Tag: Older Men

Male Menopause Mystery: Unraveling the Truth about Andropause

For years, people have been hearing and learning about menopause and how to deal with it. Men and women are educated about this natural condition that affects women when they reach a certain age in order to properly cope with it and accept it as a natural condition.

However, another particular condition similar to menopause affects men and is a mystery on why this condition happens. This male menopause condition is called the andropause. Andropause is a condition that affects men that is very similar to women’s menopause.

This condition is caused by low testosterone level in men and is considered as the male menopause condition that is affecting men when they reach a certain age. In the early 50s, andropause is defined as the natural cessation of sexual function in older men.

The symptoms of andropause relates very closely to menopause. It will include fatigue, depression, decreased sexual activity, and irritability. Surprisingly, this change has been always ignored and is considered as a normal phase in a man’s life. It may be a normal thing, but it doesnt mean that men should suffer greatly from this condition.

Researchers suggest that andropause is caused by excess alcohol intake, stress, overweight, vasectomy, lack of exercise and ageing. Because of this, researchers have also begun to seek treatment methods to reduce the effects of andropause.

One solution to the problem is the Testosterone Replacement Therapy or TRT. This treatment showed promising results in effectively relieving symptoms of andropause. Adding to that, it also restores health, sex drive, and potency. It will also include a sense of renewed vitality and virility when it is given to the right patient, at the right time and at the right doses.

You have to realize the fact that the natural tendencies of men in the early years of his life are concerned primarily on their career, money and power. Often, men ignore and neglect family and friends to focus more on career. However, in the later years when andropause sets in, men becomes more maternal, as if the men changes role from being fatherly to becoming motherly. Surprisingly, men dont even sense the changes themselves and women notice it more. Women often tell doctors about this condition that their husbands are going through.

In response to the falling testosterone levels in the body, andropausal men will experience night sweats, and palpitations.

When men who experiences the mentioned symptoms and visits their doctor, the doctor will usually check for andropause by examining the following:

Loss of hair in the armpits and axilla
Low sex drive
Erectile dysfunction or impotence
Shrinkage of testicles
Decreased muscle strength
Depression
Constant fatigue or tiredness
Low sperm count
Decreased bone density

Aside from the testosterone treatment, men should take the necessary steps in order to decrease the overall effects of andropause. The first step in treatment is to accept the condition. Once men accepted the condition it will be easier for them to treat it.

The next step is to exercise, and teach them to control themselves by quitting smoking and not abuse alcohol. Since, the body is changing while people age, men who are andropausal should also learn to relax and rest well.

These are the things that men should do when they reach the andropausal phase in life. This condition is inevitable and will affect men as they reach a certain age. Better to accept it and live life to the fullest rather than complain of not looking good anymore or being unable to have sex anymore.

The Drug Propecia and Hair Loss

The drug propecia is a prescription hair loss medication designed mainly for men with mild to moderate hair loss. The effects of hair loss and propecia were studied in several clinical trials, and propecia was found to be better than a placebo.

The men in the studies, aged between 18 and 41, took propecia daily for a year. Some men took a placebo. Of the men who took the propecia, 86% either did not suffer further hair loss, or actually increased the amount of hair in the affected areas. Only 14% of men had continued hair loss.

The drug propecia has been found to be ineffective for women. This, combined with the potential danger of abnormalities to a male fetus, means that propecia is not prescribed for female pattern hair loss. Propecia has not been studied in older men, or men with complete baldness, and it has not been proved to work with a receding hairline. Propecia is not suitable for children, no doubt due to its negative effect on developing male genitals.

Generally, propecia is a very safe drug for hair loss. Most men taking it did not have any side effects, though some reported:

* erection difficulties

* reduced amount of semen

* less sexual desire

These were not permanent changes, and when those affected stopped taking propecia, their symptoms disappeared. Some men who reported these side effects were also able to continue taking propecia without the side effects continuing. The report I saw did not say whether the side effects just stopped, or if other treatment was undertaken to counteract them.

The drug propecia has only been studied on men for up to two years, and these men had no problems taking it for this period. However, based on research over a period of 32 years on men who are deficient on the enzyme that propecia suppresses, 5-alpha reductase, the mechanism by which propecia works seems to be quite safe for long term use.

Disadvantages of Taking Propecia

Propecia is not a cure for hair loss. Propecia works by interrupting the conversion process of testosterone to its metabolite, dihydrotestosterone (DHT for short). It does this by effecting the enzyme catalyst, 5-alpha reductase, that is involved in the conversion process.

In male pattern hair loss, there is an excess of DHT in the part of the scalp where hair loss occurs. So, by reducing the amounts of DHT in the scalp, propecia effectively works to prevent new hair loss, and allows hair to regrow. However, to continue the benefits of propecia, you’ll need to take it for the rest of your life. Once you stop taking propecia, the DHT levels will rise again in the scalp, and hair loss will return to pre-propecia levels.

The Drug Propecia and Pregnancy

Women should be very careful not to handle propecia if they are pregnant, as it can affect the development of the sex organs in a male fetus. So, it would be wise not to touch any open packets, or broken tablets. If you must, use a glove. Unbroken tablets are safety coated, so the active ingredient of propecia, which is the potential problem, is not present on the outside of the tablet.

For men taking propecia, if your wife is pregnant, there is no risk to her unless she is exposed to the active ingredient from a broken tablet. She, or the baby, won’t be harmed when her partner is taking it.

However, given that in some men propecia affects the amount of semen produced, if you are trying to conceive this may pose a problem. This side effect does not affect all, or most, men. But check with your doctor if you think this may be a concern.