Male menopause – myth or reality?

By: Dr Vijayasarathi Ramanathan | | Updated: January 31, 2017 12:47 pm

Suresh was a 40-year-old man, with a successful career and a great group of friends. He was known as the life of the party, and was often referred to as ‘macho’. But Suresh was living a dual life. He was secretly suffering from severe mood swings, emotional upheavals and a failing libido. In an attempt to keep up his act, Suresh ignored the problem and blamed it all on stress. Little did he know that he was suffering from male menopause. Also Read - Menopause may increase forgetfulness, lack of attention

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Often thought of as a myth, male menopause is an actual condition that affects men in their 40s and early 50s. Wondering what it is? Here are all your questions answered by our expert Dr Vijayasarathi Ramanathan, renowned men’s health physician and medical sex therapist. Also Read - Want to delay your menopause? Have sex more often

What is male menopause? Is it simply a myth?

No, it is not a myth, the condition does exist. Some men, in their late 40s and early 50s, develop certain physical, mental, emotional and/or sexual symptoms. These symptoms are collectively referred to as andropause or male menopause; equating it to the symptoms of menopause that a woman experience primarily due to hormonal imbalance. This label is confusing because it suggests that the symptoms are the result of a natural drop in the hormone testosterone in middle age. This is not true. Although testosterone levels fall as men age, the decline is steady about 1 2% a year from around the age of 40. Testosterone deficiency can sometimes be responsible for symptoms when the testes are not functioning properly but in many cases the symptoms are nothing to do with hormones.

When and why does it happen?

The symptoms of andropause usually occur in the middle of a man’s life. It usually happens when a man reaches halfway through his life and this phase is often known as a midlife crisis. The symptoms could be attributed to stress and anxiety due to financial constraints, relationship problems unhealthy lifestyle and/or medical problems like diabetes, heart disease etc.

What are the common symptoms that a man might notice? Is it as bad as female menopause?

Usually a man notices symptoms like depression, lack of sex drive, erectile dysfunction, hot flashes, mood swings, loss of muscle mass and fat redistribution, fatigue, dry and thin skin, increased sweating, poor concentration and irritability and loss of enthusiasm. That being said, it is not a must that all men experience the same symptoms, the severity and number of signs vary from person to person.

When should one get treatment or seek a doctor’s intervention?

As soon as a person feels that things are not OK, it is the right time to talk about it with someone they trust. While it is good to talk about these issues rather keeping it to themselves, some medical (specialist/psychological) intervention is needed either to improve and manage the symptoms or to accept the life situation and move on.

What are the treatment options one has for this condition?

The treatment options are many and it depends on the major symptoms. Sometimes, it requires a team of health professionals and a coordinated approach. The options are medications allopathic or complimentary medicine, counselling, behaviour modification and so on.

Should a man feel less ‘manly’ because he suffering from this condition?

What it means to be a man differs from man to man and also from one stage of life to the other. Yes, certain symptoms like erectile dysfunction could be challenging to someone who has always been sexually active, a sudden change in their abilities to ‘perform’ could make them doubtful about their masculinity. The interesting fact here is that not all men need to feel a good erection to perform in bed, they simply need to see that they are capable to having sex as they used to. The lack of an erection or a weak one at that does not mean sexual dissatisfaction.

When does it end?

It is hard to say when it ends as some symptoms may continue to be present as long as a man lives while others might fade away with time. There are few other symptoms that can very well be medically managed and help men regain their confidence and lead a good quality of life.

Can one do anything to help ease the symptoms on his own? What is the best way of self management?

Alternate therapy like yoga and meditation with breathing exercises can be great self-help techniques. Above all, communication is the key to overcome the issue. Communicating their problems and concerns to his partner and talking about this to his doctor (rather waiting for the doctor to ask him) is of great importance. Men do feel bad complaining about their health to other people (since it is often perceived as a female trait), but it is vital to overcome this misconception and be open to seek help rather being in denial and worsen the problem.

What can the man’s partner do to help the situation?

The best thing a man’s partner can do is to support him through this tough time, encourage him to talk about what he is feeling and not ridicule him or make him feel less ‘manly’ if he is unable to perform as he used to, in bed.

Reference:

NHS

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Published : January 9, 2014 11:49 am | Updated:January 31, 2017 12:47 pm

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