Men who experience menopausal symptoms suffer from a decrease in testosterone. Hormone expert Ralph Moorman says that sexuality will be the first to be affected by this. “Think erectile dysfunction and lower libido.”
The deficiency will also lead to less muscle mass and general lethargy. According to Moorman, this change will happen gradually, while women will experience immediate and severe menopausal symptoms. Due to the gradual change, people will think of age-related complaints rather than a testosterone deficiency.
But according to urologist Herman Leliefeld of Andros Clinics, the complaints between men and women are comparable. “This is because testosterone is broken down in the abdominal fat and converted into estrogen. Estrogens then inform an organ in the brain that the testicles no longer need to produce testosterone.”
Prevent and remedy
Unlike women, men do not become infertile after menopause. They are also able to counteract the changes with a healthy lifestyle.
For example, complaints such as overweight, stress, high blood pressure or cholesterol can accelerate the transition. According to Leliefel, this can be reduced by living a healthier life, whereby a weight loss of 10 to 15 percent can already help.
Moorman also suggests the benefits of a healthy fat percentage. But strength training is also becoming more important. “Once you get older, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep bones and muscles strong and strong,” he says. “You recover less quickly than before. You can deal with this by training shorter and smarter, so that you give yourself time to recover.”
Awareness
According to the experts, more awareness is needed in the field of testosterone deficiencies. Both men and caregivers often don’t think about this diagnosis. Moorman believes it is because men often go to the doctor too late with complaints. “Women generally tend to see a doctor sooner if they think something is wrong. Perhaps also because they may be more familiar with their bodies.”
The urologist advises men to start ‘healthy living’ on time, because this will also help them to have a healthy future. But it is also not too late for men with complaints: “Know that you can reverse a lot with a healthy lifestyle.”
By: Nationale Zorggids / Marian van Reesch
2023-08-16 07:01:06
#women #men #menopause
