Male Menopause, Low Libido, and Testosterone Replacement

MALE MENOPAUSE, LOW LIBIDO, AND TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

As a man, your body produces the male hormone known as testosterone. This hormone is made in your testes, and it serves various functions, including:

• Fueling your sex drive.
• Stimulating changes during puberty.
• Supporting your mental and physical energy levels.
• Helping to maintain your muscle mass.
• Regulating your fight-or-flight response and other critical evolutionary features.

Just like women go through menopause, men also experience a decline in male hormone levels as they grow older. This occurrence is known as andropause. Or more commonly, “Male Menopause.”

When a man hits male menopause, testosterone production starts to decline. This decline usually happens in men 50 years or older, and it manifests with a variety of symptoms. Though male menopause is similar to female menopause in some ways, they are also different in many ways. For instance, not all men experience it, and it does not cause your reproductive organs to shut down. But the lower testosterone levels seen in male menopause can result in some sexual difficulties.

Lifetime Variations in Your Testosterone Levels

Testosterone is the male hormone that stimulates the changes you notice around puberty, including:

• Increase in your muscle mass.
• Body hair growth.
• Lowering and deepening of your voice.
• Change in your sexual functioning.

Before puberty, you will typically have low testosterone levels. This level then gradually increases as you sexually mature until you hit puberty.

But as you cross middle age and get older, your testosterone levels will typically start to reduce. In fact, research shows that men’s testosterone levels tend to decrease by about 1% every year after they turn 30. However, some health issues can cause an earlier or higher than usual reduction in your testosterone levels.

Symptoms of Male Menopause

Male menopause can cause a wide range of symptoms. From sexual and physical issues to psychological ones. These symptoms usually get worse as you get older and experience more testosterone reduction. Examples of the symptoms include:

• Erectile dysfunction and low libido.
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• Depression or low mood.
• Low energy levels and physical weakness.
• Insomnia and difficulty concentrating.
• Lower self-confidence.
• Higher body fat and less muscle mass.
• Breast development (gynecomastia).
• Decreased bone density or osteoporosis.

Male menopause may also cause you to experience:

• Hot flashes,
• body hair loss,
• reduced testicle size, or
• Swollen/tender breasts.

These symptoms are not common, but they typically affect men around the same age that women undergo menopause.

Low Libido

This refers to a reduced interest in sexual activity. Or, simply put, your sex drive.

Periodically losing interest in sex is common. In fact, it is normal for your libido level to vary throughout your life. It is also normal for your sex interest not to match your partner’s all the time.

However, low libido for a prolonged time may be a cause for concern in some people because it can be an indicator of an underlying health issue. Lots of things can cause low libido in men, including:

Low Testosterone.

Testosterone plays a vital role in your overall well-being as a man. From helping you build bone and muscle mass to your sperm production and sex drive.

Normal testosterone level varies from man to man. But according to the American Urological Association (AUA), you have a low testosterone level if it is lower than 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL).

Because your testosterone levels significantly affect your sex drive, when your testosterone level drops, so does your desire for sex. While it is normal for your testosterone level to reduce as you age, an extreme reduction can cause your sex drive to reduce.

Aging

Testosterone levels are linked to your libido, and the levels are the highest in your late teens. But as you grow older, your testosterone level decreases and may result in delayed orgasms, ejaculation, and arousal. Your erections may even take longer and not be as hard.

Fortunately, some medications can help with this.

Certain Medications

Some medications can reduce your testosterone level, which may ultimately cause low libido. Examples of such drugs include blood pressure medications like ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers that can prevent erections and ejaculation.

Other examples of medications that can lower your testosterone levels include:

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• Hormones used for prostate cancer treatment.
• Chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer.
• Certain antidepressants, like fluoxetine.
• Ketoconazole; an antifungal medication.
• Opioid analgesics, like oxycodone and morphine.
• Cimetidine; used for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and heartburn.
• Anabolic Steroids; used by certain athletes to boost their muscle mass.

You should let your doctor know if you are experiencing low libido or other symptoms of low testosterone while taking any of the above medications. They may be able to help you switch medications.

Low Self Esteem

Self-esteem is how you perceive yourself, and it plays a crucial role in your emotional well-being. So, if you feel unattractive or undesirable, it will most likely affect your sexual encounters negatively. It can even make you want to avoid sex entirely.

Low self-esteem can also result in sexual performance anxiety, leading to erectile dysfunction and low libido. Furthermore, long-term self-esteem issues can cause more significant mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or even drug abuse. And all these have been associated with low libido.

High Alcohol Intake

Excessive alcohol intake has been linked to reduced testosterone production. Therefore, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol regularly can reduce your libido.

According to the Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention, an adult male should not have more than two alcoholic beverages daily. Higher amounts can result in various health issues, including low sex drive.

Drug Use

Marijuana, tobacco, and drugs like opioids have been linked to a reduction in testosterone production. So, drug use can reduce your sexual desire. In addition, smoking has been found to negatively affect sperm production and movement.

Stress

Pressure and distractions can reduce your sexual desire because stress messes with your hormone levels. Your arteries may also become narrower when you’re stressed. And this narrowing hinders blood flow and potentially causes erectile dysfunction.

Various studies have also shown that stress has a direct effect on sexual desire.

Although it is not easy to avoid stress, stress management techniques like meditation and breathing techniques can help a lot. You can also talk to a therapist. A study showed that men with newly diagnosed erectile dysfunction experienced significant improvement after an 8-week stress management program.

Chronic Health Issues

When dealing with a chronic illness, sex is most likely your least priority. Some diseases like cancer can even reduce your sperm production. Examples of chronic illnesses that can reduce your libido include diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, heart failure, and so on.

Some of the medications used in managing these illnesses may even cause a reduction in your libido. Examples include certain antihypertensives like ACE inhibitors and antidepressants like fluoxetine.

Sleep Issues

A study found that non-obese men with obstructive sleep apnea have lower testosterone levels. This, in turn, leads to reduced sexual desire and activity.

Another study found that the testosterone levels in healthy young men were reduced by 10-15% after just a week of sleep restriction to 5 hours per night.

Experts recommend that you get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Talk to your doctor if you’re having trouble with sleep.

MANAGING MALE MENOPAUSE, LOW LIBIDO, AND TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

How your symptoms are managed depends on your overall health status and how significantly your symptoms disrupt your daily living. If your symptoms do not severely alter your everyday life, you should manage your symptoms by modifying your lifestyle.

However, if the symptoms significantly disrupt your life, you should talk to your doctor about your symptoms and treatment options.

Lifestyle modifications

This is the most common way of treating low libido or male menopause symptoms. Some helpful lifestyle modifications you can make include:

• Eating a healthy diet.
• Reducing your stress levels.
• Exercising regularly.
• Getting adequate sleep.
• Stress management.

Many men experience significant changes in their symptoms and overall health after making these changes.

Medications

If lifestyle modifications do not help ease your symptoms, your doctor may change your current medications. For instance, switch from a testosterone-lowering drug to one that has no effect on your testosterone levels.

Your doctor may also prescribe additional medications to help deal with specific symptoms. For instance, antidepressants or therapy to help you deal with depressions and other psychological symptoms of male menopause.

Testosterone Replacement

This is a hormone replacement therapy where your doctor prescribes synthetic testosterone to help ease your male menopausal symptoms. Many men experience better energy levels, sex drive, and mood after testosterone replacement.

However, this therapy is very controversial. Because, just like performance-enhancing steroids, synthetic testosterone can have harmful effects. For instance, it may cause your cancer cells to grow if you have prostate cancer. So, you should thoroughly weigh the pros and cons with your doctor before you go on testosterone replacement therapy.

KEY TAKEAWAY

It is normal for your testosterone levels to reduce as you grow older. Luckily, the accompanying symptoms are usually manageable with lifestyle changes like a healthy diet, regular exercise, and stress reduction. But if your symptoms are affecting your daily living, you should speak to your doctor, who can provide you with other options to manage your symptoms.

Treating low libido also depends on the underlying health issue. So, there is a need to address any underlying cause, such as medication choice or a chronic illness.