Male menopause is rare but real, says study
The most important indicators of the male menopause included fewer sexual thoughts – reflecting a reduced sex drive – and impotence.
They measured the testosterone levels of more than 3,300 men aged 40 to 79 in eight European countries.
Of these, only nine who showed male menopause symptoms were linked in any way to low levels of the male hormone.
Six physical and psychological symptoms, including inactivity, lack of energy and sadness, were also recognised. But these were only weakly linked to male hormone levels.
‘Our findings have for the first time identified the key symptoms and suggest testosterone treatment may only be useful in a relatively small number of cases,’ said Prof Fred Wu, of Manchester University.
They measured the testosterone levels of more than 3,300 men aged 40 to 79 in eight European countries.
Of these, only nine who showed male menopause symptoms were linked in any way to low levels of the male hormone.
Six physical and psychological symptoms, including inactivity, lack of energy and sadness, were also recognised. But these were only weakly linked to male hormone levels.
‘Our findings have for the first time identified the key symptoms and suggest testosterone treatment may only be useful in a relatively small number of cases,’ said Prof Fred Wu, of Manchester University.
