Male menopause is a condition that affects older men. It carries a set of symptoms that are linked to declining testosterone levels and aging. It is also referred to as andropause, androgen decline in the aging male, late onset hypogonadism and low testosterone. “Not every man will experience this.
That's right—men have hot flashes, too.
You may get them frequently, or just occasionally. You might feel like you're “burning up”, or you might break out in a cold sweat. Some men wake up hot and sweaty at night. These hot flashes that happen at night are called “night sweats”, and they can cause sleep deprivation.
Male menopause is a period of gradual adjustment when the body adjusts to low levels of testosterone. According to some sources, the discomfort of menopause may last 15 to 20 years.
50-year-old men experience many physical changes as a result of aging. Hormone levels, bone density, muscle mass, eyesight, hair color, skin cells, cognition, and immunity all go through noticeable changes after age 50.
Small changes to your lifestyle to improve your overall health and wellbeing may help male menopause, however, medical treatment will likely be required in addition to any holistic changes that you may undertake. In some cases, a doctor may suggest hormone therapy in the form of injections, patches, or topical gels.
The Cause: Andropause Hot Flashes
While it is true that hot flashes are more common in women, hot flashes in men are not unusual. Male hot flashes are caused by a severe testosterone deficiency that can occur in andropause (male menopause) and in androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.
If you're hot and sweaty and you straight-up cannot stand the heat, you may have an overactive thyroid, a.k.a. hyperthyroidism. “One of the most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism is heat intolerance,” says Jonathan Arend, M.D., an internist at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
One possible cause of night sweats in men is low testosterone, which can be identified via a simple blood test. It's a hormonal condition that becomes more common as men age. Low testosterone has been linked to being overweight and to Type 2 diabetes.
Doctors say that men receiving hormone therapy with testosterone have reported relief of some of the symptoms associated with so-called male menopause.
Though sleepiness, muscle loss and reduced interest in sex are symptoms women experience during menopause, these changes can happen to men as they age, too. Your healthcare provider might call it andropause, but many people call this condition "manopause"—a term coined in a 2014 Time article.
Key nutrients that promote healthy testosterone levels are vitamin D and zinc. You'll also want to boost your intake of branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) which consist of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Some foods you may want to include in your diet: Salmon (vitamin D)
Many of us associate hot flashes with women going through menopause, but hot flashes in men are possible, too. They are most common in men with prostate cancer who are undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) (NCI, 2021). Hot flashes in men can be mild, moderate, or severe, with varying impacts on quality of life.
The decrease in the levels of male hormone, or testosterone, is less severe than the drop in hormone levels for women throughout menopause. The varied signs and symptoms some people attribute to male menopause include: hot flashes. moodiness and irritability.
Men can experience night sweats due to low testosterone levels, also called male hypogonadism. Around 38% of men 45 years or older. View Source have low testosterone levels for a variety of reasons, and even otherwise healthy men have a 20% likelihood of having low testosterone levels if they are over 60 years old.
Hot flashes: Some individuals worry that hot flashes in men and high blood pressure are correlated, but just as with women, they can be caused by prescription medication, being overweight, anxiety, thyroid illnesses, and sudden hormone changes.
One study that looked into the possible connection between hot flashes and hypertension found that women who experienced frequent hot flashes also had a systolic blood pressure that was significantly higher than average.
While women typically experience menopause in the 40s or 50s, a large number of women can experience hot flashes not only during menopause but well into their 60s, 70s, and even 80s.
Treating normal aging with testosterone therapy is not advisable. If you don't have a medical condition that's contributing to your decline in testosterone levels, your doctor might suggest natural ways to boost testosterone, such as losing weight and increasing muscle mass through resistance exercise.