Male Menopause (Andropause)
Key points
- 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.
- The purpose of male menopause is to signal the end of First Adulthood and prepare men for Second Adulthood.
- Somewhere between 40 and 55 most men reach the summit.
- Male menopause is, thus, a physical condition with psycho- logical, interpersonal, social, and spiritual dimensions.
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.
Context:
Think of life as climbing a mountain. Somewhere between 40 and 55 most men reach the summit. For most of human history we then went "down hill" rapidly and died. Now, for the first time, we can experience the full human life cycle. We can experience the second half of life.
The Male Menopause Passage involves the trek down the mountain of of First Adulthood and through the valley below. To complete the journey we must let go of the baggage that got us through First Adulthood and develop new passion, power, and purpose to see us through Second Adulthood.
Male menopause, rather than signaling the beginning of the end, actually signals the end of the beginning. It tells us we are finished with First Adulthood and ready to embark on a trek up a new mountain to Second Adulthood.
Male Menopause: The best is yet to come.
Some believe that male menopause is the road to oblivion, the end of our sexual power. But for those who have the courage to take that road, male menopause is the passage to the most passionate, productive, and purposeful time of a man's life. It is a time to:
(1) Prepare for Second-Adulthood.
(2) Move from the pressure of sexual performance to the joy of sexual fulfillment.
(3) Focus more on being and less on doing.
(4) Change from having a career based on necessity to a calling based on soul-work.
(5) Relate to other men as friends and allies rather than as competitors.
(6) Lay the foundation for becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise.
(7) Become a mentor to younger men.
(8) Learn to be a respected elder in your community.
(9) End the battle of the sexes and find the intimacy, joy, and passion with your life-partner.
(10) Be a trailblazer for experiencing a life well-lived into your 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond.
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
Explore health topics
More in this topic
Women's Health →
NewsMouse menopause model sheds light on UTIs in post-menopausal women
Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, show that reservoirs of uropathogenic E. coli within the bladder exist in higher numbers post-menopause than pre-menopause in a mouse model, a…
25 January 2013
News56 percent of female university students get drunk in record time
Female university students get drunk – on purpose – quicker than their male counterparts, and live a more sedentary life than they do, according to a study by the University of Vigo. Results show that 56.1% of female…
30 December 2012
NewsMenopause quality of life unchanged by soy supplements
Menopausal women who took soy supplements during a two-year trial reported no differences in quality of life compared to their counterparts taking placebo pills, U.S. researchers report. It's possible that soy could…
