We’ve all heard the stereotype: a middle aged man who starts dressing like Puff Daddy, begins listening to Christina Aguilera instead of classic rock and buys himself a Porsche so he can cruise around while looking for holla back girls young enough to be his daughter.

The cliché has been around for a long time and this actually happens. But what if I told you they were symptoms of Andropause?

Andropause is the male equivalent of Menopause. You might think that a man having Menopause is laughable and you’ve possibly never heard of it before but it is true. Men do go through the change and for some it can be quite devastating. So what is Andropause?

Andropause is caused by a large decrease in male testosterone, it usually begins in men over forty-five but can begin as early as thirty. Like menopause it can be devastating and life changing to those that are going through it. In the USA it is estimated that there are over 350,000,000 men going through Andropause at any given time.

Like Menopause, Andropause can be medically distinguished by testing one's testosterone levels and is very treatable.

The Symptoms

The symptoms of Andropause will sound quite common when you know them.

Some of the symptoms are similar to Menopause, reduced or increased energy, irritability, and other negative moods, back pain, sleeplessness, headaches, confusion. Commonly known as grumpy old man syndrome. Physically, when there is a decline in testosterone levels it can affect bones, joints, muscle, arteries and veins and almost every major organ system, because they all require testosterone to maintain optimum function. Hence, quite a number of symptoms are seen at male menopause.

Common physical symptoms are taking longer to recover from injuries and illness. Less endurance for physical activity. Feeling fat and gaining weight. Difficulty reading small print. Loss or thinning of hair. Sleep disturbances and fatigue. "Sore body syndrome" -- stiffness.

Excessive sweating. Cold hands and feet. Itching. There can also be loss of muscle mass, or the muscles turn flabby.

These symptoms are so common it’s almost a surety that you know some one, even some one who is close to you who is going through some of these symptoms and don’t know they are having the onset of Andropause.

Some of the psychological symptoms to watch for are. Irritability. Indecisiveness. Anxiety and fear. Depression. Loss of self-confidence and joy. Loss of purpose and direction in life. Feeling lonely, unattractive and unloved. Forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating. With these symptoms we are not talking about normal everyday incidents, if that were the case we’d all need to go see our doctor, but when these symptoms become chronic and severe we should not ignore the warning signs.

For me the greatest indignity of my eventually contracting Andropause will be the sexual symptoms which none of us look forward to, which are reduced interest in sex. Men may require direct physical stimulation to get an erection; a sexy sight or fantastic fantasy may not arouse them as it did before. Increased anxiety and fear about losing sexual potency. Increased fantasies about having sex with a new and younger partner. More relationship problems and fights over sex, love and intimacy. Loss of erection during sexual activity (impotence). Erections may take longer to occur and the full erection may not get quite as firm as it used to. There is less of an urge to ejaculate. Sometimes a man might not feel the need to orgasm at all. The force of ejaculation is not as strong as it once was. The amount of the ejaculate is less and one may have fewer sperm. The testicles shrink and the scrotal sack droops. The sack does not bunch up as much during arousal.

All of these symptoms, emotional, physical and sexual are interconnected. Only looking at one type and not seeing the overall picture is one of the reasons why Andropause goes undetected and untreated. And of course men don’t like to talk about their ill health at the best of times. But buck up and don’t reach for the Viagra just yet, there are treatments.

Prevention and Treatment

So exercise regularly. Good long walks instead of jogging, which is much healthier for you. Some weight training because testosterone is produced when you try to build or maintain muscle mass. Diet is essential, a good balance of proteins, fruits and vegetables and good fats like fish oils and good carbs like whole wheat.

Another good way to go for the mental and emotional components is with relaxation therapies and techniques, get yourself a massage and take up something like Tai-Chi which strengthens the body and helps clear the mind. Take up a hobby and set regular times to allow yourself to enjoy them, and if your wife bugs you about your love of golf, tell her it’s Doctor's orders.

Aside from physical activity and good eating,there is also a more direct way of combating Andropause is with Hormone Replacement Therapy, just like in Menopause. Where pharmaceutical Testosterone is added by a medical regime. This part of the treatment must be given by a medical practitioner and carefully monitored. Also while having hormone therapy one should have the prostate checked regularly, there is no definite link between testosterone replacement and prostate cancer but it has been shown that previously undiagnosed and already present cancerous cells can be accelerated by hormone therapy. There are many ways to take testosterone as prescribed by your physician; there are patches, pills, shots and even crèmes.

Lastly there’s that little blue pill, Viagra. All the before mentioned treatments should do wonders for your sex life without supplements but even the best of us need a little help rising to the occasion. But when it comes to erectile aids always have them prescribed by your Doctor because there can be some adverse affects when coupled with other medications.

How will it affect my life?

Really there is no need to be worried that Andropause will add any indignity to your later years. I have a next-door neighbor who is over eighty years old and is one of the most virile and active men I know. With treatment and a healthy lifestyle Andropause need not affect your life at all. The only way it can do this is by embarrassment caused by the symptoms allowing you to leave them undiagnosed and untreated. Getting online and ordering Viagra so no one will know is the wrong way to go about it because turning to a little blue pill to help with one of the symptoms is not going to do us much good in the long term. In the case of Andropause the holistic approach is the most satisfying and effective.

So don’t wait till tomorrow to ask you Doctor about it, tell him you’ve just heard about Andropause and you’d like to know as much about it as you can. Get tested so you can begin preventative techniques; ask you Doctor if he knows of any support groups in your area.

Your later years can be as rich and rewarding as it ever was, remember your Grandfather didn’t have the wealth of knowledge and treatment that you have available to make your retirement the long earned joy of your life. Just as it should be.