on the topic and read about it. Then with the usual work and other things, I forgot about it. Yesterday, me and my friend, while going to our Taichi class, talked about the conditions women are still facing in our society along with the changes a woman’s body undergoes through the years of life. We talked about Menopause, and then suddenly, I remembered about Andropause and I asked her have she heard about Andropause. She said, “No, I didn’t.” I then told her I came across this medical term during my work and thought about writing it and our talk reminded me about it. So, now I’m writing this for all who are unaware about this phase of a man’s life.
ANDROPAUSE is otherwise called male menopause. It is also known to be testosterone deficiency, androgen deficiency, or late-onset hypogonadism. It occurs due to age-related deficiency in male hormones. Andropause causes drop in testosterone production in men. Testosterone is a steroid hormone that stimulates development of male secondary sexual characteristics, produced mainly in the testes, but also in the ovaries and adrenal cortex. It is the primary male hormone. Drop in this hormone affects
physical, sexual, and psychological health of a man.
One thing I would like to mention here is, unlike Menopause which affects all women, not all men are affected by Andropause. Some experience few changes, while some experience a lot of changes in their
physical, sexual, and psychological health. Andropause usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 60, but men as young as 30 may begin to experience these symptoms.
Symptoms of Andropause:
- Low energy
- Depression or sadness
- Decreased motivation
- Lowered self-confidence
- Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
- Increased body fat
- Reduced muscle mass and feelings of physical weakness
- Restlessness and difficulty concentrating
- Gynecomastia, or development of breasts
- Decreased bone density
- Erectile dysfunction
- Reduced libido
- Mood swings
- Hot flashes
How to deal with Andropause?
If you experience any of the above symptoms, you can have a blood test done to check your testosterone levels. You may talk with your family physician about doing this blood test. Treatment is needed only if you are severely affected by the Andropause symptoms. Else, healthier lifestyle changes like the following can be adopted in your daily life:
- Regular exercise
- Deep breathing
- Eating healthy diet
- Eating food mindfully
- Having good sleep
- Decrease stress level by actively participating in any activities you like
- Quit smoking if you’re a smoker
- Psychological counselling if you’re feeling depressed or emotionally affected for no reason
- Drink lots of water
- Use herbal supplements only after seeking advise from a knowledgeable healthcare provider
I feel understanding about this phase of a man’s life can make some good and healthier changes in the life of a man. I also feel if humans understand how fragile their body changes are and how it affect the mind and then relationships and social roles, then could be more kind to themselves and to other beings. I do feel more psychological and medical studies have to be conducted about Andropause and Menopause and people have to be made aware about these and how adopting healthier lifestyle changes and treatments can help them age gracefully.