Male Menopause (Andropause) Defined

Male Menopause e (or Andropause) is a multi-dimensional change of life with hormonal, physical, psychological, interpersonal, social, sexual, and spiritual aspects. All men go through Male Menopause, usually between the ages of 40 and 55, though it can occur as early as 35 or as late as 65. It signals the end of the first part of a man’s life, and gets him ready for the second half. Like adolescence it is the transitional phase between childhood and adulthood, Male Menopause is the passage between first adulthood and second adulthood.

The term “male menopause” is a misnomer. Men never begin having menstrual periods and so they don’t stop having them. Men can continue to have children late into their lives, unlike women. But in terms of other life changes, women and men experience have similar experiences.

The concept of Male Menopause or Andropause is not a new phenomenon. Heller and Myers (1944) identified symptoms of what they labeled the “male climacteric” including loss of libido and potency, nervousness, depression , impaired memory, the inability to concentrate, fatigue, insomnia, hot flushes, and sweating. Heller and Myers found that their patients had below normal levels of testosterone and that symptoms improved significantly when patients were given replacement doses of testosterone.

The notion of Male Menopause or Andropause is accepted more widely in Australia, England and Europe than in the U.S.. Many believe that because men continue to have the ability to reproduce as they age they don’t experience Male Menopause. Others feel that Male Menopause is real, but is synonymous with hypogonadism (low testosterone levels).

Dr. John Morley (2000) has developed a ten-item survey to screen for Male Menopause. Survey questions such as:

1. Do you have a decrease in libido (sex drive)?

2. Do you have a lack of energy?

3. Do you have a decrease in strength and/or endurance?

4. Have you lost height?

5. Have you noticed a decreased “enjoyment of life”?

6. Are you sad and/or grumpy?

7. Are your erections less strong?

8. Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your ability to play sports ?

9. Are you falling asleep after dinner?

10. Has there been a recent deterioration in your work performance?

If a man answers yes to questions 1 or 7 and/or yes to any three other questions, Dr. Morely believes that there is evidence that he is going through Male Menopause and may need to have testosterone levels checked.

A significant problems for men going through Male Menopause is depression , yet it is greatly under-diagnosed. Failure to diagnose depression can be deadly. The suicide rate for men forty-five to sixty-four is three times higher than the rate for women of the same age. The rate for men over sixty-five is seven times higher.

I’ve identified several intervention strategies that have been effective. These include:

· Hormone replacement therapy,

· Exercise , dietary changes, stress reduction,

· Acupuncture , Chinese medicine, herbal treatments,

· Career refocusing

· Sexual complusivity treatment, chemical dependency treatment

· Treatment for depression.

· Finding and engaging one’s “calling” in the second half of life.

For the last 40 plus years I’ve been dedicated to helping men and the women who love them. I’ve written a book on Male Menopause and produced a PBS program which provides an extensive analysis and solutions. For more information and to register for my Free E-Book go to http://SurvivingMaleMenopause.com