Male menopause: Myth or Reality?
Written by Michael Vass
I have this one friend, who is married, and on occasion likes to mention that her husband is either
“acting like he’s got PMS”
or“I swear he’s going thru male menopause.”
After hearing this for years, I finally decided to question why she says that. The answer was that it was true. That there was scientific fact proving it. That men have hormones to, and they get screwed up just like women do.
Well I just couldn’t leave that kind of statement alone. So I decided to check it out. And surprise, it’s true. It’s not just some complaint of wives and girlfriends. I had never heard of such a thing before, and I imagine I’m not the only 40 year old that can say that.
What are the causes and symptoms of irritable male syndrome or IMS? Testosterone is the key to it all. This hormone, like all hormones in they male body fluctuate on an hourly basis, and with decreases levels IMS can be a result. There may also be a correlation with being overweight in addition to decreases testosterone levels.
Obviously several of these symptoms are troubling, with the order of importance not necessarily following the order of the above quote. But is there anything that can be done to identify IMS or relieve it?
Small amounts of male progesterone cream on the face and hands each day, in addition to this a diet that’s 40% protein, 35% low glycemic carbs (think squash and green veggies instead of Twinkies), and 25% fat. Exercise is also essential. [As for the diet – ask women for help if you have no idea what glycemic carbs are, or how much fat is in anything. I did.]
Now on to male menopause.
Men do not go through a well-defined period referred to as menopause, rather they experience a decline in the production of the male hormone testosterone with aging, but this also occurs with some disease states such as diabetes. With this decline symptoms can include fatigue, weakness, depression, and sexual problems. Perhaps the most troubling fact is that male menopause can occur in men a young as 45 and dramatically higher instances occur in men over 70.
A treatment to combat male menopause is testosterone replacement therapy. Like any other hormonal replacement thereapy there are serious issues that should be considered. One of the biggerst concerns would be the effect on prostate cancer.
In either case it may be the attentiion that the women in a man’s life that might provide the first clue that something is changing. Much like my friends intuition I mentioned in the beginning, it could provide a reason to go to the doctor and get checked out.
While men may go to the doctor 27% less than women (which seems very generous to me), there are too many things that can be missed in that time. Remember to get check-ups regularly.
