Explaining
Andropause
Everyone understands the concept of Menopause, the time at which
women's lives change so distinctly as a result of hormonal changes
within the body, but many people are relatively unaware that men
undergo a related form of physiological change which has been
recently defined as Andropause.
The
Tale of Man: Hormone Production throughout the Lifespan
Testosterone
Peaks during Adolescence
As men age, natural Testosterone Levels within the bloodstream
generally follow a stable and recognizable pattern. Around the age of
puberty, Testosterone Production by the body skyrockets. This is why
adolescent and teen boys have such boundless energy and have such
distinct personality traits such as aggressiveness, assertiveness,
and a powerful sense of individualism and singlemindedness toward
their goals.
The
Twenties: Perfect Hormone Balance
Of course, this initial period of adulthood is marked by its ups and
downs as boys come to recognize and control their new-found
masculinity, but by the early twenties, Testosterone Secretion peaks
and stabilizes, and young men finally come into a new and stable
sense of hormone balance. Through the course of the twenties, Hormone
Production remains high and stable, and men are able to take
advantage of all of the amazing benefits associated with a healthy
and optimal level of vitality. They love hard and they play hard.
They tend to have a powerful sense of self, and they are able to
maintain a sense of certainty and assertiveness in tense and abstract
situations.
Testosterone
Plateaus in the Twenties, Declines in the Thirties and Beyond
Beginning in the late twenties or early thirties, men finally reach
the end of this stage of optimal hormone balance, and both
Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone Production start to decline.
Many healthier men won't recognize these changes for many years. It
takes a number of years before Hormone Levels decline from total
optimization to a point at which men begin to display issues as a
result of that change.
Some
Patients Experience Testosterone Deficiency Earlier than Others
In certain patients, however, these changes in hormone production can
produce significant changes beginning in the thirties. Some
individuals naturally don't produce the same amounts of these vital
hormones as others. This is especially true among men that are
overweight or obese, or men who are excessively sedentary and do not
go out and get enough exercise.
Contributing
Factors to Testosterone Deficiency: Obesity, Inactivity, and Poor
Sleeping Habits
Fat accumulation has an incredibly negative impact upon hormone
production and metabolism. Adipose fat converts Testosterone in the
body into Estrogen, which causes numerous problems throughout the
body, especially in the cardiovascular system. The unhealthy diet
that accompanies obesity causes Insulin to assert dominance over
Human Growth Hormone, both decreasing the amount of HGH that is
secreted by the pituitary, and decreasing the ability of HGH to
activate at target sites throughout the body.
Sedentary men experience many of these same problems for different
reasons (although the issues of a sedentary lifestyle often lead to
the characteristics of obesity). Large amounts of Testosterone and
Human Growth Hormone are produced when we engage in vigorous physical
activity, and lesser amounts are still produced as a result of any
form of exercise. If we do not engage in exercise, then the body
produces significantly lower amounts of both of these important
hormones.
Men in their thirties that have poor sleeping habits are also more
prone to experience issues related to Andropause at an earlier age
than people that have healthier and more natural sleeping habits. HGH
is produced in its largest amounts periodically during the deepest
phases of sleep. There are also studies that correlate Testosterone
Deficiency with unhealthy sleeping habits.
All three of these issues: Poor Sleeping, Sedentary Lifestyle, and
Fat Accumulation, exacerbate the natural decline in Testosterone
production known as Andropause, causing its symptoms to occur earlier
and more severely. There are a number of other factors which can
increase the rate by which hormone decline can impact the body,
including negative attitude, alcohol consumption, excessive stress,
infections, medications, surgery, or physical injury.
Even
among the Healthy, Andropause Still Occurs
As time continues to pass, this decline in Hormone Production can
even start to have its effects upon men that are perfectly healthy.
Even though there is a clear and abrupt sign of Menopause for a
woman: The Final Period, after which Estrogen production declines
quickly and abruptly, Andropause is different. There is no hard
experience in a man's life which signifies the change that occurs.
Although there is no easily recognizable marker in regard to
Andropause, both Estrogen and Andropause have the potential to lead
to significant changes that negatively impact a person's life. The
period in which Andropause generally happens is between the ages of
forty and fifty-five. Andropause is best defined as the period of
Male Hormone Deficiency in which patients are most likely to become
symptomatic and begin to experience a marked decline in quality of
life as a result of their deficiency.
Causes
of Andropause
Beginning around the age of thirty, Testosterone Production
declines by around ten percent every ten years. At the same as
Testosterone Secretion naturally drops, the body's production of
hormones which elicit negative feedback mechanisms begins to
increase.
The primary inhibitor of Testosterone Activity is a hormone known as
Sex-Binding Hormone Globulin. This hormone, abbreviated SHBG, latches
onto circulating Free Testosterone, preventing it from producing its
positive effects. Testosterone that has not been intercepted by SHBG
is able to impact beneficial changes upon the body. Free Testosterone
is also referred to as Bio-Available Testosterone. Today, it is
estimated that thirty percent of males in their fifties are
experiencing Clinically Low Levels of Testosterone which may warrant
Testosterone HRT.
Early
Changes Associated with Andropause
As Testosterone Levels start to Decline as a result of
Andropause, a number of major changes begin to take place. Two of the
earliest markers of Testosterone Deficiency are fatigue and issues
with energy production. Men start to lose the spark which helps them
seize the day.
Another early symptom of Andropause is a change in state-of-mind and
well-being that can often sneak up and drastically change a person
over a relatively short period of time. Testosterone is what
encourages and fosters Masculine tendencies such as assertiveness and
confidence, and as Testosterone Secretion Declines with age, men
often start to lose their touch before many other physical
Symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency manifest themselves.
It becomes harder to mentally prepare oneself for the day, and the
positive aggression and assertiveness that men display primarily
through their twenties and thirties starts to erode, turning into
feelings of anxiety, helplessness, and agitation which can cause a
man to lose control of his inner sense of self, and can hinder both
his working life and his home life.
Physical
Changes of Andropause
Over time, as these internal symptoms of Andropause start to take
root, the physical changes start to occur as well. As Testosterone
and HGH Production decline, the body's ability to maintain itself
aesthetically starts to erode as well. It becomes harder to maintain
lean muscle, and it gets easier to put on pounds of fat without even
changing lifestyle habits in any appreciable way. Without proper
hormone balance, the maximum benefits of exercise and physical
activity simply don't take, and the aging process begins to occur
more rapidly as the years continue to pass.
Sex and
Andropause
The most impactful markers of Testosterone Deficiency, however, are
related to Sex Drive and Sexual Function. Testosterone is the key
hormone related to male sexual desire and potency, and as
Testosterone Levels start to drop, men start to experience a gradual
decline in sexual ability that can end with impotence and
infertility.
First, Andropause leads to a declining sense in sexual interest and
libido. Some men have claimed that at first they felt that their
sexual frustration was the result of anxiety or personal issues, but
as the symptoms worsened, they realized that it was likely something
going on inside their bodies
and not inside of their minds that was causing the issues leading to
their grief and dissatisfaction. Severe Testosterone Deficiency
starts to lead to significant changes in sexual ability. It becomes
harder to keep and maintain an erection. Sperm count starts to
decline which can reduce a man's ability to conceive as they grow
older. The entire process of sexuality breaks down.
Physiological Symptoms of Andropause
Long Term consequences also arise as a result of Hormone Decline
related to Andropause. Testosterone plays a significant role in heart
health, and as Testosterone Deficiency becomes worse, it leads to
issues regarding cardiovascular health, including changes in
cholesterol balance, an increase in triglycerides, and the buildup of
harmful and dangerous plaque which can eventually lead to stroke,
heart attack, or other life-threatening conditions.
Testosterone is also central to the proper maintenance of bone
health. Testosterone is the hormone which primarily controls the
proper cycling and remodeling of bone tissue, and Testosterone
Deficiency causes the bones to literally begin to seep calcium, which
can eventually lead to severe issues related to Osteoporosis and
Osteopenia.
The
Quiet Menace of Andropause
One thing that can make Andropause such an insidious form of
physiological change is the manner in which it simply sneaks up on
you. Andropause generally starts to occur during a period in many
men's lives associated with tumultuous psychological introspection.
Many men think that the changes taking place in their minds and their
bodies are related to anxiety, depression, or a lack of motivation
correlated with their changing perspective of their place in their
world, but very often, the reverse is true. Changes in hormone
production may be simply souring their outlook on life, prohibiting
their ability to enjoy themselves and make the most of their wisest
years.
Even though Andropause is a well-recognized and studied phenomena,
and it is a physiological certainty that all men will one day deal
with the effects of the Change, there is no way to predict how an
individual male will experience Andropause. There are numerous
contributing factors that we recognize, and there are likely many
others that we have yet to scientifically come to understand. Because
of this, every man will have a unique experience in regard to
Andropause.
Is
Andropause a Modern Phenomena?
No. Andropause is a biological inevitability throughout the entire
animal kingdom. This process of hormonal decline has been documented
among all species. Our knowledge of Andropause, however, is all
relatively new. The first discussion of Andropause in medical
journals began over seventy years ago, in the 1940s.
Even though we essentially discovered Andropause over seventy years
ago, only in the last few decades have we developed meaningful ways
to treat the disorder. Even as we began to treat the issue, it has
become increasingly clear that our first efforts to diagnose
Andropause were woefully inadequate, and many were left under-served
and under-treated.
Today, as medical technology has increased in sensitivity, and the
availability and affordability of Bio-Identical Testosterone has made
the treatment more financially palatable, there is an increasing
openness and interest in Testosterone Replacement Therapy for
Andropause which has allowed countless men to experience the amazing
benefits of Testosterone for Andropause.
Increased
Capacity to Positively Diagnose Andropause in the 21st
Century
Another factor which has led to the under-diagnosis of Andropause and
Testosterone Deficiency is that Andropause shares many symptoms with
other medical disorders, making it historically difficult to attain a
diagnosis with certainty.
The relative sensitivity of the subject of male masculinity also
often makes it hard for men to admit to their doctor that they have a
problem. As a result of this, physicians don't always get all the
data that they need to make an informed diagnosis, which causes them
to miss the underlying Testosterone Deficiency and simply treat the
symptoms of that deficiency rather than the cause.
As knowledge about Testosterone Deficiency and Andropause continues
to change, the conversation between doctor and patient is becoming
more open, and physicians more readily consider Testosterone
Replacement Therapy as a result of new and effective means to monitor
male Testosterone Production via blood testing.
The burgeoning interest in Testosterone Replacement Treatments have
led to a veritable explosion in research dollars and national
awareness of the disorder, which is getting help to more and more men
that need it.
Don't
Let Andropause Take Control of Your Life!
There is no reason to live with the life-draining symptoms of
Andropause. New treatments such as Testosterone Creams, Sprays, and
Injections are becoming more sophisticated every year, and our
knowledge regarding Andropause and how to subvert this aspect of the
aging process continue to evolve as well.
If you feel that you may belong to this large group of males which
may benefit significantly from Andropause Treatment, we encourage you
to contact the Conscious Evolution Institute for more information
regarding treatment options.
|
We
recommend
