MEN, LISTEN UP
So, you get to what you think is life’s halfway stage. Something feels different. You can’t sleep, or you sleep too much. You can get irritable or angry for no reason. Your moods are like shapeshifters. You look in the mirror and wonder where did your pecs go only to be replaced by love handles you hate. Sex? Take it or leave it. Could be menopause or better know as andropause. No, we’re not kidding. The term “male menopause” actually characterizes the age-related hormonal changes that gradually take place in all men as they get older. And we’re not talking “older”, as in starting to walk over the hill with a walker. In particular, this natural transition affects a man’s testosterone levels. They decline. Sometimes with your health, and overall way of life.
WOULD IT MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER TO CALL MALE MENOPAUSE “ANDROPAUSE”?
Male menopause and andropause are really one and the same. So we’ll go with andropause here.
Andropause, derived from the Greek for ‘when masculinity ceases’, is used to describe the male condition that shares some of the same symptoms as women’s menopause. Andropause differs from female menopause in several ways. For one thing, not all men experience it. For another, it doesn’t involve a complete shutdown of your reproductive organs. Women’s menopause is a well-defined period of time that begins as soon as ovulation ends. Women’s hormones plummet during a relatively short time. In men, the production of testosterone and other hormones declines much more slowly.
WATCH OUT, MEN
According to the Mayo Clinic, most men’s testosterone levels peak in adolescence and early adulthood. After age 30 or 40, those levels tend to decline by about 1 percent per year. By age 70, your testosterone level might reach closer to 50 percent of your peak level. Approximately 30% of men in their 50s will experience symptoms of andropause. But hold it…more and more studies are showing more and more younger men—even in their 20’s, experiencing andropause. Low testosterone can happen to any guy. At any age, really.
TESTOSTERONE PUTS MEN TO THE TEST
By any name, low testosterone can be troublesome. As it wanes, it starts to lose some of its superpower hormone status. In some cases, depression may be the first symptom of low T that men notice. They just attribute it to the age of anxiety we’ve been living in fighting the pandemic, fighting for social justice, and just plain fighting over politics. So they may go to a shrink before they think to get their testosterone levels checked. The sexual side effects of andropause are another of the most common symptoms, and men are even less inclined to see someone about it. The problem is, that ED, loss of libido, less firm erections, and testicular shrinkage don’t just disappear if you don’t think about them.
HOT FLASH; MEN GET HOT FLASHES, TOO
Oh, and night sweats. Increased body fat. Decreased bone density. Reduced muscle mass. Rapid hair loss. Brain fog. Trouble focusing. Persistent fatigue. Enlarged breasts. And ooh no…belly jelly. If your testosterone level drops, you may accumulate more fat around your middle. In turn, an enzyme in your fat tissue converts testosterone to estrogen. This can cause your testosterone level to drop even more.
WISE MEN
“Not feeling yourself” is an understatement. But learning to understand the full impact of low testosterone and seeking out real help is the smartest thing you could do for yourself. And we don’t mean your general doctor. Because generally, they don’t specialize in hormone imbalances. And most likely, they’ll diagnose your ailments as anything but andropause. In fact, it will probably never even come up in the conversation. This is why it’s important for you to find a medical professional you can trust with a treatment that fits you as a whole.
MEN, THIS COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.
The good way.
For more than 18 years, Thrive Health Solutions has been treating patients for hormone imbalances. The medical hormone experts at Thrive probably know more about testosterone than anyone in the Denver area. Their entire staff of professionals has one goal—to make you feel your best. They want to know all about you. And the first thing they’re going to want to know is whether or not low testosterone is really what’s going on. Advanced tests will tell them your precise levels. If your numbers are low, Thrive knows exactly what to do. Just for you. Safe, natural, and individualized bioidentical testosterone replacement therapy that could include pellets or easy-to-take testosterone injections, makes it possible for Thrive to manage many of the negative side-effects associated with age-related testosterone decline. Menopause? What menopause? Call Thrive Health Solutions for an appointment now.
