As Guys Get Older They Often Become Moody or Withdrawn
What used to be fun or enjoyable in life now leaves them cold. And just like how women go through menopause as they age, men can experience something similar.
Male hormonal change, also known as andropause, happens when testosterone levels begin to decline, which usually starts happening in the early 40s. Like women's hormonal change, known as menopause begins when their body stops making as much estrogen and progesterone. But for guys, it's their testosterone levels that are affected.
It's important to know that these changes can be powerful yet often overlooked by doctors. This means that guys might not get the help that they need. When testosterone levels start to drop, the amount of protein that binds testosterone (sex hormone-binding globulin) increases, which can lower the amount of free testosterone in the body. Unless the level of free testosterone is sought and assessed, a man’s symptoms are often ignored and he is blown off as having a "mid-life crisis", or his physician diagnoses depression and an antidepressant is prescribed.
Testosterone is an important anabolic hormone in men. It plays many roles in maintaining both physical and mental health by increasing energy, preventing fatigue, maintaining a normal sex drive, and increasing the strength of structural tissues.
Testosterone deficiency is often associated with symptoms such as:
- Night Sweats
- Hot Flashes
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Loss of Energy
- Aches and Pains
- Reduced Flexibility
- Low Sex Drive (libido)
- Decreased Mental Acuity
- Loss of Muscle Mass
Testosterone deficiency during andropause can lead to serious consequences such as insulin resistance and diabetes. To counter andropause symptoms, stress management, exercise, proper nutrition, dietary supplements (especially zinc and selenium), and androgen replacement therapy can all help increase androgen levels in men. However, it's important to discuss androgen replacement therapy with a qualified healthcare provider.
In addition to insufficient testosterone, men also commonly experience an excess amount of estradiol relative to progesterone during andropause. This hormonal imbalance can be detected through saliva testing and has been associated with prostate gland diseases such as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and prostate cancer.
Insufficient testosterone is not the only hormone imbalance that a man experiences. An excess amount of estradiol relative to progesterone is routinely discovered in the saliva during andropause, which is known to be associated with prostate gland diseases such as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and prostate gland cancer.
For His Testing.
