Male Menopause: It’s Real And Here’s What You Need To Know

Source: fotostorm / Getty

Female menopause is pretty much common knowledge. What isn’t discussed nearly as much – arguably not at all – is male menopause. Yup, that’s a thing.

It turns out that men (somewhere between 10 and 40 percent of them, says the journal Translational Andrology and Urology) will face a testosterone deficiency. This is also known as late-onset hypogonadism, andropause, androgen deficiency and – most popular – male menopause. Here’s everything there is to know about it.

Why Male Menopause Isn’t Discussed

Man explaining his symptoms to a doctor on a house call

Source: andresr / Getty

There are a number of factors that contribute to the radio silence surrounding male menopause. First off men, in general, are less likely to see their doctors for their regular checkups. Research published in The National Library of Medicine (NLM) found that men with health problems are significantly less likely than women with health problems to have had any recent contact with a doctor. Men just don’t go in for a tune-up as often as women do, so the opportunities for these phase-of-life conversations are rarer.

There’s also the reality that men are not as comfortable discussing topics of an intimate nature – such as sexual dysfunction or mental health issues – with a medical practitioner. A study published by the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation found that nearly 37 percent of men aren’t comfortable discussing topics of a sexual nature with their doctor. And the NLM also reported that men are less likely compared to women to seek mental health assistance. These two issues – sexual dysfunction and mental health decline – are often at the center of male menopause symptoms. So not surprisingly, men don’t get diagnosed with male menopause often.

What Exactly Is Male Menopause?

Sport, time and fitness with a sports man tracking his workout progress with an app on a watch in a gym. Exercise, training and health with a male athlete working out and exercising for wellness

Source: Moyo Studio / Getty

If you want a simple way to look at male menopause, it’s like reverse puberty. As boys approach puberty, their bodies boost testosterone production. What comes next is an increase in muscle mass, a lowered voice, more body hair and an increase in sexual function. During male menopause, testosterone levels drop, and men can deal with a loss of muscle mass, a loss of body hair and even a lower sex drive. But, there is more to it than that.

MayoClinic reports that testosterone levels drop at an average of one percent per year in men ages 30 and up. During male menopause (around age 50 and up) the drop can happen more rapidly. So, men might experience physical and mental changes that they’d already been going through for decades on a mild level, but suddenly in a more severe way.

How Is Male Menopause Different From Female Menopause?

Medical healthcare, communication and support from doctor during a consultation with a patient at hospital. Clinic nurse with smile and care while consulting with African man about cardiology results

Source: LaylaBird / Getty

While there are some similarities between male and female menopause, there are important differences.

Post-menopausal men can have children. Female menopause triggers the total shutdown of the reproductive organs. After a woman has gone through menopause, she can no longer have children. That is not the case in male menopause – most men can conceivably reproduce well into their later years.

Male menopause happens slowly. Female menopause involves a decline in certain hormone levels, just like male menopause. However, for women, the hormonal change happens within a short period of time. For men, the change can be gradual and go on for years.

Not all men go through it. The most important difference is that, while all women will go through menopause, not all men go through it.

Symptoms Of Male Menopause

Mature Adult Looking Seriously Into Camera

Source: SolStock / Getty

Testosterone levels are involved in mental and physical energy, muscle mass and the flight-or-fight response in men. As a result, when they drop, the following symptoms might occur:

Depression
Fatigue
Low self-esteem
Sleep issues
Weight gain
Male breast growth
Low libido
Difficulty achieving an erection
Testicle shrinkage
Body hair loss
Hot flashes
Low bone density

Male Menopause Treatment

Medical pills, healthcare and African pharmacist or doctor working with medicine box on shelf of wellness pharmacy. Black man in pharmaceutical clinic reading information on stock for hospital

Source: LaylaBird / Getty

Unless male menopause is dramatically damaging one’s quality of life, most doctors will not prescribe anything beyond some lifestyle changes. These might include:

Getting more sleep
Increasing exercise – including muscle-building weight lifting
Practicing stress-relief exercises like meditation and yoga
Eating a healthy diet

In some cases, a doctor might prescribe anti-depressants or recommend therapy for men experiencing severe depression or mental health changes as a result of the condition.

Hormonal therapy such as artificial testosterone is available. However, due to its potential side effects, it is rarely recommended.

Male Menopause: It's A Thing