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Male Menopause and Impotence
Male Menopause and Impotence Testosterone is the hormone that stimulates sexual development
in the male infant, bone and muscle growth in adult males, and is responsible for the sexual drive.Somewhere around
the age of forty, testosterone levels will begin to decline, and usually about the time a man makes his eightieth
birthday, most of his hormone levels have dropped to pre-puberty levels. It is a relatively new idea that males
experience a menopause similar to women. Not even all healthcare providers believe that there is a mens menopause,
so there should be no surprise at some areas of confusion. Menopause is a condition more associated with women and
their fertility. This is when a woman ceases to menstruate and can no longer bear children. Everyone, though, has
seen a picture of a very old man and a very young girl and their baby.A woman is born with a finite number of eggs
in her ovaries, even though they number in the thousands.When all the eggs have been used up, thats it, the partys
over.Men, however, can continue to manufacture sperm in their testes.That is why some very old men can still father
children. Some people equate impotence with the ability to father children.On the contrary, impotence is the
failure to achieve and maintain erection, and men can reach this stage at widely varying ages, if they reach it at
all. Male menopause manifests itself in three different categories: physically, psychologically, and sexually.
Physical symptoms include delayed recovery from injuries and illness, hair thinning or loss, waning of endurance in
physical activity, weight gain (along with feeling bloated), loss of vision requiring glasses, and sleep
disturbances.The psychological symptoms are fear and anxiety, more irritability, indecision, loss of
self-confidence, depression, loss of purpose and direction, loneliness and lack of love, forgetfulness, and
difficulty concentrating and feeling unattractive.The sexual symptoms include reduced interest in sex, fear of
impotency, fantasies, problems in current relationships about sex and intimacy, and loss of erection during
sex.With such a wide variance in symptoms, it is totally understandable that people can get confused.It is
interesting to note that during this upheaval, men in mid-life can have reactions similar to PMS in women. It is
beginning to be recognized that men and women in mid-life are more similar than was supposed. Testosterone therapy
is not for everyone.It should not be used as a catchall tonic for vague complaints or as a way to feel more
manly.Testosterone can cause serious side effects, including prostate cancer and liver toxicity if not used
conservatively.A mans age and health and family dynamic must be taken into account. Holistically speaking, there
are changes in lifestyle that can address many of the male menopause problems, and while not as dramatic as
testosterone, they can lead to an all-around healthier man.These include eating right with a well balanced diet low
in fat, getting the proper amount of sleep (approximately 8-10 hours) per night, getting an annual physical exam
that includes screening for prostate and testicular cancer, engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise, and
minimizing stress in life.Once stress has been reduced, there may be a clearer picture of the individuals health
dynamic, as stress can mimic a myriad of symptoms.
Male Meopause
It ran in their 1/22/2007 issue, Vol. 149 Issue 4, and can be found on p 46 - 48.
A similar article ran in the Mental Health Weekly; 3/14/2005, Vol. 15 Issue 11, p 8 in which it was discussed that the symptoms that crumpy old men exhibit like anxiety, decreased libido, depression and moodiness can all be attributed to the condition known as "male menopause".
In April of 2004 Louisville Magazine ran an article in the Supplement, Vol 55, 0 8 by Katz, Barbara Myserson, titled: A Pause for Men? The article discusses the physical and psychological aspects of aging men and lower testosterone levels and the connection between the two.
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Male Menopause Tips and Facts.
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