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Male Menopause
Can Mimic Depression
By: Dr. Maureen Kennedy
Calgary Herald, September 5, 2002
When
we hear about menopause, we automatically think about a time of hormonal
change for women, usually around the age of 50.
Menopause is
an expected event that every woman experiences. There are special services
available for menopause counselling and various research initiatives just
studying menopause issues.
Previous
suggestions that men may suffer from their own form of menopause were
initially treated with skepticism.
However, it is
now becoming well accepted in medicine that some men over the age of 60
have an actual hormonal deficiency that can lead to various symptoms and a
decrease in quality of life.
This hormonal
deficiency is known as male andropause.
A common
problem
Testosterone
is commonly referred to as the male hormone and it is mainly produced by
the testes. It actually decreases in production by one per cent per year
in all males over age 40. Despite the universal decrease in all men, only
20 per cent of men over the age of 60 have symptoms related to
testosterone deficiency. However, 20 per cent adds up to one million
Canadian men over the age of 60, a cause for concern.
Symptoms
affect quality of life
Testosterone
has many important functions in the body. Men suffering from a
testosterone deficiency may experience depressed mood, lack of energy,
fatigue, poor concentration, decreased muscle strength, decreased libido,
low bone density, erectile dysfunction, and elevated cholesterol levels. A
decrease in sport performance may become evident. All of these changes not
only take a physical toll on the man but cause significant psychological
stress as well.
Testosterone
therapy has been shown to improve many of the negative symptoms of
testosterone deficiency. It is available in many forms including patches,
pills, gels and injections. It is not recommended for men with prostate
cancer. Weight gain from taking testosterone may aggravate congestive
heart failure. Certain blood tests are recommended to monitor an
individual on testosterone therapy.
Blood tests
valuable
Since some of
the symptoms of testosterone deficiency can mimic other conditions such as
depression, an actual diagnosis of testosterone deficiency should be made
before assuming that testosterone therapy is indicated. This process
starts with a specific history and physical exam by your physician,
followed by blood tests of particular hormone levels. The blood tests are
essential to help confirm the diagnosis of andropause.
If you or
someone you know has symptoms of andropause, do not be afraid or
embarrassed to ask for help. It is a good idea to make sure your physician
is aware of concerning changes in your health.
If
testosterone deficiency is found to be the main cause of your troubles,
you can live a more energetic and fulfilling life with the right
treatment.
Dr. Maureen Kennedy, MD, CCFP, MSc. Kinesiology,
Dip. Sport Med., is a certified fitness consultant, director of FITNESS
MD, has a certification in preventive medicine from the Cooper Aerobics
Institute, and is head physician, Alberta Ballet.
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