They can provide recommendations to help you manage or treat your symptoms. If your doctor suggests hormone replacement therapy, weigh all of the positives and negatives before making your decision. Hormone replacement therapy is another treatment option. They typically affect MAABs at the same age as FAABs entering menopause. You may also experience swollen or tender breasts, decreased testicle size, loss of body hair, or hot flashes. But "menopause, by definition, isn't going to happen in men," says Dr. Gideon Richards, assistant professor of urology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in Hempstead, N.Y. To get to the bottom of this mystery, I enlisted four experts in urology, endocrinology and men’s health to help separate myth from medicine. If your symptoms are causing you hardship, speak to your doctor. For example, if you have prostate cancer, it may cause your cancer cells to grow. Like performance-enhancing steroids, synthetic testosterone can have damaging side effects. If the specialist confirms this diagnosis, you may be offered testosterone replacement to correct the hormone deficiency, which should relieve your symptoms. But this is an uncommon and specific medical condition that's not a normal part of ageing. This is known as late-onset hypogonadism and can cause the "male menopause" symptoms. The damage could come from an injury, infection, radiation treatment, androgen deprivation therapy (for treating prostate cancer), or chemotherapy. Some men with a low testosterone level might never go through "male menopause-like" symptoms. About 10% to 15% of men ages 60 and older have low testosterone levels, and that percentage rises further as men get older. But for men, the decline in men's dominant sex hormone, testosterone, is more gradual and occurs slowly over many years. Men with prostate cancer, severe sleep apnea, uncontrolled heart failure, or elevated red blood cell counts typically shouldn't receive testosterone therapy. Most people recognize "menopause" as the time in a woman’s life when menstrual periods stop and hormone levels—especially estrogen—drop, bringing on hot flashes, mood changes, and sleep disturbances. For years, the focus in prostate cancer has been on newer, more targeted drugs and immunotherapies. Patches are simply stuck on the skin and replaced at home, with oestradiol absorbed steadily into the bloodstream. The practical advantages of patches are easy to appreciate. Prostate cancer is already the most common cancer in UK men, with around 64,000 new cases and 12,000 deaths each year. Bone health also favoured the patches, with fractures roughly twice as common in the injection group. The finding could change how men with prostate cancer that has spread beyond the gland are treated for years to come. For example, did you know that testosterone is a key player in prostate cancer? What's more, testosterone plays other important roles in health and disease that may surprise you. None of our tests are intended to be a substitute for seeking professional medical advice, help, diagnosis, or treatment. Measure 11 key biomarkers known to play important roles in women’s overall health You can do so easily and conveniently in a virtual women's health visit or a virtual men's health visit from Everlywell. Depending on your testosterone levels and your response to TRT, the dosage may be adjusted. Your doctor will evaluate your symptoms and testosterone levels after you've been on TRT for about three months. There are ways to increase low testosterone levels if they are causing bothersome symptoms and affecting quality of life. Testosterone can stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells, which is why hormone therapy to lower testosterone levels is a common treatment for men with prostate cancer. Unlike women who experience very low estrogen levels at menopause, a man's testosterone level may never fall below the normal range. "Male menopause," or andropause, refers to the gradual decline in testosterone levels as men age. Also called androgen replacement therapy, this is a medical treatment your doctor may prescribe if blood tests show unusually low levels of testosterone. Your body needs a balance of estrogen, testosterone, and other male hormones so that your ovaries can function properly. Research shows that men who exercise regularly have higher testosterone than those who don’t (10). Be sure to speak with your doctor or clinician on which method is best for you and your health needs. However, when you’re undergoing TRT, some people test to determine the peak amount of testosterone, and some people try to grab the trough, says McDevitt. Your testosterone is higher in the morning, so that’s the best time to test. Clinically, if you’re doing well and your doctor agrees that your levels are within good ranges, then you’ll want to test every six months.
