male-menopause-andropause1

WHAT IS ANDROPAUSE?

In menopause estrogen level falls (dramatically) in women as she ages. \
In Andropause the level of testosterone falls (gradually) in men and (also the level of dehydroepiandrosterone) as they age.

To call it ‘Andropause’ there has to be
fall in blood level of available testosterone along with the
cluster of symptoms, (also decrease in Leydig cells of testis) which
improve by giving Testosterone medicine.

Some SYMPTOMS of Andropause are as follows.

1. Low sex drive 
2. Emotional, psychological and behavioral changes
3. Decreased muscle mass 
4. Loss of muscle strength 
5. Increased upper and central body fat 
6. Osteoporosis or weak bones and back pain
7. Cardiovascular risk

All people with decreased testosterone levels do not have symptoms, hence will not be said to be having ‘andropause’.

WHAT’S IN A NAME [1]

Unlike “menopause”, the word “andropause” is not currently recognized by the World Health Organization and its ICD-10 medical classification.

The impact of low levels of testosterone has been previously reported.

In 1944, (There has been a prolonged gap in the study of effects of low testosterone after 1944 till today mainly because measurement of blood levels of testosterone were expensive.) Heller and Myers[1] identified symptoms of what they labeled the “male climacteric” including

1. loss of libido and potency,
2. nervousness, depression,
3. impaired memory,
4. the inability to concentrate,
5. fatigue,
6. insomnia,
7. hot flushes, and
8. sweating.

Heller and Myers found that their subjects had lower than normal levels of testosterone, and that symptoms improved dramatically when patients were given replacement doses of testosterone.

Andropause has been observed in association with Alzheimer’s disease.[2]

In one study, 98.0% of primary care physicians believed that andropause and osteoporosis risk were related. [3]

The term “symptomatic late onset hypogonadism” (or “SLOH”) is sometimes considered to refer to the same condition as the word “andropause”.[4] [5]

Some researchers prefer the term “androgen deficiency of the aging male” (“ADAM”), to more accurately reflect the fact that the loss of testosterone production is gradual and asymptotic[6] (in contrast to the more abrupt change associated with menopause.) The “D” is sometimes given as “decline” instead of “deficiency”.[4] In some contexts, the term “partial androgen deficiency in aging males” (“PADAM”) is used instead. [7]

REFERENCE SOURCES

[1]#^ Heller, C.G., Myers, G.B., “The Male climacteric: Its symptomatology, diagnosis and treatment.” JAMA 1944; 126:472-77.

[2]# ^ Fuller SJ, Tan RS, Martins RN (2007). “Androgens in the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease in aging men and possible therapeutic interventions”. J. Alzheimers Dis. 12 (2): 129–42. PMID 17917157. http://iospress.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&issn=1387-2877&volume=12&issue=2&spage=129.

[3]# ^ Pommerville PJ, Zakus P (2006). “Andropause: knowledge and awareness among primary care physicians in Victoria, BC, Canada”. Aging Male 9 (4): 215–20. doi:10.1080/13685530601040661. PMID 17178557. http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&doi=10.1080/13685530601040661&magic=pubmed.

[4]# ^ a b “Columbia Presbyterian – Department of Urology”. http://cumc.columbia.edu/dept/urology/What_is_hypogonadism_Intro.html. Retrieved 2007-12-17.

[5]# ^ “There’s help for “grumpy old men”, but they’re reluctant to admit to problem, says Queen’s urologist”. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/24551.php. Retrieved 2007-12-17.

[6]# ^ Morales A (2004). “Andropause (or symptomatic late-onset hypogonadism): facts, fiction and controversies”. Aging Male 7 (4): 297–303. doi:10.1080/13685530400016664. PMID 15799125.

[7]# ^ Tancredi A, Reginster JY, Luyckx F, Legros JJ (2005). “No major month to month variation in free testosterone levels in aging males. Minor impact on the biological diagnosis of ‘andropause’”. Psychoneuroendocrinology 30 (7): 638–46. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2005.02.002. PMID 15854780