The transition from their reproductive years to menopause, when menstrual cycles stop and pregnancy is no longer possible, can be a taxing time for many women. Their reproductive hormones drop dramatically, leading to symptoms such as hot flushes, sleep problems and mood swings.
Do men undergo a comparable transition?
"The answer is a very clear no," says Dr Jann-Frederik Cremers, senior consultant in the Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology at Münster University Hospital in Germany.
Dozens of TikTok videos about male menopause would suggest otherwise, and many health care influencers have taken to social media to claim than "men go through menopause too."
That said, "a healthy man's testosterone levels slowly drop within the normal range during the course of his life," which is natural, says Cremers.
Men's levels of testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, typically decline at a steady rate of about 1% a year from around the age of 30 to 40, notes Britain's National Health Service (NHS). But this usually doesn't lead to a testosterone deficiency in healthy men.
If age-related low testosterone does develop, a condition known as late-onset hypogonadism (LOH), symptoms can include fatigue, low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, sleep problems, hot flushes, consequent profuse sweating and decreased bone mineral density (osteoporosis).
These symptoms can have other causes, however, for example excess weight (particularly belly fat), a lack of exercise and stress. The best way to prevent LOH is to maintain a healthy lifestyle marked by a balanced diet, plenty of exercise, abstaining from smoking and mitigating alcohol intake.
If you're experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms, Cremers recommends seeing your GP or a urologist. "First of all, you should be examined to determine whether you in fact have a testosterone deficiency," he says.
A blood test is used to measure your testosterone levels, preferably via two separate morning measurements. Cremers advises against over-the-counter, at-home tests, warning they're insufficiently reliable.
Should blood testing reveal a testosterone deficiency, therapy can begin, he says. In cases where the causes are organic, supplemental testosterone may be administered (testosterone replacement therapy) in the form of injections, pellets, tablets, patches or gels.
Otherwise, Cremers says, measures such as getting more exercise and improving your metabolic health, eg. by losing excess weight, can help.
