Andropause
(Male Hormone Deficiency)
The term ‘Andropause’ has been used for some time now to refer to the man’s equivalent of a woman’s ‘menopause’. In both situations, the key event is the drop in hormone levels which then triggers a series of changes in the physical ( and even emotional and psychological ) self.
However, unlike menopause, where cessation of menstruation offers a relatively convenient way to gauge onset, andropause tends to happen more insidiously and often without symptoms which link directly to the male hormones.
Some of the symptoms which patients may first complain of include:
As the testosterone levels continue to decline, more obvious symptoms may subsequently appear, including:
Appearance of 1 or more of the above symptoms can also be due to other conditions apart from low testosterone or andropause. To differentiate the various causes, it may be useful to undergo some form of health screening or at least perform testosterone testing. This is a simple blood test best done before 10am in the morning. Fasting is NOT required.
