A: Andropause describes an emotional and physical change that many men experience as they age. Although the symptoms are generally related to aging, they are also associated with significant hormonal alterations.
A: Somesymptoms of andropause include:
- Diminished sexual desire and erectile quality
- Mood changes
- Decrease in body hair
- Increase in fat surrounding the internal organs
- Decrease in bone density
A: As men age the production of testosterone and other male hormones decrease. Although there may be many factors that contribute to andropause, it is clear that one important reason for an aging man's decline in testosterone is that the testes begin to fail.
A: Blood tests measure testosterone levels in diagnosis of andropause. It is widely accepted that the blood work should be done in the morning before ten o'clock to capture the potential peak values.
There remains significant controversy as to how best to measure testosterone levels and diagnose andropause. It is well accepted that if total testosterone is less than 200 ng/dl, a man will be considered as having a low testosterone level. If his total testosterone is greater than 600 ng/dl, low testosterone may be ruled out.
A: With androgen replacement therapies that aim not only to reach normal levels of serum testosterone, but also to normalize levels of the secondary hormones that are affected by testosterone levels. These secondary hormones include DHT and estradiol.
Testosterone replacement therapies are available in:
- Oral tablets or capsules
- Injections
- Planted long-acting slow release pellets
- Skin patches
- Gels
