If the term “Menopause” is new to you, you’re not alone. It is a relatively new term. According to the Urban Dictionary, manopause refers to a time when a man’s chemical balance becomes shifted and he has a breakdown and/or becomes an a$$hole. Symptoms include–irritability, mood swings, thoughts of suicide, depression, over sensitivity, paranoia, and feelings of helplessness. Of course, that’s not the actual definition, but it is a pretty funny definition. The effects of menopause, however, are no laughing matter.
What is Manopause?
Manopause, or andropause, is actually male menopause. It is the term used to describe the changes that occur in the hormones of a male as he ages. The effects of manopause can be dramatic. Hormone levels play a key role in mental and physical health, as well as sex drive. And while it has been likened to the menopause that middle-aged women experience, manopause is more of a slow, steady decline over a much longer period of time. This age-related decline can affect a man for decades beginning as early as their 30’s.
Manopause or Andropause
Do Guys Go Through Menopause?
While Manopause or Andropause has been likened to Menopause, it is in fact a very different thing. Men are left wondering whether or not they will go through menopause. The answer is yes and no. Will men experience a change in the hormone production of testosterone around their 30’s? The answer is: Yes. But unlike Menopause, which lasts for only 10 months to four years, men begin to experience a gradual decline in the hormone Testosterone beginning in their 30’s that may continue as they age, indefinitely. It is not a well-defined period. Men go through their own form of menopause known as andropause or MANopause. The symptoms of both menopause and manopause can be very similar but the testes, unlike the ovaries, do not run out of the substance it needs to make testosterone. A healthy man may be able to make sperm all the way into his 80s and beyond.
Signs and Symptoms of Male Menopause
While the period referred to as menopause is not a well-defined period, what is clear is that male menopause s associated with androgen (testosterone) decline in the aging male–or low testosterone (low T). Beginning somewhere in the 30’s, men begin to experience a decline in testosterone. It is a very gradual decline. Some estimate the testosterone production decline to be around 1% per year. This decline can result in symptoms like:
- Depression
- Sexual Problems
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Muscle Decline
Help for Manopause or Andropause
There are natural ways to help with manopause. These include changing one’s diet and HIIT or weight training.
Some men have found some relief from the symptoms of male-menopause by using Testosterone Replacement Therapy or TRT. If you are considering adrogen/testosterone replacement therapy, talk to a TRT doctor to learn more.
Recent Comments