Male menopause or Andropause is a name that has been given to a menopause-like condition in aging men. This relates to the slow but steady reduction of the production of the hormones testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone in middle-aged men, and the consequences of that reduction.
Unlike women, middle-aged men do not experience a complete and permanent physiological shutting down of the reproductive system as a normal event, though a steady decline in testosterone levels with age (in both men and women) is well documented.
The impact of low levels of testosterone has been previously reported and include loss of libido and potency, nervousness, depression, impaired memory, the inability to concentrate, fatigue, insomnia, hot flushes, and sweating.
researchers have found that their subjects' symptoms improved dramatically when they were given replacement doses of testosterone.
Some of the current popular interest in the concept of male menopause has been fueled by the book "Male Menopause," written by Jed Diamond, an NABBW Associate.
According to Diamond, male menopause is a change of life in middle-aged men, which has hormonal, physical, psychological, interpersonal, social, sexual, and spiritual aspects. Diamond claims that this change occurs in all men, generally between the ages of 40 and 55, though it can occur as early as 35 or as late as 65.
Diamond claims that, in terms of life impacts, women’s and men’s experience with menopause are somewhat similar.
The concept of andropause is perhaps more widely accepted in Australia and some parts of Europe than it is in the United States.
Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the human ovaries: the ripening and release of ova and the release of hormones that cause both the creation of the uterine lining and the subsequent shedding of the uterine lining (a.k.a. the menses). Menopause typically (but not always) occurs in women in midlife, during their late 40s or early 50s, and signals the end of the fertile phase of a woman's life.
The transition from reproductive to non-reproductive is the result of a major reduction in female hormonal production by the ovaries. This transition is normally not sudden or abrupt, tends to occur over a period of years, and is a natural consequence of aging.
For some women, the accompanying signs and effects that can occur during the menopause transition years can significantly disrupt their daily activities and their sense of well-being. In addition, women who have some sort of functional disorder affecting the reproductive system (i.e. endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, cancer of the reproductive organs) can go into menopause at a younger age than the normal time frame; the functional disorders often significantly speed up the menopausal process and create more significant health problems, both physical and emotional, for the affected woman.
The word "menopause" literally means the "end of monthly cycles" from the Greek word pausis (cessation) and the root men- (month), because the word "menopause" was created to describe this change in human females, where the end of fertility is traditionally indicated by the permanent stopping of monthly menstruation or menses. The term is synonymous with "end of fertility".
The date of menopause in human females is formally medically defined as the time of the last menstrual period (or menstrual flow of any amount, however small), in those women who have not had a hysterectomy. Women who have their uterus removed but retain their ovaries do not immediately go into menopause, even though their periods cease. Adult women who have their ovaries removed however, go immediately into surgical menopause, no matter how young they are.
Menopause is an unavoidable change that every woman will experience, assuming she reaches middle age and beyond.
Menopause can be officially declared (in an adult woman who is not pregnant, is not lactating, and who has an intact uterus) when there has been amenorrhea (absence of any menstruation) for one complete year. However, there are many signs and effects that lead up to this point, many of which may extend well beyond it too. These include: irregular menses, vasomotor instability (hot flashes and night sweats), atrophy of genitourinary tissue, increased stress, breast tenderness, vaginal dryness, forgetfulness, mood changes, and in certain cases osteoporosis and/ or heart disease.
These effects are related to the hormonal changes a woman’s body is going through, and they affect each woman to a different extent. The only sign or effect that all women universally have in common is that by the end of the menopause transition every woman will have a complete cessation of menses.
Midlife, also referred to as "middle age" is the period of age beyond young adulthood but before the onset of old age. Various attempts have been made to define this age, which is around the third quarter of the average life span of human beings.
The US Census lists middle age as including both the age categories 35 to 44 and 45 to 54, while prominent social scientist, Erik Erikson, sees it ending a little later and defines middle adulthood as between 40 and 65.
The act of shifting your home or office from one location to another. This is often a very stressful time, especially for those who are downsizing and need to determine what goods and furnishings will stay, as well as what to do with those you are not keeping.