Andropause: Why, What, and What Next
Just like menopause in women, andropause can happen to men at some point in their life. Andropause symptoms tend to start in middle age, and if untreated continue to progress with time. The changes of andropause happen because of natural testosterone going down, as well as many organs changing due to aging. The initial symptoms of andropause are subtle and develop slowly over time. Unlike menopause in women, andropause is not marked with the loss of periods, so it often takes longer to be acknowledged by men, or diagnosed by doctors. Many of the symptoms can be attributed to or misdiagnosed as depression.
Nevertheless, there are clear symptoms to diagnose and many ways to treat andropause.
At Allurant Medical we offer a variety of approaches to treat the root causes of andropause. These include bio-identical hormone treatments, shock wave therapy, and PRP injections for a comprehensive treatment of andropause symptoms.
What is Andropause?
Andropause is the collection of symptoms that happen to men starting in their middle age, and sometimes later, due to the gradual lowering of the testosterone levels, as well as changes that happen to multiple body systems due to disease and aging.
Many factors can contribute to the decline in testosterone levels. As well as natural aging, these include high blood sugar, stress, chronic inflammation, excess body fat, no physical activity, and exposure to pollutants such as heavy metals and pesticides.
Symptoms of Andropause
Andropause includes many physical and mental symptoms. Men may experience one or multiple of these symptoms.
Physical symptoms may include:
Hair Loss
As well as having a genetic component, hair loss can be a part of andropause.
Reduced Muscle Mass
In andropause there can be a reduction in existing muscle mass as well as less ability to make new muscle fibers. This makes it more difficult to recover from exercise.
Fatigue
One symptom is sleepiness and feeling low in energy. Low testosterone translates to lack of energy and sometimes exhaustion feelings coming more easily.
Change in Sexual Function
Another common symptom of andropause can be low libido, lack of sex drive, or trouble maintaining erections. The gradual sexual decline that happens with age can get accelerated, leading to fewer spontaneous erections, shrunken testes and possibly infertility.
Loss of bone density
Andropause can cause accelerated bone loss in middle age, leading to higher risk of bone fractures.
Mental Symptoms may Include:
Lowered Self-Esteem
The physical changes of andropause can take a toll on self-esteem. Many men feel like they have gradually lost the person they used to be, and think they have to accept a new status quo. This is not true and there are many effective treatments for the changes of andropause.
Depression
Many men suffer from undiagnosed depression due to andropause. They may have no energy, feelings of sadness, withdrawal, or irritability.
Sleep Disturbance.
With Andropause, you may have difficulty getting a good night’s sleep. Sleeping problems can also be a sign of depression due to low levels of testosterone. In addition to insomnia you may also experience higher fatigue in the day from poor sleep at night.
Poor Concentration and memory
Thinking, memory and concentration are all dependent on the proper balance of your hormones. Therefore changes of andropause can affect your ability to focus and remember.
Diagnosing Andropause
Although testosterone levels decline with age, men often notice symptoms of andropause after a significant drop in their testosterone levels.
To diagnose andropause, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask specific clinical questions related to the above changes. You also need a complete panel of blood tests to measure testosterone levels in comparison to your age group, as well as other tests to determine if there are other disease states accounting for your symptoms.
How Do We Treat Andropause?
We treat andropause by addressing the underlying causes of your symptoms.
Once you have been definitively diagnosed using clinical history, symptoms and your specific blood measurements, we will recommend one or multiple of the treatments available for your symptoms.
Testosterone
To optimize your serum testosterone levels we recommend bioidentical testosterone pellets. As opposed to testosterone gels, creams or injections, pellets give the most steady levels of testosterone leading to consistent relief from andropause symptoms.
Allurant Medical offers a top of the line treatment for testosterone replacement called Testosterone Bio Identical Hormone Treatment which provides a safer and more effective long term treatment for andropause symptoms.
Alma Duo Shock Wave Therapy
Andropause can be associated with a decreased ability to achieve and maintain erections. Difficulty with erectile function can be due to a drop in the testosterone level, as well as decline in vascular function due to age or disease. Alma Duo treatment is the leading technology in low intensity shockwave therapy which optimizes erectile function. Treatments improve blood vessel formation and sensitivity in the penis. These changes lead to easier, firmer and more long-lasting erections.
P-Shot: PRP Injections
Platelet rich plasma is naturally concentrated from your blood to produce the most healing component of your blood. PRP causes rejuvenation and healing when placed into any tissue. The injection of PRP into the penis, after local numbing, creates new blood vessels and rejuvenates the tissue to help with natural sexual function.
Both PRP injections and Alma Duo therapy are regenerative treatments that work exponentially well in combination, for optimizing sexual function in men.
Conclusions
You must choose the solution that is right for you.
Some men often do not need to worry about a decline in testosterone levels. Andropause is not certainly the cause of symptoms that were mentioned above as they are also linked to health problems. Also, sometimes men don’t show symptoms with this condition. To be sure that you have andropause you must speak with your doctor.
Exercise and diet can also be very helpful, giving a boost to your mental and physical health.
Sometimes additional treatments are needed, and the full spectrum of available treatments include hormone optimization therapy, low intensity shockwave therapy, and PRP injections. You can see our doctor for a consultation to determine if you can benefit from any of these treatments.
If you are wondering whether you are experiencing andropause or need treatment of andropause symptoms, please request a consultation. We would love to help you out.
