Male menopause or andropause is also known as viropause or ADAM – Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male.
Male menopause!? What is it?
When men come between the age of 40 and 50, may experience a phenomenon similar to the female menopause, called andropause. Cessation of the menstrual cycle for females in middle age is a typical sign of menopause, while for men there is no indication of this condition. About 30% to 40% of men between 45 and 55 years suffer from the male menopause. Generally, the first signs appear after the age of 30 and with aging, the body produces less androgen (testosterone).
Male menopause symptoms can be divided into three groups: physical, psychological, and sexual symptoms.
Male menopause- physical symptoms
These symptoms are very similar to female menopause symptoms like:
- Strength and stamina decreasing
- Weight gain
- Tiredness
- Slow wound healing
- Weight loss and hair loss
- Insomnia
- Body hair loss
- Osteoporosis
- Hot flushes
Male menopause- psychological symptoms
Following psychological symptoms are almost identical to symptoms which woman experienced during the menopause.
- Depression
- Irritability
- Insecurity
- Discomfort
- Indecisiveness
- Loneliness
- Forgetfulness
Especially relevant are the sexual symptoms which can be manifested with the loss of sexual desire and fear of losing the spouse. Furthermore, a problem with erection is a typical sign of male menopause.
At first, these symptoms are very similar, but the main differences between male and female menopause are the symptoms appearance and its progression. For example, all women have menopause while only 30% of males will have menopause. Next, typical for all women is the fast reducing of the hormones. Opposite, this process of hormones reducing for males is slow. Furthermore, women reproducing capacity immediately stops, while for males this process is gradual.
There are a lot of reasons for the appearance of male menopause which may be connected with some social factors like relationships in childhood, education or success in professional life.
What to do to help yourself
First of all, remember that all symptoms will begin to show slowly. So, to facilitate the condition you need to improve your appearance and to boost your energy. Doing regular exercises can make a lot for the goals mentioned above. You can choose easy cardio exercises, walking, cycling or any other physical activities, just 30 minutes three times a week. Next, try to reduce the amount of alcohol and nicotine. Your body will be more healthy and thankful in returns. Also, taking essential vitamins and minerals is a very significant factor for reliving of the male menopause symptoms and improvement of the reproduction capacity. Your diet must include sufficient amount of vitamin E and vitamin D, selenium, manganese, zinc, potassium, and molybdenum.
Vitamins and minerals for male menopause
Lack of vitamin E may cause disorder of the male reproductive system. A daily need of vitamin E for males is 10 milligrams. Maximal doses should not be greater from 800-1,000 milligrams. All nuts are a good source of vitamin E.
Structurally, vitamin D is very similar to classic steroid hormones such as aldosterone, testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, and ecdysterone. The recommended daily dose of vitamin D is 15 micrograms or 600 UI. Be careful because higher doses of vitamin D may be toxic and can lead to hypercalcemia, muscle weakness or creation of kidney stone. Fish oil is the best source of vitamin D. Next, good sources of vitamin D are herring, salmon, sardine, eggs, veal, beef, butter and vegetable oils.
Selenium, also known as an essential mineral is very significant for the human reproductive system. Although people need a small amount of selenium (50 – 200 micrograms), this mineral is very beneficial and its deficiency leads to infertility, low testosterone levels, and premature menopause.
Another mineral important for the reproductive system is manganese. Recommended daily dose is 2-5 milligrams. It can be found in water, teas, and coffee. In addition, dried fruits, cereals, and walnuts are manganese rich foods.
Also, erection problems may be connected with the deficiency of zinc, potassium and essential trace element molybdenum. Therefore, be sure that you take the recommended daily dose of zinc (15 milligrams), potassium (4,700 milligrams) and molybdenum (250 micrograms).
