Do men also suffer from menopause and how does it manifest?

For women, the concept is very familiar, but menopause in men is a common and less well-known phenomenon that dramatically affects their lifestyle and relationships. So what are the symptoms and how do they treat the phenomenon? An expert explains

Hormone changes also occur in men. Actor Chris Noth (Photo: Splash)

Chris Noth, Mr Big (Photo: splash)

Yes, it's not a mistake - men have menopause too. The phenomenon is well known in women (mainly because of the menstrual cycle) but also in men there are hormonal changes that can cause a significant decline in quality of life. Decreased sexual desire, erectile dysfunction, fatigue and even depression are some of the common symptoms in men aged 50-60 and may be due to a decrease in testosterone hormone levels. According to statistics, every second man at age 60 has lower testosterone levels than desired.

Menopause is much more than heat waves

Testosterone has come out badly because of improper and dangerous use by bodybuilders, but in fact it is one of the important substances that exist in nature. Testosterone is a hormone - a substance produced by us in the body and responsible for many functions - building muscle mass, metabolism, proper fat and carbohydrate utilization, sexual desire, sperm and fertility, erection, bone strength and even blood cell production. Too low levels can cause various effects, some of which affect quality of life (sexual dysfunction), and some are really life-threatening (bone fractures, unbalanced diabetes).

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Testosterone production begins with the male embryo in his mother's stomach - thanks to testosterone, penis and scrotum will develop. In the absence of testosterone - a female embryo will develop. Almost all testosterone is produced by testicles that receive "instruction" from the adolescent brain to start producing high amounts of testosterone. Thanks to the increase in testosterone production begins puberty - facial hair growth, penis enlargement, body growth, thickening of the voice and sexual desire.

Unfortunately, testosterone production is declining as we grow older and this is a natural process, but for some men as early as their 40s and 50s testosterone deficiency begins and some men will have enough testosterone production even at 80

The men suffer silently

It's important to remember that lack of testosterone can be a real medical problem and be linked to obesity, diabetes, increased blood lipids and even heart disease and mortality. Unfortunately, only 5 percent of men who suffer from testosterone decline receive proper treatment. This is due to the fact that most men suffer quietly and do not usually tell (neither to friends nor family) about symptoms related to sexual function and quality of life.

Could be a real medical problem. Accumulation of blood cholesterol (imaging: shutterstock)

Cholesterol: neuroimaging of Planck accumulation in artery. (Photo: ShutterStock)

Testosterone testing is not a routine test and should be sought from your family doctor. If the blood test shows a decrease in testosterone, you should contact your urologist for supplemental treatment. Treatment must be under medical supervision with proper prescription through a pharmacy. The treatment for testosterone deficiency is given in the form of a smelly gel on the skin or with periodic injection, when it is important to note that the treatment is not suitable for everyone - men who are planning to have children can never receive testosterone and so do men who have prostate cancer.

Testosterone therapy is not a magic or "fountain of youth" but with proper and combined drug therapy it is possible to significantly improve the quality of life and return to sufficient sexual activity for a man and his partner.

Dr. Ronen Holland is a specialist in Urological and Sexual Surgery and Director of the Maccabi Health Services Men's Health Center