Male Menopause? No Myth

(CBS)  Most people think of menopause as a mid-life change women go through, complete with hot flashes and mood swings. But men can also go through some of those changes.

Early Show "Healthwatch" contributor Dr. Holly Phillips has surprising information about male menopause.


Is there really a male menopause? This isn't something we've heard that much about.

Yes, men do have drops in hormone levels like women. For men it's testosterone, for women it's estrogen. The big difference is, for women menopause signals a time when they stop ovulating, when they can no longer have babies. Men through their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, it's a different situation.

Men can feel symptoms - lethargy for one. What's most important is if you are having symptoms, if have fatigue, you don't feel like yourself, the most important thing is to get to the doctor because it may not be male menopause causing these symptoms.

Symptoms:

Fatigue

Depression

Decreased Libido

Anemia

Loss of Bone Density

At what age do you need to be on the lookout if you are experiencing any or all of these things?

Male menopause is different in that it starts earlier and goes over a long period of time. You can see changes beginning in your 40s and then go all the way through your 80s.

How is it diagnosed?

There's a blood test to test for testosterone levels. More importantly, get to the doctor and make sure nothing else is going on.

Do you get a sense that more and more people are coming in with symptoms of male menopause? Is it something that's basically turned a new leaf here medically - is it more prevalent than ten years ago?

I would say people are more interested in it, they're looking at possible symptoms. And there are treatments as well: We can give testosterone, usually in injections or a gel or patch form. But it's not for everyone because there are risks.

There are certain things you can do non-medically to not exacerbate some of the symptoms. These are certain behaviors you really need to stay away from:

Risk Factors:

Excessive Alcohol

Smoking

High Blood Pressure

Poor Diet

Lack of Exercise

I mean, you take part in all that, and forget about it - you'll have these symptoms a lot sooner. One more good reason to take care of yourself by exercising - you don't have to be in the gym for hours a day, a half an hour four times a week is enough to make a really big difference.

Side effects to treatments?

There can be side effects. Just like with women's hormone replacement therapy, men's has risks, too. It can increase your chances of getting a blood clot, and cause increased chances of prostate cancer. So it's you and your doctor making this decision together.

[mrassekh]

"These are certain behaviors you really need to stay away from:

Risk Factors:
Excessive Alcohol
Smoking
High Blood Pressure
Poor Diet
Lack of Exercise"

Oh, honestly. Ya think? Is this the newsflash of the day?

[michellem99-2009]

sure they go thru the change of life tho different than us ladies who go thru the change. As a woman I hated it. It made me weak just my mother. For men,it is a rite of passage to becoming a senior.

[tnt1954]

good promotional for the capitalistic medical
community, patronized by the leisure classes.
physician heal thyself? aren''t medical dictatorships
great to live in? its'' a matter of world health.
feeling paying taxes to the us public health
service? oh, but what do you care about health?
can money buy you eternal life? eternal health?
how about feeling eternally ill? the injured
and the problem of pain by c.s. lewis. well
most of us just rely on faith healing. why?
what gave the guy a heart attack was the doctors
and hospitals bill. i worked in a collection
agency as a full-charge bookkeeper. most of
our clients were doctors, who wanted to squeeze
blood out of turnips. interest upon interest they
owed. so many were found in contempt of court.
those who owed and owed and owed. collection
agencies love deadbeats. without them, they
don''t make a living. how ironic. and symbiotic.

[lawyertom1]

Nothing really new here. The male menopause has been covered in the scientific literature for years.

[erasmus6]

"He had to wait one year or so to have his teeth replaced after they were pulled out due to an infection." posted by drivelphobe

Yikes,are you kidding me? I have never heard of such a thing. I have known people that have had their teeth pulled and usually they get the teeth replaced immediately. The only thing I can think of is that maybe this person''s infection was severe and maybe because of it they couldn''t take impressions because of swelling or something. Also they would not want to replace them until all sign of infection was gone but a year seems like an awful long time. Maybe he had a hard time getting rid of the infection or they wanted to wait and make sure it wouldn''t come back.

[godofredo29]

To answer the question about blood clots: It''s just that the testosterone causes you to produce more red blood cells which, ideally, you should find a way to reduce. My doctor simply told me to give blood regularly. That apparently has more than an immediate impact on one''s red blood cell supply.

[erasmus6]

Gaye5

One thing I do know is that people will come up with all sorts of things to discredit someone, it doesn''t make it true, though.

[erasmus6]

Gaye5

"Wasn''''t Hillary involved in some crimes a few years ago before her husband made the white house??? one was something to do with land???"

I think I did hear something about that but nothing came of it. I don''t think she was guilty of any wrong doing.

"...and Wasn''''t there something to do with three boys who were hiding and who saw a plane come in which was loaded with drugs etc..."

I have never heard of anything like that. Maybe you are thinking of someone else.

[Krazcarl]

erasumus8...Yes on a site on line I needed a sign in so 2 of the question were {multiple choise} they asked favorite food and personality I choose crazy and meat and it''s stuck I''m to lame to come up with new passwords for every site.

[gaye5]

I agree totally that men do have a problem with hormones as they grow older, just as women do. My husband also had to go on replacements after an accident, (ouch) but we have found that it only lasts for a while before it doesn''t make any difference again, so we try other things like the natural and then back to what ever just to trick the liver..
It is essential to get a Dr who specializes in natural medicines as well so as to get the total range of tests done, this way a real diagnosis can me made, normal Dr''s only know part of the problem as they cant know everything. Often the thyroid needs tests done also for the T3 and T4..
My husband also had his amalgams out which has helped as well..
We have to remember that the 4th cause of deaths in America is pharmaceutical drugs so where possible go natural..