What happens to male hormones as a man ages? The menopause male.

As a woman, I am aware of the fact that as we age, our hormones change. Many articles are available to discuss menopause for women...we women love to discuss our ailments, don't we?

Did you know that men also go through hormone changes as they age? I doubt that you will ever overhear two men discussing hot flashes or lack of sex drive over a cup of coffee at Starbucks! This is a delicate subject that we just don't like to talk about. But we need to talk about it, especially if it is affecting how we feel physically, emotionally, and how it may be impacting intimacy with our spouse.

Unlike the more extraordinary hormone drop that occurs in women during menopause, hormone changes in men “occur gradually — over a period of many years” according to the Mayo Clinic. That said, the reality is a man’s hormones will change. Male testosterone declines just as a woman’s estrogen…only a little slower.

“Male menopause” is often used to describe decreasing testosterone levels that take place as a man gets older. When a woman goes through menopause, the drop in estrogen takes place quicker and the effects are more noticeable. In men, the loss of testosterone happens gradually so the changes in sexual function, energy level or mood — are likely to be less dramatic. Because the effect happens over a longer span of time, a man or his sexual partner, may not notice it as readily, until one day they realize they just aren’t “in the mood” anymore. For a male natural response to this may be “this is what is happening to me and I never knew!”

So what's the best way to refer to male menopause? Many doctors use the term "andropause" to describe aging-related hormone changes in men. Other terms for male menopause include testosterone deficiency, androgen deficiency of the aging male and late-onset hypogonadism.

In order to understand what is happening, it helps to understand a little about male hormones.The Mayo Clinic tells us the male hormone “Testosterone levels vary greatly among men. In general, however, older men tend to have lower testosterone levels than do younger men. Testosterone levels gradually decline throughout adulthood — about 1 percent a year after age 30 on average. By about age 70, the decrease in a man's testosterone level can be as much as 50 percent”. This will have a direct bearing on a man’s sexual behavior.

What can a man do? Treating aging-related low testosterone with testosterone replacement therapy may be the answer. Just as a woman can benefit from hormone replacement therapy, a man may benefit from testosterone therapy. As a caution, just as estrogen replacements can have risks, so too can testosterone replacement. This is a good discussion to have with your partner and your doctor. Honesty is the best course of action when you are considering your quality of life and health.

Male Menopause Symptoms

• Changes in physical performance and appearance
• Change in moods including depression
  
• Fatigue
• Loss of energy
• Diminished sex drive

Treatment for Male Menopause

Exploring your options of testosterone replacement therapy, reading, and being informed of new therapies...including natural herbal remedies...may shed light on the subject. Doing this gives you back some control over the effects of aging that we may not have to "just live with" as we get older

Consider a medically supervised testosterone therapy program If you are experiencing any of these issues. We may have to age, but we may not have to lose some of the enjoyment of our younger years! it may be a good time to have that discussion with your doctor. Male hormone changes just as female hormone changes are inevitable…the effects, however, may not have to be