Male Menopause - Is This for Real?

 

The male testosterone, which is secreted primarily from the testicles and secondarily from the adrenal glands, is crucial in male development. It is also known that serum testosterone levels do decline with advancing age, beginning in the mid-forties. In addition, the size and weight of the testicles decrease with age. Seventy-year-old males may be expected to have approximately 50 percent of the testosterone concentrations found in men half their age.

 

However, almost all older men still have serum testosterone levels that are in a range considered normal. Testosterone levels in men, who demonstrate varying levels of erectile ability, usually fall within the normal range, indicating that testosterone itself is usually not a cause of impotence. However, while low testosterone is generally not responsible for impotence, it may cause a loss of interest in sex.

 

As a man enters middle age, he will experience many changes in his emotional health. A man may realize for the first time that many of his early aspirations, either personal or occupational, are not where he expected. In addition, he may feel like there is really nothing to look forward to in life. Many women state that they know their partner is going through a "change of life." However, the fact is that this is probably not a physiological change but rather a psychological one.

 

Some men today believe they should be able to perform sexually like they did at a younger age. They expect that foreplay, erections, vaginal penetration, ejaculation, and orgasm will follow in an automatic sequence. Since most bodily functions, including sexual drive, vary from day to day, the chances of not living up to a predetermined standard are significant. In fact, there is a great tendency for men, especially those of middle age, to believe that they are sexual underachievers.

 

It is imperative that these men and their female partners realize that sexual performance will vary from time to time. They should understand that there are no set standards that must be met on every occasion. A sympathetic and considerate female partner is one of the most important factors in continuing potency in the male. Men and their partners should take heart in the knowledge that sex, like a fine wine, may improve with aging.

 

While scientists disagree about male menopause, the ultimate experts on the subject, middle-aged men, express few doubts that it exists. The term menopause may actually be a misnomer when applied to men. Their reproductive glands do not all shut down the way women's ovaries do. What happens is more gradual than female menopause, and is not universal. Women's estrogen levels decline suddenly, while men lose only 0.5% of testosterone annually, beginning at age 40, rarely dipping below healthy levels. This also has nothing to do with fertility.