Most of you are aware of menopause that women normally experience, but did you know that men too experience menopause. Andropause is nothing but male menopause. It strikes man’s life at an age of 40-55 due to a decrease in male hormone called as testosterone. Andropause causes night sweats in men.

Unlike women, hormonal changes in men take place gradually. Effects of these hormonal changes are subtle. Similar to women, men also behave oddly in their late ages and seem lethargic. Along with women, men are also victims of hormonal imbalances. Hormonal changes cause various bodily changes in men such as fatigue, changes in attitudes, lack of energy, mood changes, unable to participate in sexual intercourse and physical agility.

Apart from these conditions, decrease in testosterone can put men at risk various other health problems such as weak bones and heart disease.

Though menopause strikes every man’s life, some lifestyle factors such as psychological stress, medications, infections, obesity, surgery, alcohol and tobacco use can contribute to its early onset.

Andropause – What causes it?

Usually, male menopause strikes at about age 30. Levels of testosterone hormone decrease by 10 percent for every decade. Simultaneously, another hormone named sex binding hormone globulin or SHBG start increasing. This hormone traps greater amounts of testosterone that is still circulating and makes it unavailable to exert its effects in the body’s tissues.

How importance is testosterone in man’s life?

Still it is not clear that whether all the men go through this phase or not and also the cause is unknown why only some men experience this condition.

Testosterone is the male sex hormone and is responsible for generation and release of sperm. Also, testosterone provides muscular strength and it has a major role in initiating sexual desire in men.

Andropause – What are the symptoms?

Low testosterone levels can produce variety of changes in man’s life. They include:

• Sleep problems
• Erectile dysfunction
• Increased body fat
• Mood changes like irritability, depression and feeling tired
• Low sex drive
• Osteoporosis
• Loosing muscle size and strength
• Memory loss
• Unable to concentrate

Is it andropause or male menopause?

This condition is also called as ADAM i.e. androgen deficiency of the aging male. It differs from a condition of female menopause in which the symptoms occur rapidly or female menopause is termed as sudden change. But, in men the change is very gradual and is difficult to recognize.