Men's Health > Testosterone > Aging Male Syndrome

The Aging Male Syndrome

As men age, many will find that they are exhausted during the day, the spare tire around their middle continues to grow and their interest in sex plummets.

Most men attribute these symptoms to the natural, inevitable aging process. What most men over 40 don't know, as the latest national study shows, is that all of these symptoms could indicate an often treatable clinical deficiency defined by abnormally low levels of testosterone, called Aging male Syndrome.

Effects of Aging on Testosterone

The aging process leads to low testosterone in men. This process occurs gradually over many years resulting in male hypogonadism (low testosterone). Hypogonadism in aging men is called Andropause, popularly known as male menopause. Male menopause may be a misnomer as men continue with fertility beyond andropause, and not all men become symptomatic with this transition, which typically appears in the fifties.

The transitory symptoms could include fatigue, loss of libido, memory problems and depression. The long-term effects of andropause affect all men eventually, as progression of andropause can contribute to osteoporosis (bone loss), dementia, frailty, falls, heart and circulatory problems. Circulatory problems can contribute to erectile dysfunction. If we for a moment pause and think what happens to women as they age without estrogens, we will understand that andropause is truly not a figment of imagination.

Recognizing the Aging Male Syndrome

Aging Male Syndrome is potentially the hidden link between men's health and serious medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and depression. Millions of American men experience it, but most don't realize the difference between a natural decline in testosterone production and Low T, which constitutes a genuine medical concern.

There really has not been enough attention to this aspect of aging men’s health in the United States. There is no national body to perform andropause research, on a very important physiological phenomenon in aging men. If androgen deficiency were not a significant epidemiological societal issue, many countries would have left it alone. The European Menopause Society changed its name to The European Menopause & Andropause Society a few years ago. Our neighbor to the north has an active Canadian Andropause Society. There is a similar organization in the United Kingdom and Australia, yet the U.S. does not have an American equivalent with approximately 10 million men in the United States affected.

"Men should be aware that symptoms of diminished sex drive, erectile dysfunction, increased fatigue, depressed mood and diminished strength or muscle bulk may be due to low testosterone and may be treatable," said Dr. Abraham Morgentaler of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. "An important step is for men to discuss this possibility with their doctor, get tested and consider testosterone replacement therapy if their testosterone levels turn out to be low and they are found to have Aging Male Syndrome."

Jim Shaw