If we are more or less familiar with the phenomenon of menopause in women, the male counterpart of this stage of life is less known. However, between weight gain, low libido and loss of energy, the effects of andropause are a reality for many men.
Two breaks, two situations
Andropause, or low testosterone, and its consequences have long been ignored or even described as a myth. However, it is estimated that one in five men, between the ages of 50 and 60, are affected by andropause, while half of them are affected over the age of 70. In an attempt to shed light on this male disorder, it must be noted that it is often compared to menopause. However, these two phenomena do not have much in common, except for the appearance associated with aging. Two main differences should be noted. Menopause affects or affects 100% of women, while the reverse is not true for men and andropause.
No before and after
Then, if menopause is associated with infertility for women, this is not the case for men because the latter never stop producing their sex hormones. “Andropause therefore does not mark before and after in women,” underlines the daily Ouest France. “It’s a progressive change, an age-related androgen deficiency, androgens are the male sex hormones we know specifically testosterone.”
Is he a serious doctor?
While all men see, one day or another, their testosterone levels drop, not everyone develops the symptoms associated with andropause. A variety of factors may explain this physiological disparity. In addition to genetic predisposition, a poor lifestyle can accelerate the process of hormonal decline in men: smoking, overweight, excessive alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle, etc. Andropause then rears its ugly head when the drop in testosterone is too significant, due to natural or external factors.
results
“Being overweight is one of the visible consequences of andropause. Because testosterone, among its many benefits, promotes the accumulation of lean mass to the detriment of fat mass,” suggests L’Illustré magazine. “At the bone level, testosterone deficiency represents a risk factor for male osteoporosis. The link between low testosterone and the appearance of cognitive disorders is also suspected. Finally, fatigue, irritability, decreased energy and libido… The psychological symptoms of testosterone deficiency syndrome are numerous, sometimes severe. and may be confused with symptoms of depression.
No casualties
To assess testosterone levels, a simple blood test is sufficient. But to speak of andropause, this decline must be associated with one or more disabling symptoms. “In the population of 60-year-old men, approximately between 20 and 40% have testosterone levels below the norm, but with this they will live very well,” explains Laurent Watcher, urologist at L’Illustre. In terms of treatment, a simple rebalancing of lifestyle is sometimes sufficient. If this is not the case, testosterone supplementation in the form of patches or injections may be prescribed.
This “discharge”?
We often associate andropause with erectile function disorders; It seems that this idea is strongly questioned today, as urologist Laurent Wachter points out. “Only the almost complete absence of testosterone can cause erectile dysfunction. So other factors often play a role in this problem.
This article appeared in Le Télépro on 7/3/2024
