Lets Talk Andropause....
Menopause. We know it well.
It’s been talked about over and over for the last few years, and for those of us who are living it, it’s a tough cookie to swallow!
Although none of us would disagree that it needed to be talked about much more openly, in amongst the maelstrom of articles, books, vlogs, videos, documentaries and such, we have become almost obsessed with the stress that comes with hormonal changes in women.
What we don’t seem to recognise is that these hormonal changes are not unique to a female physiology. In fact, men go through their own version of the menopause, and although conversations are being had more openly around this subject, its still not being discussed enough. Even within the medical industry, there are those who continue to regard it as a myth, so today we are going to talk about the Andropause, its symptoms, and what your options are.
Normally I would start you with the science, but one of Normedica’s owners Ross has personal experience of this. We figured who better to talk about what it is and how it affects men than someone who knows it intimately.
Check out Ross's video from Alphagenix talking about how his diagnosis came about, and what the initial symptoms were that resulted in the diagnosis.
So, unlike the menopause which tends to affect us ladies of a certain age, the andropause has become something of a phenomenon in that it is being seen not only in older men, but younger as well.
Although less common in younger men, there are now a huge amount of external factors that can contribute to an excess of oestrogen and a drop in testosterone, causing andropause to kick in earlier than it would have done.
The big question is - what can you do to delay it, and if you are already dealing with the symptoms, what can you do to reduce the symptoms and help yourself?
I feel like we mention this one in every article we write, but all this does is accentuate just how important diet is. Your body is like a car. For a car to work properly, it needs to be looked after. The right petrol, good quality oil, regular servicing and maintenance. Without that, you know that you are going to experience issues that will not only hinder your ability to get from A-B but that also has the potential to become quite costly, and its the same with your body.
Feed it right, make sure you have regular exercise and keep things like alcohol and junk food to an absolute minimum and that balanced lifestyle will help to keep your testosterone at optimal levels.
Testosterone levels are typically higher on a morning because your body recharges through the night while you are sleeping. If sleep is disturbed or you don't get enough rest, this can disrupt and reduce your body's normal rhythm of testosterone production.
Alongside diet and exercise, sleep is vital for a healthy body. Aside from the affects of lack of sleep on testosterone production and overall general health, research suggests that not getting enough sleep can also lead to impaired memory and attention and in more severe cases - neurological dysfunction and even death.
As with everything else, this is essential for a healthy body but as far as testosterone production goes, the introduction of regular exercise is essential in maintaining healthy levels. High intensity or strength and resistance training 3-5 times a week is believed to have a very positive effect on testosterone levels. Research suggests that the duration and intensity of the exercise will determine how much of an impact it has on production. Shorter, more intense workouts seem to result in more significant, immediate increases whilst cardio or endurance based activity such as long distance running or cycling may not increase it quite as much.
Not only does exercise help with your testosterone production, but it will help to maintain a healthy weight which impacts not only on physical health, but mental health as well.
As we all know, prescribed drugs do come with side effects.
Sometimes, taking medication is unavoidable, but if you are concerned about the possible effects on testosterone production its worth talking to your healthcare provider to explore possible alternatives. If that is not an option then getting ahead of a possible drop in levels will mean that you have the chance to be proactive about a potential drop rather than being reactive.
The drugs that can have an impact are as follows:
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Nobody is suggesting that you don't take required medication but there are always going to be possible alternatives if the ones you are on are causing you issues.
Unfortunately, this is a little bit more difficult to avoid and is believed to have played a large part in the acceleration of low testosterone in younger men over the last few years.
There is no denying that our environment has changed dramatically and not for the better. EDC's or Endochrine disrupting chemicals are unavoidable in todays world. You have most likely already come into contact with them today in something that you have used, drank out of or even potentially eaten.
So, here's the science bit - EDC's cause disruption at a cellular level and can impact at any point of the hormonal process from the gland that produces hormones to the tissue that receives them. There is still questions around how the disruptions occur but we know that they happen and that they can be responsible for a myriad of physical problems including cancer, heart conditions and reproductive issues.
In reality, EDC's are the very definition of a global health crisis, and we have no definitive way of reducing them.
So, now we have put the fear of God into you - how do you avoid the unavoidable?
There are a few changes you can put in place which will help reduce your ingestion of these chemicals.
When looking for products, check for the following -
So, you have a few things that you can do to help avoid a drop, but what happens if you are still struggling and the symptoms point towards a reduction in testosterone?
As you may have noticed, although granted, it needs to be better - there is a much more open dialogue around TRT now, (testosterone replacement therapy) which means that there are options if you are struggling.
Unfortunately, with this positive change comes a lot of 'Mickey Mouse' companies. This has created a minefield when it comes to finding a company who not only offer treatment, but also the time, support, and advice that is required to navigate this huge change in your life. Although the NHS does offer support currently, the specialist experience is not available and testing is very limited which runs the risk of your issue not being resolved.
So, we have come full circle - back to Ross and his experience, and its time for a shameless plug!
Normedica is very lucky to work alongside the company that was set up by Ross and his business partner Ben to tackle this issue head on. His personal experience left him looking at what he could do to encourage more dialogue around this particular subject, and as a result, Alphagenix was formed.
If this is something that you would like more advice on, the website link is above.
Get booked in for a discovery call with one of the Patient Management Team who will be able to advise you further and recommend how you move forward.
The conversation around testosterone is building, but there is still a long way to go before it will be spoken about as openly as it should be.
The balls are in your court, literally!
We all have a responsibility to encourage a dialogue and bring this to the forefront in the same way that menopause was, and in doing so demand change in the lives of millions of men.
It is so important that guys are aware of this 💙