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Andropause is indeed “a thing”. As our population gets older, especially the Boomers (born 1946-1964), Gen X (born 1965-1980) and even the Millennials (born 1981-1996) the medicalization of andropause is becoming more prevalent.
When discussing male menopause, andropause is the non-medical word to remember. Andropause – named after the male hormones known as androgens – is a relatively new term used to describe aging in men. And not all scholars agree that the word is appropriate because there really isn’t a “pause”. The male and female experiences are definitely not similar; that’s like saying a Ferrari and a Tesla are the same thing. Sure both are cars, but they contain different parts. And unlike women, men maintain the ability to create children long after age fifty.
Biological males will lose 1% of testosterone per year starting around age 30. Eventually symptoms like the following may appear:
- Hair loss
- Depression
- Muscle loss
- Low sex drive
- Irritability
- Night sweats
- Weight gain
- Lack of energy
- Insomnia
- Hot flashes
- Erectile dysfunction
- Memory loss
- Gynecomastia (man boobs)
Contributing to a growing controversial conversation is the term Low T; “T” referring to testosterone. Scholars and medical professionals do not agree on the extent and quality of medical evidence to support the existence of Low T.
EVERY biological male will experience andropause.
NOT every biological male will experience Low T.
NOT every biological male that experiences Low T, will require testosterone supplementation, called testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
Why does this matter?
The medicalization of andropause has turned into a multi-million dollar global machine. Marketing TRT and testosterone products for Low T is now a marketer’s dream. Men in their twenties and thirties have decided they need more “T” usually for the purpose of muscle building and body sculpting.
There is a well-documented and well-known negative impact of the usage of TRT and anabolic-androgenic steroids on sperm production and fertility. Researchers still question whether young men are aware of the possible long-term consequences.
Medically prescribed and monitored Testosterone Replacement Therapy is an accepted and recommended treatment to increase quality of life during the male aging process. It comes in the form of gels, patches and injections.
There is a similarity between hormone therapy for women and hormone therapy for men.
Medical professionals do not know why some women going through the menopause transition can wear turtlenecks while others rip it off their necks in thirty seconds due to hot flashes. The same can be true for the aging male – some men will experience symptoms of Low T and require testosterone supplementation, while others will not.
Aside from these debates, the bigger picture to keep in mind is men’s health issues need to be addressed, and addressed aggressively. Statistics paint a very sorry picture. According to the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation 70% of men’s chronic health conditions are caused by lifestyle choices. Not surprising that men have a much shorter lifespan than women.
For more information, take a look at our Andropause Resource Kit.
