by Kate Johns

Created on: September 09, 2010   Last Updated: October 01, 2010

Watch out guys, you can experience menopause just as women do. Menopause is an equal opportunity life-changing event, that happens to men also. Many men may have thought they were experiencing a mid-life crisis when they actually were going through a male menopause that is very similar to what women go through.

 Just what is male menopause? Male menopause, also called andropause, is when testosterone levels in men begin decreasing between the ages of 40 and 55, and continue decreasing at a gradual rate, until testosterone levels fall more dramatically after age 70. Basically it is when the testes run out of the substance needed to make testosterone

 When testosterone levels  begin falling, men start experiencing the symptoms of what is male menopause. Also called andropause, men experience many of the same symptoms that women have been experiencing with female menopause. These symptoms usually are milder than with what women experience in female menopause and are: fatigue, weakness, depression, and sexual problems. Men can also experience decreased bone density and gain weight.

 In the past many men have just lived with the symptoms of andropause, and have not sought out medical help. A man may have thought he was just getting older and he had to live with it.  But with 25 million American men experiencing male menopause today, it is becoming more widely known and treated.  A doctor will give a man a physical exam and ask about his symptoms. Tests can be administered to rule out other medical conditions, and blood tests can be taken to find out the level of testosterone.

  For men experiencing  menopause there is relief, due to treatment options. After talking to the doctor, and finding out the level of testosterone a man has several options: Testosterone replacement therapy by injection, gel cream or testosterone taken orally can help relieve the symptoms of the loss of interest in sex, depression and fatigue. But hormone therapy for men has its risks such as the increase of prostate cancer, stroke, and liver toxicity.  To decide if hormone therapy is right for a man, he can get his PSA levels checked with a simple blood test, by a medical professional.

 Other forms of treatment are creating lifestyle alternatives such as following a new diet plan discussed with the doctor to keep a menopausal man healthy. Eating healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits and incorporating wheat and fiber can help. Having more tomato products, by cutting down on fatty foods and by taking vitamins A, C and E can be healthy alternatives. By not drinking alcohol and quitting smoking are great ways to improve a man’s health so he can have a fighting chance against male menopause.

 Men have the symptoms of menopause also. By utilizing the treatment options, eating healthy, exercising, cutting down on alcohol, and by quitting smoking a man can sail through this changing time of his life.

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