Ask a Nurse: Andropause → Male Menopause

Yes guys, you too have hormones and will eventually go through “the change” unless you are proactive.

Beginning as early as 30 years old testosterone levels steadily decline at a rate of about one to two percent per year (1)(3). Some studies have shown this decline to begin even earlier!

Symptoms of Andropause include loss of muscle mass and strength, mood swings, depression, diminished energy, decreased cognitive function, loss of libido, and of course erectile dysfuction (1)(2).

One of the speakers at this weekend’s conference said (and please forgive my bluntness), “If the only thing that’s stiff in the morning is your back… you’re deficient in testosterone!”

What causes this deficiency? Well, there is a lot of debate regarding this subject. One of the most accepted theories is this decline is a “normal” part of aging. However, several modifiable risk factors include obesity, alcohol and tobacco use, and medications including anticonvulsants and steroids (i.e., Hydrocortisone). Much research is currently being conducted geared toward possible environmental toxin exposure, which may interfere with the production of male hormones (androgens).

In a study from 2009, scientists determined that Roundup, a common household herbicide, at low non-toxic concentrations reduced testosterone levels by 35 percent (4). Yet another study in China in 2010 found that organic compounds in drinking water may induce a reduction in testosterone (5).

So what can we do about it?

  • Drink clean, reverse osmosis water
  • Avoid environmental chemicals
  • Eat organic! See the Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen
  • Only consume food that has not been genetically modified or poisoned with hormones. Remember, we are what we eat!

Ask a Nurse is sponsored by Perfect Form Center for Wellness & Anti-Aging.

CREDITS

column by HOLLIE HILL, RN, BSN, CFO

For further reading:

  1. http://www.nhs.uk/Pages/Preview.aspx?site=male-menopause&print=635360991511035071&JScript=1
  2. http://webmedia.unmc.edu/alliedhealth/nichols/Andropause%20and%20Men.pdf
  3. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/store/10.1002/2327-6924.12114/asset/jaan12114.pdf?v=1&t=hvdtumyh&s=4571f55376dbb720de4ab9b298e33241394165f0
  4. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0887233311003341
  5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19437448

BIO: Hollie is a critical care nurse and co-creator of Perfect Form Center for Wellness & Anti-Aging. She was awarded Nurse of Year Award for Excellence on May 9, 2014 by the Polk County Organization of Nurse Executives. For more information, go to www.perfectformwellness.com, or call Hollie at (863) 299-9111.

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