Male Menopause


Men go through aging male syndrome (AMS) between the ages of 35 and 65 when their hormone levels (especially testosterone) decline. Testosterone is a hormone that helps maintain sex drive, sperm production, pubic and body hair, muscle, and bone. Testosterone levels decrease over time. This decline is normal in healthy males as they age. Unlike women who lose their fertility (ability to get pregnant) when they reach menopause, men do not lose their fertility. All men have different experiences some men's hormone levels go down more than others, and some have more symptoms than other men.

A decline in testosterone can affect a man's body. AMS has many signs:

* Feeling fat/weight gain
* Problems sleeping
* Less interest in sex
* Feeling irritable or angry
* Erection problems
* Nervousness
* Problems with memory and concentration
* Muscle loss
* Increased urination
* Depression
* Loss of energy
* Bone and hair loss

If you're having these symptoms of low testosterone, talk to your doctor. You can get your testosterone level tested. It's a simple blood test. Get the test in the morning, when the testes release more testosterone. Because a normal level of testerosterone is different for each man, it may be hard to know if you have low testorsterone it helps if you had a testosterone test earlier in your life, so you'll be able to see any change. If you do have low testosterone, think about visiting a specialized doctor, like an endocrinologist or urologist, who can work with you to treat this problem.