Male menopause: What you need to know

Unlike menopause in women with sudden hormonal changes, menopause in men has a gradual hormonal change, commonly known as male menopause.

The term "male menopause" often describes the decline in testosterone with age. However, menopause in women and menopause in men are completely different.
In women, fertility ends and hormone production suddenly declines for a short time. In men, the production of testosterone and other hormones gradually declines over the years, and its effects are not very clear.

Testosterone levels vary greatly from person to person. In general, younger men tend to have higher testosterone levels. Testosterone levels decline gradually over time, averaging 1% per year after age 30.

A blood test is the only way to detect a drop in testosterone levels. Some men have lower-than-average testosterone levels without symptoms, and this does not require any treatment at all.

Signs of low testosterone levels:
Changes in sexual performance: these include signs of decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, spontaneous erections (such as during sleep), and infertile. The testicles may also be smaller than normal. Changes in sleep: Sometimes low testosterone levels cause sleep problems, like insomnia or even too much sleep. Changes in appearance: appearance can have many changes, such as increase in body fat, decrease in muscle mass, decrease in muscle strength, thinning of bones. Enlarged breasts and loss of body hair sometimes also occur. More rarely are hot flashes and feelings of powerlessness. Emotional changes: Low testosterone levels can impair emotions and lower self-confidence. Mood may be depressed or hopeless, concentration and memory may be impaired. Some of the symptoms listed above can be caused by something other than low testosterone, such as a side effect of medication, thyroid problems, depression, or drinking too much alcohol. There are also a few conditions that affect testosterone levels, like sleep apnea, but when these are found and addressed, testosterone levels should return to normal.

If you find yourself showing signs of low testosterone levels, don't hesitate to see your doctor. Your doctor will help find the cause and the appropriate treatment. There is no way to increase the body's natural testosterone levels, but the following can help:
Be open with your doctor: Don't hesitate to work with your doctor to find out what's causing your symptoms and get the right treatment. Healthy lifestyle choices: a healthy diet, proper exercise is the best choice. This helps maintain strength, energy, and muscle mass. Regular exercise also helps bring about positive emotions and better sleep.

If feeling negative, seek help: men don't often experience sadness, but sometimes they feel tired, anxious, irritable, even angry, and it's really hard to cope. face the pressures of work and life at that time. Common symptoms in men are trouble sleeping and suicidal thoughts. If you feel negative emotions, consult your doctor for appropriate treatment. Beware of herbal supplements: herbal supplements have not been shown to be safe and effective for age-related testosterone decline. In some cases they are even harmful, so be on the lookout. The treatment of age-related decline in testosterone levels with testosterone replacement is controversial.
For some people, testosterone therapy helps to relieve some of the uncomfortable symptoms caused by testosterone deficiency, but for others it does not, even potentially dangerous.
Despite the risks, testosterone therapy is effective for sleep apnea, benign prostatic hypertrophy and slow prostate cancer progression. However, testosterone therapy also increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as atherosclerosis.
To determine if testosterone therapy is really necessary, consult your doctor, to find out the real cause of low testosterone levels as well as the cause of symptoms, and weigh the benefits. benefits and risks of using therapy.

Article references source: mayoclinic