Does The Male Menopause Actually Exist And What Causes It?

There are a number of health conditions that can affect us as we age, but the connection between health, lifestyle, hormones and sex drive later in life is not always entirely understood, and because of this, it has taken until recently for the underlying conditions that lead to common age-related concerns to be truly treated.

One example of this is the menopause in women, for which the primary treatment to help manage symptoms is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and how it relates to a similar collection of symptoms in men sometimes known as the “male menopause” or “manopause”.

To understand the role of testosterone replacement therapy in men experiencing menopause-like symptoms, it is important to demystify what it is, what it is not, and its underlying causes.

Is There A Male Menopause?

The simple answer is that there is not. The menopause in women is characterised by an often significant fall in hormone levels that causes periods to stop permanently. This change in hormones is what causes common symptoms such as hot flushes, brain fog, mood swings and lower sex drive.

Some men notice similar symptoms, such as lower energy, erectile dysfunction, lower sex drive, insomnia, fatigue, greater difficulties in concentrating, redistribution of fat around the body and mood swings, but this is not typically caused by a male-equivilent version of the menopause.

Testosterone levels do gradually fall, but it is at a relatively unnoticeable level and is not the root cause of any menopause-like symptoms.

This means that in many of these cases, TRT is unlikely to help with symptoms, although it can be prescribed for other reasons.

When Can TRT Help?

When it relates to male menopause symptoms, TRT is primarily used to treat a condition known as hypogonadism, a condition that is found in one in every 200 men on average and causes a significant drop in levels of testosterone.

There are a lot of different causes of hypogonadism, including physical injury, the side effects of chemotherapy for testicular cancer, alcohol abuse, previous steroid use and genetic conditions such as Klinefelter’s syndrome.

Hypogonadism that occurs around the time the menopause starts in women is typically known as late-onset hypogonadism, as earlier forms of the condition can cause issues such as delayed puberty.

A course of TRT can help with this condition, but unlike the menopause, it is not a typical stage of the ageing process, and the lack of testosterone can lead to some significant health complications if not treated.

What Causes Male Menopause Symptoms Other Than Hormones?

Many of the issues that are grouped together as a “male menopause” are typically caused by a range of lifestyle factors, physical health concerns, stress, anxiety and other issues that may affect your mental health.

Several of the symptoms of the male menopause are also found in erectile dysfunction, a condition that is not typically caused by a lack of testosterone but a mix of physical and mental factors.

As well as this, smoking and heart concerns can cause many of these symptoms, as can a sedentary life, an unbalanced diet or a lack of sleep.

If you are at all concerned, you should talk to your doctor or an expert in men’s health, as they can help to pinpoint your conditions and where TRT fits.