ANDROPAUSE IS the male counterpart to the female menopause. While it is not as rapid, as obvious or as extreme an event, men do suffer from declining hormone levels as they age.
In menopause, women's sex hormones rapidly decline over several years, usually in their 50s. The sex hormones in men also decline as they age, starting earlier, but much more gradually. As one doctor states, "Women fall off a cliff. Men sort of roll down the hill."
TESTOSTERONE TEST
Several hormones known as androgens create and support masculinity, but testosterone is the one that is primarily responsible for:
Determining before birth whether a baby will develop into a boy or a girl;
Influencing an individual's sexual preference;
Regulating the sex drive in men (and in women);
The development of male sexual characteristics including dominance, emotional and physical strength, body shape, hairiness, deep voice, and even odour;
Governing the production and quality of sperm.
Testosterone plays a role in developing creativity, intellect, thought patterns, assertiveness and drive, as well as the ability to produce new ideas and successfully carry them through. It also affects general health during childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
After the age of 30, a man may lose up to two per cent of the function of the testicles with each succeeding year. In fact up to 50 per cent of healthy men between the ages of 50 and 70 have low levels of testosterone.
Andropause, a condition in which the testosterone level slowly declines with age, also decreases a man's ability to enjoy sex. In addition to experiencing a decrease in sexual desire and erectile function, men with a lowered testosterone level may also notice changes in mood and emotions, a decrease in body mass and strength due to loss of muscle tissue, and an increase in body fat. How would you or your male partner answer the following questions
ADAM - Androgen Deficiency in the Ageing Male Questionnaire
1. Do you have a decrease in libido (sex drive)? Yes No
2. Do you have a lack of energy? Yes No
3. Do you have a decrease in strength and/or endurance?
Yes No
4. Have you lost height?
Yes No
5. Have you noticed a decreased enjoyment of life?
Yes No
6. Are you sad and/or grumpy?
Yes No
7. Are your erections weaker?
Yes No
8. Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your ability to play sports? Yes No
9. Are you falling asleep after dinner? Yes No
10. Has there been a recent deterioration in your work performance? Yes No
COMMON SIGNS AND RISKS
The typical description of a man going through this process often sounds like this: 'Over the years, he has grown more irritable, more depressed, heavier, more lethargic, and much less interested in sex.'
There are also additional health risks associated with low testosterone levels. These include:
Elevated cholesterol
Heart disease
Bone fractures
Clinical depression.
HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a powerful intervention in handling andropause as it often produces a significant and dramatic improvement in the symptoms and a reduction in the risks. HRT should be undertaken in a scientific manner following some basic principles:
1) TEST FIRST
Each individual should be medically evaluated, including a simple blood test to measure the levels of testosterone and other hormones in the blood. I particularly do a special blood test called 'free' testosterone.
2) USE BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES
If hormone levels are low, correct them by administering the right dosages of the specific hormone that is deficient in the body, and not with some synthetic drug. This is called bio-identical hormone replacement.
3) MONITOR
Periodically repeat the blood test, and if necessary, adjust the dosage of the hormone being given.
If these guidelines are followed, then HRT is an extremely safe and effective anti-ageing therapy.
ACTION PLAN
For the man who is concerned about andropause, here are some suggestions:
Have a medical examination done by your doctor and request a blood test for free testosterone, oestrogen, DHEA and progesterone.
If the levels of free testosterone are low, consider having testosterone replacement with a testosterone skin gel. If DHEA (another hormone the body uses to make testosterone) is also low, then tablets of DHEA can be taken.
Make some lifestyle changes - a healthy diet with enough protein, exercise regularly and pay attention to effective stress management.
Add antioxidants and soy products to your diet.
Herbal supplements - ginseng, saw palmetto, pygeum africanum, St. John's Wort, and pumpkin seed - may also help to stimulate the body's natural production of hormones.
Detoxify the body and avoid exposure to toxins and harmful chemicals.
As with menopause, andro-pause does not have to be the beginning of the end, but rather the passage to the most passionate, purposeful and rewarding time of a man's life.
Email Dr. Tony Vendryes at vendryes@mac.com, visit the website www.anounceofprevention.org, or listen to 'An Ounce of Prevention' on Power 106FM on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
