Menopause symptoms in men
Menopause symptoms occur due to hormonal changes. Most of us know of menopause as a hormonal change that women go through. Women and men alike tend to maintain silence about the topic of women menopause. The ironic aspect of menopause is that while women menopause symptoms may be discussed or spoken rarely, awareness of the male menopause and symptoms is extremely low. This can be attributed to the fact that until recently, the medical fraternity itself was not sure about whether a male menopause is a reality or a myth. Women face a sudden drop in their sex hormone levels and the drop continues till about 3 to 4 years. The menopause symptoms among males are not as drastic as they are among females and therefore the subject matter has been a debated issue for a long time. Medically speaking, it is a fact that in most cases, the testosterone levels among males starts to decline. However, this decline is so gradual that it is not evident. What becomes evident and noticeable over a period of time are some of the menopause symptoms among men. These are mistaken for the mid life crisis in many cases. The reason is obviously easy to deduce. The stage in life at which men go through a menopause coincides with the post retirement phase or the time when they are loosing the zest of life and moving towards adulthood. Some of the symptoms that will allow you to recognize a male menopause, identify it and adapt to the changes are listed below.
- One of the main menopause symptoms is a significant reduction in sex drive. Unlike women who face this challenge earlier in life, some men begin to lose interest in sexual activities, much to the astonishment and bafflement of their partners. Even if you feel that the drop in sexual desires is gradual, it indicates lower testosterone levels.
- Among other menopause symptoms is infertility and delayed erection. These menopause signs are also accompanied by a reduction in spontaneous erection, especially during sleep. Some men have also reported a reduction in the size of the testes and swollen breasts or gynecomastia as one of the menopause symptoms that have been observed.
- Also among the male menopause symptoms are a reduction in hair on the body and the pubic area. Some menopause signs include a reduction in muscle volume, reduced potency, less stamina and strength. A reduction in physical performance levels and even thinning of the bones has been noted at times.
- Irritability, lack of patience, hot flushes similar to those that women get during menopause, memory loss, sleep issues like sleep apnea, increase in body fat, softening of breasts and a feeling of uselessness, depression and sometimes even thoughts of suicide have been noted among the emotional or psychological menopause symptoms in men.
