There
comes a time in many mens lives, usually in their fifties, but sometimes
sooner, sometimes later, when they are faced by the "Male Menopause"
or "Andropause". This equivalent of the menopause in the female is
often less sudden in onset but can be more severe in its long-term
consequences.
Fatigue, depression, irritability, and reduced libido and potency
are the commonest symptoms. This change is surprisingly often overlooked
or ignored, either because the man is so pressurised by the rest of
his life that he assumes it is an inevitable part of growing older,
or because his sexual partner has lost interest as well. Besides lack
of sex drive, there is often loss of drive in professional or business
life. Physically there is frequently stiffness and pain in the muscles
and joints, symptoms of gout and a rapidly deteriorating level of
fitness. There may also be signs of the accelerated ageing of the
head and circulation which testosterone deficiency can cause.
Research in over 2,000 patients at the
Men's Health Centre has shown over the last fifteen years that
the main causes of the andropause are stress, excess alcohol, overweight,
lack of exercise, and vasectomy, added to the general effects of ageing.
We have shown scientifically for the first time that there may sometimes
be a low absolute level of testosterone, but more often there is a
relative deficiency due to a range of factors stopping it working
effectively even when the level of this key hormone is normal - the
engine is pushing but the brakes are on!