Andropause and Testosterone Replacement

Have you ever heard of "andropause"? Its essentially the male equivalent of menopause - older men's bodies produce lower levels of testosterone. Though linked with sexual dysfunction, its a more serious issue that is also tied with fatigue and depression...and it occurs much less often.

An article on business week called Low Testosterone in Older Men Less Common Than Thought sheds light on the problems of how to diagnose and treat andropause:

Many men have been taking testosterone supplements to combat the perceived effects of aging, even though it's not clear if taking these supplements help or if they're even safe. The result has been mass confusion, not only as to whether male menopause exists but also how to treat it.

 "A lot of people abuse testosterone who shouldn't and a lot of men who should get it aren't," said Dr. Michael Hermans, an associate professor of surgery in the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and chief of the section of andrology, male sexual dysfunction and male infertility at Scott & White in Temple, Texas.

Its sad (and a little scary) that men are eager to sign up for testosterone replacement therapies before there is research to support these treatments.  And its strange that there isn't more research done, since male sexual health seems to get so much attention from the pharmaceutical companies.

Read the full article and know what you're getting into before getting hormone replacement treatments!