Male Menopause, Myth or Fact?
While all women observed a significant drop in their hormones (oestrogen and progesterone to be exact) after around age 45 years, only a small portion of men experience the same with their testosterone level falling below the normal mark.
Also known as “andropause”, male menopause doesn’t involve a complete shutdown of your reproductive organs (unlike women), and is often linked to hypogonadism, a condition wherein your testes do not produce enough of the hormone testosterone. If you don’t know already, testosterone is what fuels puberty changes, stimulates muscle growth and your sex drives, which basically makes you feel like... a real man. Testosterone levels tend to decline as men get older. Two previous studies reported 1 out of 5 Malaysian men age 40 and above are suffering from testosterone deficiency.
So when a man is dealing with the “andropause” card unexpectedly, it could affect him pretty bad in some ways… as you can imagine.
Are You Suffering From Male Menopause? We Won’t Judge!
Here is a checklist of the most common symptoms of andropause:
As we always said, “Knowing is the first step to prevention and treatment”, if you suspect yourself or your bed partner to be one of those people affected by this condition, then the next step is to get diagnosed and start getting better.
Getting Diagnosis – Don’t Be Shy!
Male menopause can be diagnosed by testing your blood for testosterone level. Simple, right? Well… not quite. As it turns out, most men are uncomfortable or at least a little shy to discuss sexual topics with their doctor, so you could probably imagine that most of the male menopause cases would go undiagnosed. If you share the same concern, fret not! I’ve got great news for ya: most male menopause symptoms can be managed with good’ol lifestyle changes without the need for medication. Here’s how you do it:
Male Menopause: Can Nutrition Helps?
Yes, in fact it does. Nutrients are required for supporting healthy testosterone level and sperm production, and to maintain overall health and longevity. Treating testosterone deficiency could also help in reducing the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and early death. Here’s a list of foods you should eat to naturally drive your testosterone level:
Again, we have to emphasise that not every food works the same in different bodies, which mean you may, or may not see a clear and noticeable effect on your testosterone level through the consumption of these foods. If you are seriously considering hormone replacement therapy as a treatment option, be open to talk to your doctor to weigh the pros and cons and making informed decision.
Till next time, this is Nutritionist KC, have a good one!