31 Oct 2019

Menopause is a normal condition that all women experience as they age. The term “menopause” can describe any of the changes a woman goes through either just before or after she stops menstruating, marking the end of her reproductive period.

In men, the term is not only uncommon but different, and most men do not take it well.

Some call it male menopause, while scientifically it is called andropause.

In an interview with BOPA, a urologist at Princess Marina Referral Hospital, Dr Luo Jianbin said the clinical picture of andropause syndrome is characterised by diminished sexual desire and erectile capacity.

Dr Jianbin said it also characterised by decrease in intellectual activity, fatigue, depression, decrease in lean body mass, skin alterations, decrease in body hair, decrease in bone mineral density that results in osteoporosis and increase in visceral fat and obesity as well as hot flashes as is the case in women.

He said andropause or male menopause, involves a drop in testosterone production in men who are at the age of 50 and above and its often affiliated with hypogonadism and both conditions involve lowered testosterone levels.

Dr Jianbin said testosterone is a hormone produced in testes, which fuels sex drive, changes during puberty, mental and physical energy, maintains muscle mass, regulates fight or flight response and other key evolutionary features.

He said there is what is called mid-life crisis for men, also known as gray middle-age, which is generally high-risk in the ages of 39-50 and another level known as man forty syndrome, which occurs to men aged 40-65.

The urologist said currently treatment of this anomaly included healthy eating, regular exercise, enough sleep and stress reduction among others.

He said hormone replacement therapy was another treatment option using performance-enhancing steroids and synthetic testosterone, cautioning however, that it was very controversial as there could be damaging side effects. ENDS