Male Menopause: Holding Back the Years

Male Menopause (also called viropause or andropause) involves the hormonal, physiological, and chemical changes that occur in all men generally between the ages of 40 and 55, though it can occur as early as 35 or as late as 65. These changes effect all aspects of a man's life.

Male menopause is, thus, a physical condition with psycho- logical, interpersonal, social, and spiritual dimensions.

Purpose: The purpose of male menopause is to signal the end of First Adulthood and prepare men for Second Adulthood. The initial signs often involve changes in a man's sexuality.

MEN and boys face different health concerns than women and girls. Recently, Men's Health Society was launched in the country in response to the current trend in medicine for men's preventive care. This also refers to measures taken to prevent male-related diseases as well as curing them or treating their symptoms.

The Asian Institute of Longevity Medicine (AILM), represented by Dr. Quincy Raya, is currently spearheading the establishment of the Men's Health Society, Philippines which aims to promote the growing need for a greater understanding of men's health concerns.

Women go through it. Why not men too? The 'male menopause'and the 'andropause'are the buzz words for a collection of symptoms that men get once they're into their fifities and beyond. They include: - an increase in abdominal fat; - declining muscle mass and strength; - a decrease in motivation and drive; - an increase in fatigue and lethargy; - moodiness and irritability ('grumpy old man syndrome'; - difficulty concentrating; - declining interest in sex, and erectile problems; - depression.

From about 50 onwards, men experience a gradual decline of about one to two per cent a year in the levels of testosterone in their bodies. Manufactured in the testes, testosterone is the main male sex hormone responsible for secondary sexual characteristics like facial hair and penile growth. It also controls muscle gain and fat distribution.

In connection with this, AILM is embarking on an advocacy campaign to encourage Filipino men age 35 and above to be screened for conditions such as male menopause, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia etc.

The Men's Health Society is coordinating with several male organizations, stakeholders and the Asian Institute of Longevity.

Identifying the reasons for men's poorer physical and mental health is an imperative. The Society hopes that measures could be developed and implemented to promote a healthy and active men's lifestyle, eventually prevent diseases, and guide the development of appropriate health services and policy," according to Dr. Quincy Raya.

Genuine testosterone deficiency