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Symptoms
With Easy Solutions
This page is dedicated to addressing
symptoms that may have easy solutions -- things you don't normally
read about in health journals.
Andropause
What're the symptoms of andropause?
Symptoms
of andropause can vary from one man to the next. Symptoms of male Andropause may
include lethargy or decreased energy, decreased libido or interest in sex,
erectile dysfunction with loss of erections, muscle weakness and aches,
inability to sleep, hot flashes, night sweats, depression, infertility and
thinning of bones or bone loss. When there is less testosterone available to do
its work, the testosterone target-organ response decreases, bringing about many
changes. Since there is great variability in testosterone levels among healthy
men, therefore not all men will experience the same changes to the same extent.
Testosterone, together with its metabolites, is collectively known as androgens.
As a group of steroid hormones, they stimulate the development of masculine
characteristics and are responsible for male puberty characterized by deepening
voice, broadening shoulders, and moustache growth. The hallmark of andropause is
declining testosterone levels.
Testosterone levels begin to decline with age after maturation. This is
accompanied by the concurrent appearance of a myriad of related physiological
changes commonly associated with aging. These changes include diminished libido,
reduced frequency of sex (the "senior slump"), erectile dysfunction,
infertility, changes in body composition, reductions in body and facial hair,
and osteoporosis. Andropause is in effect the reverse of puberty.
In
addition, mood inventory scores indicate that during andropause, men report
levels of anger, confusion, depression, and fatigue that are significantly
higher than those reported by men with normal testosterone levels. The average
human male begins to feel some symptoms of andropause after 40 to 45 years old,
which is followed by rapid deterioration after the age of 50.
Many of
the symptoms accompanying the andropause and the aging processes in men are
similar to those of hypogonadism. We can attribute at least some of these
symptoms to a decrease in testosterone levels, including:
Sexual Functions. Coital frequency declines rapidly with age from a mean
maximal coital frequency of about 4 times per week at age 25, to once a week at
age 50, 3 times a month at age 70, and 1.7 times a month between the ages of 75
and 79 years. Impotence also increases dramatically with age. It is rare before
the age of 30. It is observed in 8 percent of people over 50 years old, 20
percent of those over 65 years old, close to 40 percent for those who are 70
years old.
Body Composition. The amount of lean body mass in the
sedentary person decreases by approximately 10 percent for every decade after
the age of 30. You could have lost 30-40 percent of your lean body mass by age
60. Aging is accompanied by a decrease in lean body mass (LBM) and a concurrent
significant increase in fat mass. Although aging itself is an important
determinant of body composition, plasma total testosterone levels are not
correlated to fat mass, regardless of age. The decrease of muscle mass is highly
correlated to free testosterone levels, which persists after correction for age.
Testosterone supplementation increases muscle mass.
Aging
males, like hypogonadal men, accumulate preferentially visceral fat. This
accumulation is a major cause of insulin resistance and the atherogenic lipid
profile. This suggests that obesity in elderly men is a more important health
hazard than in young men. Contrary to popular belief, clinical trials have shown
that a low androgen status increases the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD)
or atherosclerosis. It was previously believed that testosterone and other
androgens had the opposite effect since men have higher rates of heart disease
generally than women. Researchers now find that low androgen levels were
associated with an increased incidence of CAD. Men with CAD had a 22 percent
lower 'free androgen index'.
While
decreased free and total testosterone levels can lead to increased fat mass, it
could also be suggested that the decrease in testosterone levels in the aging
male is the consequence of an increase in fat mass. In other words, there is a
likely bi-directional relationship, the exact mechanism of which is still not
fully known. Obesity is a multi-factorial disease that also includes genetic,
social and psychological factors.
More information on andropause
What is
andropause? - Andropause refers to a set of gradual physical and psychological
changes that men generally go through beginning in middle age. Andropause is
equivalent to the menopause that women over 45 suffer from.
What causes andropause? - Andropause is caused by lower levels of testosterone
and its consequences as men age. After age 30, testosterone levels drop by about
10 percent every decade. Andropause is associated with low testosterone level.
Every man experiences a decline of bioavailable testosterone but some men's
levels dip lower than others. And when this happens, these men may experience
andropause symptoms.
What're the symptoms of andropause? - Symptoms of andropause can vary from one
man to the next. Symptoms of male Andropause may include lethargy or decreased
energy, decreased libido or interest in sex, erectile dysfunction with loss of
erections, muscle weakness and aches, inability to sleep, hot flashes, night
sweats, depression, infertility and thinning of bones or bone loss.
What're the mechanism of andropause? - Numerous researches have been conducted
to explore the mechanism that triggers the decreased testosterone production
with age. The major factor in aging is the dysfunction of the male reproductive
homeostat (hypothalamic - pituitary - testes axis), which leads to the
progressive loss of hypothalamic sensitivity to the inhibitory effects of
testosterone.
What're the treatment options for andropause? - Testosterone replacement therapy
(TRT) re-energizes the entire body, increases lean muscle mass, and reverses the
fat accumulation and muscular atrophy characteristic of aging. The replenishment
of growth hormone from a deficient state can lead to an improved sex life; skin
tone and can help to balance other hormones in the body including testosterone,
DHEA, melatonin, pregnenolone, and progesterone.
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