Male Menopause: Symptoms and Treatment
The term "male menopause" is used to refer to the condition
of men who have hormone levels drop after mid-life.
Male menopause is a subject of
controversy in the medical society. In the case of women,
menopause is related with the termination of a bodily
operation, like when the monthly menstruation periods stop.
Also, a critical drop in the hormone levels in women occurs
along with menopause. For these reasons, doctors are debating
on whether male menopause really exists.
In the case of men in their middle and elderly years,
smaller quantities of testosterone are being created by the
testicles. This is believed to be the underlying reasons behind
the occurrence of symptoms of male menopause.
Men with menopause usually suffer from irritability, sleep
disturbance, low sex drive, sweating, anxiety, sadness, memory
problems, and erectile dysfunction.
In most cases, erectile dysfunction may be caused by other
disorders. But testosterone deficiency may be one
possibility.
It is important that men who suffer from symptoms related to
low levels of testosterone be subjected to medical
investigations like blood tests to evaluate testosterone
levels.
Other reasons for having short testosterone levels include
testicular dysfunction and probable inherited features.
As a treatment, hormone replacement therapy is being
recommended for men with low levels of testosterone and
symptoms that come with it.
Hormone replacement may not be applicable to older men who
seek treatment for their erectile dysfunction unless they
actually have very minimal levels of androgen. As for younger
men with known hormone deficiency, it has been proven that
nominal doses of testosterone can improve interest in sex.
Testosterone replacement therapy, which is also called as
androgen replacement therapy, aims to reduce the symptoms
brought about by male menopause. This method is a lifelong
treatment, since testosterone deficiency is generally a
permanent condition.
Testosterone replacement therapy is usually given as an oral
prescription, implants, or injections.
The injection of testosterone is usually carried out once
every two weeks.
The oral drugs are especially prescribed to those who can't
stand injections or implants.
The testosterone implants, which are being inserted under
the skin of the buttock or abdomen work for a period of months.
The implant works by releasing testosterone directly into the
bloodstream.
Androgen therapy, however, comes with potential side effects
and risks.
With low testosterone levels, the prostate tends to shrink.
Hormone replacement therapy cannot recover a physically reduced
prostate since it does not have influence in the levels of
prostate specific antigen.
Androgen therapy may not be a cause of increased risk of
prostate cancer for those who have naturally greater
testosterone levels in the same age bracket.
On the other hand, the safety of hormone replacement therapy
and its possible effects on the prostate, mental functioning,
and cardiovascular system still need to undergo proper
researches. Moreover, there is also a need to assess the
probable benefits of androgen therapy on the bones and
muscles.
Androgen therapy is said to increase the risk of heart
diseases, although researches on this subject are uncertain. It
is a known fact, however, that those with low testosterone
levels have been found among heart attack victims. This opens
the possibility that hormone replacement therapy could help
prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Older men undiagnosed of prostate cancer should also take
caution when being applied with androgens.
Sleep apnea, or the cessation of breathing during sleep, is
also considered as a rare risk with hormone therapy.
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