Menopause, for men

Andropause is a condition that affects every man in his lifespan, and yet goes undetected in most cases. Active gets the experts to tell you what to do before the going gets tougher

Notice how easily you've been tiring lately even when there's little impetus from stress, or the persistent flab around your stomach that just doesn't budge?

Upset after snapping at a loved one over a trivial matter, and confused by where this sudden rage has come from?

If you're a middle-aged male and have answered yes to all of the above questions, chances are that you could be suffering from male menopause or andropause.

Let's start from the beginning

It's time to get the facts straight. While a majority of us are aware of the phenomenon called menopause, with most families helping women cope with the tough phase, men are left to battle it out alone.
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They often blame themselves for behavioural changes that are in fact hormonal.

Before you relegate the symptoms as a residue of a hectic job, demanding lifestyle or a mid-life crisis, you might be surprised at how much a trip to the doctor can put things into perspective.
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Leading Andrologist and Urologist Dr Dilip Raja says, "While it is easy to determine when a woman undergoes menopause, andropause can go completely unnoticed if one is not aware of such a term.

What it basically refers to is the gradual decline in testosterone levels of a man, leading to symptoms like listlessness, decline in energy and sexual drive, erectile dysfunction, night sweats, irritability and mood swings.
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Though one cannot say when it will occur or why, men above 40 years are most at risk."

Researchers add that andropause can be triggered by illness, obesity, depression and dementia. Poor eating habits and lack of exercise can also prove a deterrent.

Time to hit the gym?

Surely there must be a way to tackle andropause, we ask. Sunil Kudva, fitness guru and the man behind Elite Fitness says, "Exercise helps avert or delay the onset of andropause, since one of the benefits of working out is an increase in testosterone levels."

However, Sunil warns against over exercising as it can do more harm than good. Men undergoing andropause also tend to lose height, stamina and muscle mass, and complain of joint pains and weight gain.

Male v/s Female menopause

Both andropause and menopause have similar symptoms; irritability, fatigue, listlessness and low sex drive.

In women, the onset of menopause leads to falling oestrogen levels until it diminishes, causing a complete decline in sex hormones. Menstruation stops and women can no longer get pregnant.

In men, andropause causes a drop in testosterone levels, but does not lead to infertility. A man may complain of low sex drive and erectile dysfunction, but can continue to father children.

Also, it is difficult to assess when a man might be going through andropause, as unlike women, there are no tell-tale signs.

Hence, most men have little or no support, professional or personal, during what could be the toughest phase in their life.

To counter this,u00a0 Sunil advises walking, swimming and moderate weight-training, twice a week. "Exercise regularly, eat healthy, sleep early and stay away from alcohol and cigarettes," advises Sunil.

Healthy diet and Sunshine

Nutritionist Naini Setalvad echoes Sunil's mantra of healthy living and diet. "When still young, play a sport that involves physical activity.

Exposure to sunlight is good, since Vitamin D3 is very helpful. Organic foods, along with plenty of fruits and vegetables including bananas, almonds, figs, avocado, celery, Omega-3 fatty acids like flax seeds, oily fish and walnuts, should be part of your diet. Avoid red meat as far as possible."

While in many cases andropause is inevitable, experts insist that following a healthy lifestyle from a young age can ensure that when it does set in, the experience will is less taxing.

Family Matters

Psychologist Dr Anjali Chhabria adds another indispensable ingredient to a healthy ageing life support of loved ones. "Awareness of male menopause is crucial. There have been cases where external stressors have triggered symptoms of andropause further. Support from family goes a long way," she says.

What's wrong with my sex drive?

Sex is also an issue of concern. The most common symptom experienced by men with low testosterone is diminished sex drive. "Thanks to a lack of awareness, most men won't even know what's happening. It's only when they suffer erectile dysfunction due to andropause that they consult a doctor," adds Dr Raja.

Help is at hand

Few things are as traumatic as not understanding what your body is trying to tell you. Unfortunately, lack of awareness makes andropause much tougher to handle than it already is.

However, help is at hand for those who seek it. "With treatments like Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), which aims to revive healthy hormonal levels, most men begin to experience fewer symptoms.
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However, testosterone replacement doesn't work well in treating erectile dysfunction; this needs to be treated separately," warns Dr Raja.

Last Action Heroes
Our list of probable andropause victims

Okay, so we couldn't resist. After all the flak women receive for their mood swings and food cravings, we thought it was time to take a dig at the men too. Here then is our pick of the hottest Hollywood male celebs who might have been going through a "life-change" of their own, but just didn't know it ufffd

Christian Bale, 36

From assaulting his mother and sister to showering the choicest gallis on a cinematographer on the sets of Terminator: Salvation, Bale's infamous temper seems to be bringing him more press than his acting abilities or choice of roles. Time to take a leaf out of your gentleman-ly onscreen alter ego: Batman, eh, Mr Bale? Or would you rather leave the cleaning up to the ever-faithful Mr Alfred?

Russel Crowe, 46

Happen to run into Mr Crowe on a bad day? The best thing to do would be to quickly run out of his way before you get seriously injured by a flying object. Ask the unfortunate concierge at the hotel where the modern-day Gladiator was staying in 2005. The two allegedly got into an argument, and in the heat of the moment Crowe threw a phone at him. Hollywood's very own angry young man, wot say!?

Hugh Grant, 49

Most beloved of the female swooning masses, Hugh Grant seemed to have fallen from grace and into the arms of Divine Brown during one June evening in 1995. Female fans were first shocked, then intrigued, by revelations that the ex-boyfriend of Liz Hurley would want to solicit any kind of favour from Miss Brown. Then again, there's something to be said about a once-squeaky clean boy with a naughty streak.

Sly Stallone, 63

After wowing audiences worldwide in action flicks and making Rocky a household name, how does Sylvester Stallone celebrate his iconic status? By embarrassing himself and his fans with a cameo in Kambakkth Ishq. While we know how tough things might be for you right now Sly, subjecting fans to such pain will definitely not help get you anywhere, apart from adding a few Razzies to your shelf.

Tom Cruise, 47

After ending his 10-year marriage with Nicole Kidman and a whirlwind romance with Penelope Cruz, the man who was once Hollywood's favourite action man is rumoured to be living the "happily ever after" with wife Katie Holmes and daughter Suri. Guess he's had some time to sober down since his "couch-jumping" days with Oprah Winfrey, and last heard was receiving fashion tips from his four year-old.

How to ease the transition

Awareness is the keyword. According to psychologist Dr Anjali Chhabria, some men are not even aware of what they are going through.
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Sexual incompetence can lead to lower self-esteem and depression. Family support is crucial and in some cases, professional help and counselling is a must.

Andrologist Dr Dilip Raja advises regular check-ups monitoring testosterone levels for men above 40 years. "Testosterone Replacement Therapy helps combat falling testosterone levels and ease andropause symptoms," he says.

Dietician Naini Setalvad advises, "Andropausal men must avoid all fried and processed food, white flour, white sugar, excess alcohol, caffeine and refrain from smoking. Instead, eat bananas, pine nuts, asparagus and celery as it helps regulate male hormones."

Be Supportive

Dr Chhabria stresses on the importance of supporting male members of the family when it comes to andropause.
"One tends not to give importance to a man undergoing menopause as compared to a woman going through it," she says.
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The family needs to understand the situation and be sensitive and supportive rather than trigger the sufferer's frustration further.
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Professional help may be required to treat depression and/ or anxiety symptoms, low sex drives or difficulties in falling asleep.

Professional counselling might reduce the symptoms to a certain extent." Urging a loved one to visit an andrologist or urologist will also help to effectively tackle the issue.