Deficit of Testosterone
Andropause or “Male Menopause” is something of a misnomer, as it is not comparable with menopause as it relates to women of advanced age.
A man of advanced age does not exhibit a loss of fertility (production of spermatozoids) or constant hormonal changes. Nevertheless, 20-40% of men aged 50 and older show a decrease in testosterone (male hormone) levels, giving way potentially to diverse symptoms. Such a clinical entity is currently termed Low Testosterone Syndrome.
Testosterone serves many functions. It is fundamental to sexual desire and the erection, and essential to bone, muscle, cerebrum, and many other parts and functions of the organism. When testosterone decreases sexual desire, quality of erection, muscle strength, and intellectual performance can all decrease, while fat deposit, possibility of bone fracture, and mood swings (irritability, difficulty concentrating, bad temper, insomnia, depression, etc.) can all increase. With a decrease in testosterone, other hormones (FSH, LH, Thyroxine [T4], Growth Hormone [GH], melatonin, etc.) may also be affected, bringing about other types of disorders.
Given that treatments currently exist which can replace deficiencies in testosterone and other hormones contributing to specific disorders in men of an advanced age, it is advisable that men over 50 seek out a physician/doctor to detect such hormonal defects and treat them, thereby curing the disorders.
How is “Andropause" studied?
Diagnosis is achieved through a simple determination of testosterone levels through blood analysis, which is recommended for all men aged 50 and older.
Testosterone travels through the blood bound to proteins (SHBG and albumin) and only 1% of it travels unbound, the latter of which acts upon different functions. For this reason, aside from determining overall testosterone levels, it is sometimes important to determine levels of unbound testosterone (achieved through analysis of overall testosterone, SHBG, and albumin values).
The physician/doctor will gather an appropriate clinical history and check for possible symptoms, which can vary greatly (table 1), by means of a physical examination.