The Aging Male
We all know someone who could easily be the subject of today’s article... that 40-something guy: grumpy, tired, pot-bellied, forgetful & grumpy. What you may not know (unless he happens to be your partner) is that he also has low sex drive, can’t maintain an erection, and is losing muscle mass. Sound like anyone you know?
It is very normal for hormone levels to decrease in both women & men sometime around the mid-late forties, signalling a decline in our reproductive capabilities. For a peri-menopausal woman, her ovaries begin to slow down, with her oestrogen & progesterone levels decreasing accordingly. The symptoms of this are familiar: hot flushes, mood swings, low sex drive, weight gain & night sweats. In men, very similar things are happening, it is just that we know less, and certainly talk less, about them.
Andropause.
Androgens are the name given to the group of male hormones, including testosterone. Thus, andropause is the pausing of androgen production. Most men would want to know they have ample testosterone on board, for this plays a big role in a man’s stamina, musculature, mood and libido. When levels drop, so too do energy levels, muscle mass, libido, mood, sleep quality, memory and general drive. Some men may even experience night sweats & hot flushes, symptoms typically reserved for women. Whilst some reduction in testosterone is normal, it is becoming increasingly problematic, especially in men of younger & younger age. Why??
There is a large body of research to suggest that the following factors are responsible for the increased decline of testosterone:
Obesity as men get fatter, their oestrogen levels rise (yep, this gives you your man boobs) and testosterone falls. As testosterone promotes the formation of lean muscle tissue, a decline in levels means it becomes harder to build muscle.
Sedentary lifestyle: exercise is a strong driver of testosterone, in both men & women. Low exercise = low testosterone.
Stress: high levels of cortisol (our key stress hormone) compromises testosterone production.
Environmental toxins: men are increasingly exposed to xeno-oestrogens, plastics & pesticides, all of which disrupt testosterone synthesis in the testes.
Oxidative damage: the combination of a diet low in nutrients and high in sugar & processed fats causes early damage to the cells that produce testosterone.
Next week’s article will consider how we can support healthy testosterone levels through the right nutritional, herbal & lifestyle means.