Women are fortunate. Once menopause sets in, the ending of menses for women concludes that a new stage of  life is beginning. For men, this picture is much more obscure and frustrating in the midst of andropause — the common term used to describe male menopause.

Inconsistency with  Andropause

There is no “light switch event” to andropause. A man’s functionality – whether physically, psychologically or sexually – flips “on” and “off” at random, and it generally happens slowly over a period of decades.

In addition, the underlying message is different. Women are no longer biologically capable of becoming pregnant naturally after menopause; however, most men can continue to father children until they reach very old ages. The subtlety and inconsistency of the andropause phenomenon can increase stress for some men, particularly those who strongly correlate virility with personal power and identity.

Symptoms as a Sign of Serious Health Conditions

Experts from the National Institute of Health and the National Institute on Aging and Nutrition Health Review note that many symptoms commonly equated with andropause really have nothing to do with natural aging and can be indicators of more serious health conditions.

Instead of brushing off symptoms that might be due to age or stress, seek professional medical attention when experiencing any of the following:

• Difficulty urinating or an increase in the need to urinate: These symptoms could indicate prostate enlargement problems, testicular atrophy, or blood sugar issues. (Worst case scenario? Cancer or kidney failure.)
• Weakness, fatigue, reduced muscle and bone mass, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and reduced cognitive function can be indicators of low testosterone levels or an assortment of other biomedical/chemical problems.
• Low sex drive and/or failing to keep or maintain an erection may indicate trouble with circulatory issues, high blood pressure (hypertension), low testosterone – or any combination of these issues.

If you are not experiencing these kinds of issues but are instead coping with other issues relating to the effect of andropause, cognitive behavioral therapy may be of benefit to help adjust to social changes related to aging (such as the lack of a partner), illness or chronic conditions, and potential medication side effects.

Sources:

National Library of Medicine/National Institute of Health http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/004017.htm

National Institute on Aging

http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/preventaging.htm

Nutrition Health Review (via online database/UMN) Nutrition Health Review: The Consumer’s Medical Journal; 2004, Issue 89, p7-7