Similar to menopause in women, andropause refers to the set of physical changes and symptoms that appear in men when testosterone hormone levels drop.
Only 30% of men develop symptoms of andropause, and it is possible that fertility is preserved until very advanced ages, unlike what happens in women.
Another difference is that menopause is a well-defined event, which always occurs between 45 and 55 years of age, whereas in men, hormone levels gradually decrease by about 1% per year from the age of 40, and can last for decades. In addition, symptoms that warrant treatment do not occur in all cases.
Symptoms
The symptoms of testosterone deficiency usually appear after the age of 50 or 60, and consist of loss of potency and sexual desire, obesity with increased body fat and decreased muscle and bone mass, fatigue, sweating, dry skin, irritability and insomnia.
The main cause that brings the patient to the doctor’s office is the appearance of erectile dysfunction and decreased libido, but it should be noted that it is also related to an increase in the appearance of diseases such as metabolic syndrome (elevated glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides), diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases.
Treatment
Once the decrease in testosterone levels in the blood is confirmed in a blood test, it can be brought back to normal levels by applying testosterone patches or gels to the skin, or less frequently by injections in the most severe cases.
This treatment, when well indicated and correctly controlled by the urologist or endocrinologist, makes the symptoms of andropause disappear and improves the patient’s quality of life.