Andropause - Fact or Fiction
One of the biggest controversies gripping today’s medical world is the
subject of andropause. Doctors are taking sides with one school of thought or
another and furiously debate at conventions and in papers if this male version
of the menopause exists, what symptoms should be taken into account during the
diagnose process and what treatments are effective. There is no consensus at the
moment and the search still goes on for an explanation that fits all the facts.
“The determinants of "aging" and of "life expectancy" extend from genetic and
molecular determinants to the increasingly powerful forces of environmental,
economical, technological and cultural globalization.” (Professor Bruno
Lunenfeld, Bar-Ilan University, Israel)
Since the 1940s, the term andropause has been used to describe a condition
that was considered to be similar to the female menopause. The blame for
triggering this condition was laid on falling levels of the testosterone hormone
from around the age of 45 onwards. Andropause was also considered to be the
source of many problems faced by men past their prime, such as weight gain,
heart disorders, mood swings, depression and plummeting libido.
“Our results show that testosterone has a key role in the central and
peripheral modulation of erectile function [….] (Doctor Andrea Garolla,
University of Padua, Italy)”
However, the condition is highly debated, with doctors doubting it even
exists. The main hurdle in agreeing upon a definition of andropause is the fact
that there is no clear physical symptom that could be used to diagnose the
condition. While the end of menstruation is the classic tell-tale for menopause,
men display no such universal symptom that could clue doctors to what’s going
on. That’s why the medical world is still polarized between the two camps that
argue back and forth over this issue.
Still, the medical controversy has not stopped men from looking for a way to
stop or reverse the hormonal changes brought by andropause. Nathan Church,
Product Manager with Lativio, says:
“Although, I am not a medical doctor, I know that increasingly men have
bought our products as a result of a series of problems. These problems include
loss of libido and reduced ability of on demand erections. I can only speak from
my experience with our customers that their symptoms do point to a condition
described as Andropause.”
As we can see from this quote, men are not going to sit idle until experts
agree that there is a problem. The natural products market has a wide range of
products aimed at bringing back some the youthful feeling to aging men. While
taking the problem into one’s hands involves a certain amount of risk, it seems
that many men are perfectly ready to take that risk, especially since the prize
is the spark of life.
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