In a word, andropause is the male version of menopause. It is caused by the same thing a woman experiences – a decline in hormone production. For a man this means that over time his body will manufacture less and less testosterone. Surprisingly, the decline begins at around the age of thirty. Beyond that age, male hormone levels drop by approximately ten percent every decade. By the time a man is between forty and fifty-five years of age, his levels will drop appreciably and signal the onset of andropause. Since testosterone is central to a man’s well-being, he will often experience a variety of disturbing physical and emotional changes. These might include things like chronic fatigue, loss of energy, low sex drive, diminished physical agility and increased belly fat.

A big reason andropause has not made the front page headlines is the social stigma attached to issues of masculinity. And no man wants to hear that what makes him a man – i.e. his testosterone – is not up to snuff. In the past, when men experienced emotional or physical decline, they assumed it was some kind of mid-life crisis thing. Today, we know that testosterone deficiency can be linked to osteoporosis, heart disease, moodiness, depression, low energy levels, sexual dysfunction, and other problems that crop up later in life.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms described above and you want to regain your vitality and sense of well-being, speak with our physicians and call SottoPelle at 480-874-1515. For more resources, visit us online.

When I ask patients to give me a definition of menopause, a variety of answers come back to me.  The most common definition I hear is, “ When you get hot flashes,” followed by, “Not having a period for over a year.”  The fact is that most gynecologists and endocrinologists would agree that not having a period for a year is a definition of menopause. But in truth, menopause is often under diagnosed because of that failure of physicians to apply a scientific method of diagnosis.  Scientifically, a diagnosis of the menopause needs to be stated quite simply: “A woman is in menopause when the level of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), a pituitary hormone, reaches a level greater than twenty-three miu/ml, whether she is menstruating or not menstruating.”  In general, perimenopause or menopause transition begins when a woman is in her forties, with a mean age of forty-seven and a half years and on average duration of four to eight years.  Menopause usually occurs at a mean age of fifty-one and two tenths years.  Reproductive aging may occur as early as ten years prior to menopause and is evidenced by a rising follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level in the early follicular phase of the cycle and a decrease in inhibin B.  For several years, women in perimenopause may face marked biological variability, with subsequent endocrinologic and clinical changes.  The mechanism by which neuroregulatory  changes modulate the transition to menopause is still largely unknown.

The interaction between these hormonal changes, the subsequent onset of menopause-related clinical symptoms, and the emergence of mood symptoms and cognitive deficits constitute a complex puzzle. In the United States, more than 1.3 million women are expected to reach menopause every year. Dr. Claudio Soares describes the relation between menopause and mood disturbance in a recent article in this way, “During the menopause transition, women may experience vasomotor symptoms and increase sexual dysfunction, as well as depressive symptoms, leading to a significant psychosocial impairment.” There are many women suffering the ravages of menopause, and many continue to go untreated. You might find it surprising to know that the number of women who are still menstruating and in menopause is not an insignificant one. Although many women may be asymptomatic, estrogen deficiency is associated with hot flashes, severe sweating, insomnia, and vaginal dryness and discomfort in up to eighty-five percent of menopausal women. Hormone therapy (HT) is the most effective intervention for management of these quality-of-life symptoms.

If you are going through menopause or perimenopause, you may still be worried about what your life is going to look like after it’s all over. You are probably a little scared about how your body will fee, how you mood will be, and whether or not you will be able to enjoy life in the same way. Well, put your fears to rest, because life after menopause can be quite enjoyable when you have proper hormone therapy treatment.

SottoPelle now has an office in Nashville TN.  FREE Seminar on Thursday July 22nd, 2010 at 6:30-8:00pm

RSVP to 615.822.1616 ext.226