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Andropause! What is that? Everyone has heard of menopause. Well andropause is the male version of menopause. Men go through cycles of hormone fluctuations and decline just like women. And these changes can dramatic effects on a mens health and well-being. There are many symptoms of andropause, including being a “grumpy old man”. However older men aren’t the only ones subjected to the hormone fluctuations of andropause. Because of obesity, stress and toxicity males can suffer these effects as young as adolescence. The main symptoms of adropause are: Muscle soreness, decrease in physical stamina, decreased libido, decrease in fullness of erections, spells of mental fatigue, inability to concentrate, depression, unexplained weight gain, increased disstributution of fat around the chest and hips, sweating attacks, and being more emotional than in the past. There are number of causes and forms andropause. The main factor seen is decreased testosterone. However the problem can also be increased estrogen. So a man my have sufficient testosterone but have elevated estrogen so the ratio of the two is off and he will suffer the effects of low testosterone. Men can also have elevated DHT (dihydro-testosterone) this hormone is a main factor in prostate hypertrophy and is implicated in prostate cancer. He can also suffer from decreased DHEA, which is an important stabilizing hormone. The best way to evaluate the levels of these hormones is by saliva testing. Blood hormone testing is inaccurate unless it is “free” testosterone etc. Saliva testing measures free hormones and is a lot cheaper than “free” blood hormone tests. The good news is that andropause can be corrected in most cases by dietary modification and supplementation. Men should have their hormone levels tested just as women even if they are symptomatic. If you any of these symptoms, then there is even more reason to be tested.
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