Male menopause, let's get over it like this!

When it comes to menopause, many people think of "women," but "men" also have menopause. In general, it refers to a phenomenon in which male functions such as bones, muscles, and sexual functions generally decline from the 40s, and turning into lethargic and weak men throughout mental, interpersonal, and social life is called "male menopause."

According to the Baltimore Longitude Study of Aging conducted in the United States, 10% of men in their 50s and 20% of those in their 60s are male menopausal patients based on male hormone levels.

There are several symptoms that can occur in men's menopause, and the most common and important symptoms are decreased sexual desire, decreased erectile power, and unknown fatigue and lethargy. In addition, if the lower abdomen keeps showing, muscle mass and strength, and physical symptoms such as sore and weakened bone joints, or the chest changes like a woman and the beard does not grow well, men's menopause can be suspected.

In addition, male menopause should be considered even if psychological symptoms appear, such as memory loss, poor concentration, depression and loss of motivation, and frequent irritation. These symptoms do not appear at the same time, and may vary in degree from individual to individual. Similar symptoms do not necessarily mean menopause, but it is recommended to get an accurate diagnosis through a specialist and find an appropriate management method.

○ How do I diagnose men's menopause?

The diagnosis of male menopause is largely determined by three procedures. First, it can be checked through a self-diagnosis symptom questionnaire and a specialist's examination, secondly, blood tests confirm a decrease in male hormone (testosterone) levels, and finally, if there are no other diseases that clearly cause various symptoms, it can be diagnosed as male menopause.

The reason why it is important to reduce male hormone levels is that if the amount of testosterone secretion decreases, sexual functions such as sexual desire, foot function, and sagittal function as well as the musculoskeletal system and central nervous system will be abnormal.

Testosterone is known to decrease secretion by about 1% every year after the age of 40, and although there are individual differences, secretion can also decrease due to excessive drinking, smoking, stress, nutritional status, and obesity.

In addition, diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia also affect hormone secretion, so people with these diseases need to pay more attention to male menopause.

○ What about men's menopause treatment?

Since male hormone degradation is the cause of male menopause, a positive effect can be expected if insufficient male hormones are supplemented from the outside.

Supplementing hormones can have positive effects such as increased bone density, increased muscle mass and strength, increased muscle strength and stamina, improved overall physical condition, increased sexual desire, and improved happiness and mood.

Hormone supplementation therapy includes oral drugs, percutaneous absorbers, and injections, which contain testosterone, and despite the various advantages mentioned above, it may have side effects such as apnea, red blood cell growth, and prostate hypertrophy, so it is recommended to consult a specialist.

Men's menopause, like women's menopause, does not have a standard for the treatment period, but for men, it is important to maintain long-term treatment in the sense of increasing life satisfaction and quality rather than treating diseases.

○ Self-diagnosis of the presence or absence of men's menopause

1. Sexuality has diminished.
2. I feel lethargic.
3. Muscle strength and endurance decreased.
4. My height has decreased somewhat.
5. There is no motivation and no fun in life.
6. I feel sad or annoyed a lot.
7. Erection has decreased.
8. I get tired easily with a little exercise.
9. I often feel sleepy after dinner.
10. The ability to work has decreased.

* If No. 1 or No. 7 is Yes, or if 3 other items are Yes, Male menopause.