Andropause in Men

Andropause (male menopause) is real, although more subtle than female menopause. Estrogen levels decline abruptly as women approach menopause. Starting in the forties, there is a gradual decline in androgens, the male sex hormones. Along with the decline in androgens is a rise in Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), proteins that bind to testosterone that limit the amount and effectiveness of this hormone as men age. As with the age-related decline of human Growth Hormone (hGH), the loss of testosterone contributes to the familiar “pot belly” and declining muscle tone in middle-aged men. The symptoms of male menopause include a waning interest in sex, including decreased sexual satisfaction, and difficulty in having and maintaining erection. Increased fatigue, depression, irritability, aches, pains, stiffness, and decreased mental acuity are also symptoms.

Andropause, and the progression of andropause, is measured via a comprehensive blood test, which scrutinizes several naturally produced hormone levels.

Each of these hormones plays an important role in the way you feel, look, and perform; equally important is the relationship among the hormones.

As men age, hormonal changes occur that perceptibly alter physical, sexual, and cognitive functions. The outward appearance of a middle-aged man shows increased abdominal fat and shrinkage of muscle mass, the most common noticeable difference. Decreased sense of wellness, sometimes manifesting as depression, is a common psychological complication of hormone imbalance. Until recently, these changes were just accepted as part of “growing old”.

A significant amount of data has been compiled indicating that many of the conditions middle-aged men experience from their late thirties through their fifties include depression, abdominal weight gain, and the loss of sexual desire and ability to perform. Prostate cancer and heart disease are directly related to hormone imbalances. These imbalances are correctable with drug and nutrient therapies. Even greater improvements can be made when these hormone and nutrient therapies are combined personal training fitness routine and diet to support gains.