men menopause

Introduction

Male menopause, also known as andropause, is a term used to describe the effect of testosterone levels in men as they age. Unlike menopause in women, which involves a cessation of menses and rapid changes in hormone systems, male menopause is characterized by a slow decline in testosterone over time. In this blog, we will explore the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for male menopause.

Understanding Male Menopause

Testosterone is a hormone that plays a significant role in men's health. However, like many factors in the body, testosterone levels can decrease with age. Low testosterone, also known as hypogonadism, is fairly common, especially in overweight men in their 40s. About 1 in 3 men may have low testosterone in this age group. By the time a man reaches 70, around 30 percent of men will have measurably low testosterone levels.

Symptoms of Male Menopause

The most common symptoms of male menopause are related to sexual health. Men may experience a decrease in libido, fewer morning erections, and difficulty with erectile functioning. However, it's important to note that low testosterone may not always be the primary cause of these symptoms. Other lifestyle factors such as poor sleep, unhealthy diet, and lack of exercise can contribute to similar symptoms.

Lifestyle Changes for Improving Testosterone Levels

If you suspect you have low testosterone, it's important to first evaluate your lifestyle. Making positive changes can have a significant impact on testosterone levels. Here are some recommendations:

• Get at least seven hours of productive and restful sleep each night.
• Engage in regular exercise that builds muscles.
• Follow a healthy diet that is low in sugar and can help reduce belly fat.

By reversing these lifestyle factors, you may be able to naturally improve your testosterone levels without the need for medical intervention.

Testosterone Therapy

If lifestyle changes are not sufficient, testosterone therapy may be an option. Testosterone therapy involves hormone replacement using testosterone. There are various methods of administration, including:

• Injections
• Creams
• Tablets
• Pellets

The choice of treatment method depends on individual preferences and medical considerations. Pellets, for example, slowly release testosterone over a period of weeks or months.

Is Testosterone Therapy Right for You?

While testosterone therapy can be beneficial for some men, it is not suitable for everyone. If you are experiencing sexual symptoms, such as low sexual desire, difficulty with erections, or fewer morning erections, it is important to consult a healthcare professional for evaluation. Additionally, if you have had head trauma, headaches, or changes in vision, urgent evaluation is necessary.

Risks of Testosterone Therapy

It's essential to understand the potential risks associated with testosterone therapy before considering treatment. Testosterone therapy has been associated with an increased risk of coronary artery plaque buildup, temporary increases in cholesterol levels, and an elevated risk of stroke, especially at high testosterone levels. Men with sleep apnea may also experience worsening symptoms with testosterone replacement therapy.

Conclusion

Male menopause, or the decline of testosterone levels in men as they age, is a natural hormonal change that can impact various aspects of men's health, particularly sexual function. While testosterone therapy can be a viable option for some men, it's important to prioritize lifestyle changes first, such as improving sleep, diet, and exercise habits. It's always advisable to consult a healthcare professional to discuss symptoms, evaluate risks, and determine the most appropriate course of action.

Everything we think, and feel, effects who we are, as well as our body. Everyday, and some times every hour or minute, things "Feel "different.This is why one day, we know that the whole world is on our shoulders, and another day we have a ton of pep or are floating on air.

How we eat, what we eat, and how we handle stress can also affect us physically. Having a healthy body requires work on our diet and nutrition, sure it does. But it also requires emotional work and physical exercise. We really can't be whole, and come into our own, until we can get a handle on all aspects of who we truly are.

Yes, to do this requires time and effort. But once again, this body of ours has to last, and work, and move and be, for another 30-50 years. It's like a new car. If you know you need to keep it for the next 10 years, you take really good care of it, do you not, so it will last that long and run well?

What we do not want is; poor healthy, a ton of disease and a scooter chair, right? We also don't want to go though life without grace, love and happiness. You see, it's a whole package, like the car; tires, power windows, CD player. We are made up of so many different, fabulous, unique components.

And we get sick, and we have illness and disease when we do not look at our selves as a whole. And all of those things, everything impacts us. Our emotional well being and our physical strength are truly connected to stress management, unresolved emotional issues, loneliness and loss.

How about treating our body like the best friend it truly is!

Let's consider visualization and meditation in treating our hormonal imbalance. Down times give our adrenal gland and our minds a bit of a rest. This in part, helps with our menopausal symptoms such as breast tenderness, hot flashes and anxiety.

We know what sounds sooth us and draw us in; sounds of nature, chants, ocean waves, Bach, and rhythmic beats are calming. So are drums and pan flutes...think spa music. ( Which reminds me, indulge sometimes, book a massage, it helps as well).

Exercise, and move, our bodies crave it everyday, please. I promise, the more you do, the more you will want to do it. Not only does it help with balancing your hormones, but it's just such a huge gift to give your mind.

Exercise helps with stress, it calms us and boosts our positive moods. Exercise helps keep our bones strong and dense, and burns calories. Moving helps us from gaining more menopause weight and it reduces our risk of breast cancer, heart attacks and stroke.

We deserve to be the best we can possibly be. We can do this though awareness of what we really want and need. We can start by getting control of the stress in our lives, and reaching out to others.

-Interact with your Great Spirit everyday

-Be kind, give back, and play nice.

-Do not judge or stereotype so quickly

-Change negative thinking into positive thinking

-Feel your feelings, then let them go, move forward

-Move your body every day, exercise it at least 3 days a week.

-Sleep 8 hours a night, you will live longer and better because of it.

-Eat clean, whole, real foods, drink lots of water

-Meditate or take deep breaths, and a time out, everyday, and as needed, to keep in charge of that nasty stress.

-Take a day off to relax, read, play in your yard, and go to the beach. Do it without a " to do" list in your pocket, and guilt.

-Indulge in a hobby...garage sales, surfing, gardening, and scrapbooking...whatever floats your boat. Enjoy!

-Learn to laugh, smile more, and don't take yourself so seriously.

We need to work with and on our minds, emotions and physical bodies in every way, to be the best, we can possibly be. And you are such a strong, unique and beautiful person! I wish for you to be truly, truly whole.

Corby Campbell Shields
Co-Author Menopause Master Plan
http://www.menopausemasterplan.com/

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Menopause can be a very frustrating and uncomfortable stage in any woman's life. It is something that many women are eager to treat to escape from nasty symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and fatigue. The herbal medicine market recognizes this and therefore there are hundreds of possible remedies each claiming to help control side effects and bring women back to a normal, comfortable state.

MenoClear is a supplement based like many others, on the concept of using a natural herbal remedy. MenoClear contains a list of tested ingredients each used to target problems such as hot flashes. One of the main ingredients in MenoClear is Protykin. Protykin is an extract of Polygonum Cuspidatum, which is well known for its detoxifying effects on the body. Originally used in Chinese medicine this ingredient is also known to be beneficial to women in other ways such as improving cardiovascular health and reducing the effects of premature aging.

Another active ingredient in Menoclear is black cohosh. This ingredient stemming also originally from Chinese medicine is used as a replacement of estrogen, which the body lacks during menopause. Research shows that the active ingredients can help minimize hot flashes by 57% and help ease intensity by 38%. Countries all over the world use this ingredient for many different reasons but a very important reason is for regulating a healthy female reproductive system. This extract is most effective for the menopause in regards to hot flashes. Black cohosh should not be taken for a very extended period of time however so amounts taken should be monitored.

Soy Isoflavones are also found in MenoClear which is a supplement highly recommended by many herbalists. Soy isoflavones have been found to be effective for hot flashes during the menopause in term of intensity and frequency. This is wonderful news for women going through the menopause as hot flashes can be extremely uncomfortable, inconvenient, distracting and lets not forget, embarrassing if combined with excessive sweating which is common.

Other ingredients in MenoClear are thought to combine to fight the likelihood of other health issues such as breast cancer and heart disease. MenoClear must be taken regularly for women to experience the full effects. The list of powerful ingredients may dramatically reduce menopausal symptoms and their all-natural properties are healthy for the body. There is a night version of this supplement available so even sleepless nights can be targeted which is a relief for many busy women.

Get the facts and read more reviews here: Menoclear

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If you`re suffering from acne AND menopause, you have my sympathies.

Menopause can cause a dip in confidence at the best of times. Your body starts behaving in ways that you never expected or experienced before - hot sweats, bloating, incontinence! Which is enough to knock anyone sideways. But then you look in the mirror one morning and you can see the first signs of a breakout. I don`t mean a few harmless pimples here and there, but blackheads, whiteheads and small pustules. The type where your skin looks like a ripe tomato and a new blemish seems to pops up every couple of minutes. I can tell you that it`s a horrible experience.

Your first response may be to rush out and buy the strongest medication that you can lay your hands on, and if you have really bad acne, that may be necessary, but before you do that why not try to control your breakout without visiting the pharmacist.

Acne affects menopausal women more than you may imagine, in fact it`s quite a common problem. And unlike teenagers, who are warned about the dangers of eating sweet, greasy foods, for us older ladies, things are not quite so simple.

As with almost all menopausal symptoms, it`s those pesky hormones estrogen, testosterone and progesterone that are mainly responsible for our less than perfect complexion. They fluctuate greatly as our body goes through the menopausal changes and consequently, we experience all of the associated menopause symptoms.

I was fortunate, in that I had worked in the cosmetic industry for many years and so my skin care routine was impeccable. I had always insisted on natural products, with no added color or fragrance (and animal friendly), that may cause an allergic reaction. I drank plenty of water and never went to bed without removing every last trace of make up. As I got older, I changed only my moisturizer and made sure that it was rich enough to nourish my skin, but did not clog the pores. I also exfoliated weekly without fail, which many women do not do, but which does make a big difference as the dead skin cells do not slough off as efficiently on mature skins. This not only makes the skin look dull, but the dead skin cells will block the pores and cause spots.

It is a not true to say that acne is caused because people fail to wash their faces often enough. Too much cleansing or scrubbing the skin harshly can make acne worse.. The best way to cleanse the face is to gently wash it twice daily using a mild cleanser. Be careful to remove make-up without harsh scrubbing.

If you do find yourself in the grip of menopausal acne, don`t be tempted to buy the strongest cleanser possible and literally try to dry out every last bit of oil on your skin - as this would be counter productive and leave you with flaky skin which still had pimples. Cleaning away all of the surface oils doesn't help menopausal acne, as it starts under the skin

Of course, it goes without saying, that no matter how tempting, don't pick or squeeze your spots because you can cause infection and the skin will certainly become red. By stressing and being self-conscious, you will only draw attention to yourself and stress can, in fact also trigger an acne breakout. Worrying and fretting about your face, affects your hormones and will not help your emotional state - or your skin.

In time, the acne will improve and eventually disappear completely. But in the meantime - apart from trying to maintain a sense of humor - here are a few other suggestions to help combat menopausal acne.

* Practice relaxation techniques
* Drink plenty of water
* Use gentle products that won`t aggravate your skin
* Speak to your doctor about stopping hormone replacement therapy if you think it is the cause of your acne
* GENTLY exfoliate twice a week
* Exercise will get the blood pumping, increase your oxygen intake - and help improve your complexion.

....And did I mention retaining a sense of humor always helps?

For more information on menopause acne and all symptoms of menopause, visit us at the Complete Menopause

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Menopause is accompanied by various climacteric symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, urogenital (vaginal lining) atrophy, irregular menstruation, insomnia, low level depression, palpitations, and headaches. Because of the risks associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), women often turn to alternative therapies to relieve these symptoms. Among the alternative therapies are preparations that include sage, red clover and black cohosh and specifically preparations that do not contain soy, a known allergen and also the cause of gas, bloating and gastrointestinal upset for many women.

Several products are available as single herbs but symptom relief is enhanced when using products that contain multiple herbal ingredients.

Peer review of literature to assess the effectiveness of multi herb products for the treatment of vasomotor, cognitive, and genital climacteric complaints continues with good quality results. Market research revealed OBGYN's preferred their patients to start with a natural solution for perimenopause and menopause symptom relief and life styles changes before turning to potentially harmful treatments such as HRT and BHRT or using antidepressants in the hopes of quieting hot flashes or the need for estrogen.

Herbs are known as Phytoestrogens and means plant estrogen. But phytoestrogens are not estrogen per se. They do not behave the same way as a woman's own estrogen or like the estrogens in HRT or BHRT.

Phytoestrogens structurally resemble a woman's endogenous estrogen. Their chemical structure is such that it allows them to bind weakly to estrogen receptors in the body, potentially impairing excess of endogenous estrogen to the receptor thereby producing estrogen benefits with substantially fewer side effects. Also, when endogenous estrogen is low, phytoestrogens will quiet the body's need for estrogen.

We are all reminded of the dangers of HRT every time we hear of another life-changing moment - a health diagnosis of breast cancer that will change a woman's life forever. She could be your sister, friend, a casual acquaintance or co worker.

It makes me realized how vulnerable we are and that we shouldn't take our health for granted. It is too precious.

As a medical community, we have learned a great deal about the risks of using hormone replacement medications, short and long term. The risks are many and shouldn't be taken lightly by any women regardless of her age or family history.

My work includes defending every woman, at every age and at any stage, when it comes to her menopause transition, health and comfort. My great intention is that the products Solutions for Women offers creates the quality of life that will have a positive impact on you and those you love.

We may forget what we did but we never forget how we feel.

Sabina E. Fasano is the founder of Solutions for Women, the developer of Femmerol®, a patented, clinically tested micronized herbal formulation for addressing hormonal imbalance due to menopause, perimenopause, and monthly hormonal fluctuations. Femmerol is manufactured by the Capsugel Division of Warner-Lambert. To learn more about Femmerol visit http://www.solutionsforwomen.com/ or call 1 + (800) 846-0866

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Imagine the scene if you will.

Marjorie and her husband Ken (not their real names), were settling down for a romantic night in front of the television, when Marjorie quietly leaned over and informed her husband that they were expecting the pitter patter of tiny feet! Apparently Ken almost fell off his chair.

Now normally, this would be a cause for celebration, but what if I told you that Marjorie and Ken were both in their early fifties and they had brought up three children, prior to taking early retirement? This was supposed to be 'their' time, when they had no-one to please but themselves.

You would probably be shocked and then surprised at this story, I know I was when my friends told me. You see, I didn't realise that a woman could become pregnant once she had started menopause. Unfortunately, neither did Marjorie. She had taken birth control right up until she began suffering from hot flashes and 'spotting' and then she stopped. You see Marjorie, as many women do, had wrongly assumed that because she was displaying menopausal symptoms, that she was now infertile.

Many of us believe that menopause is an event with a start and a finish that signals the end of fertility from day one. But, that is incorrect and it is a process that could potentially last for ten years (yikes) usually beginning somewhere in our early fifties. Although some women do suffer from premature menopause and they can go through it many years earlier than this. All that the symptoms mean is that our hormone levels are becoming unbalanced, but this does not mean that we are unable to conceive.

It's true that as a woman ages, her fertility decreases and so it becomes less likely that she will fall pregnant naturally - but it is not impossible. In fact there are many stories available to read online of ladies over fifty giving birth naturally.

That's all well and good, providing you are ready to welcome a new born baby into your life, but this article is for those menopausal women who are looking forward to the freedom from child rearing that age and maturity usually brings.

So, how can it happen that a woman is going through menopause and yet she is still fertile? Easy, while eggs are still being released and there is an adequate supply of the necessary hormones, she can still become pregnant.

It doesn't matter that her periods may be all over the place or she is so bloated that she resembles a small planet, providing that she is still having her monthly period, pregnancy is possible. In fact, it is wise to continue with birth control until there has been no show of blood for twelve consecutive months. After this time, it is impossible to become pregnant naturally as there would not be an adequate supply of estrogen to facilitate the process.

Apart from the psychological aspects of a late pregnancy, there are of course health considerations to think about for those women who become pregnant in menopause.

This list is by no means comprehensive, but it will give you an idea of the dangers.

There is an increased risk of infection, miscarriage, bleeding and several other potentially dangerous medical conditions. Furthermore, medical research has proven that the risk grows even higher with every passing year over the age of forty.

So, if you are coming up to an age where night sweats and hot flashes beckon and you don't fancy the idea of early morning feeds and dirty diapers - don't take a chance and hope for the best. Make sure that you continue with the birth control.

If you`re hating your menopause and want to discover great ways of handling menopause signs, or if you just want to feel normal. Visit us today.

Find out more about menopause and pregnancy

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Menopause is a process. There's no going around it, there's only going through it. And we're all going to go through it. Think of it like an arc or a "rainbow" of sorts. It has a beginning, middle, and an end. The beginning "Perimenopause" is when fertility slowly declines and hormone production decreases. Declining hormones cause many menopause symptoms you may be familiar with like hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, irregular periods as well as depression, anxiety,foggy thinking, insomnia, moodswings, thinning hair, loss of libido...the list goes on and on. The middle "Menopause" itself only happens once. It officially occurs one-year after your last period. The end "Postmenopause" is the glorious time when you truly come into your own. A mature woman is a work of art crafted by her experiences and her own inner resources. This is your opportunity to refashion your purpose in life.

I challenge you to embrace your menopause experience as a whole and develop an understanding of the entire arc of this life transition. This journey brings gifts at each stage. There are treasures for us to discover at every point, opportunities that can be found now that aren't available to us at any other time in our life. It's up to us each one of us to find these treasures, seize the opportunities to grow and expand, and discover the value in the life stage we are in right now.

During this transition it's important to remember that you are not a "victim" of menopause and it's certainly not a "disease" or a disorder that requires a visit to the Doctor and prescription medication for treatment, as many would have you believe. It's a passage in every woman's life that takes place over a period of time. Each one of us is unique and what we will each experience during our transition is likewise unique. Menopause is one of those instances where what's easiest and natural is also best. I recommend and encourage you to include a daily all-natural herbal supplement that's a "full-spectrum" blend, so it will alleviate a broad range of menopause symptoms. I also challenge you to make needed changes in your diet. By supporting your health through good nutrition it will positively influence your hormonal balance - which is critical in managing your menopausal symptoms. Lastly, move your body! Even moderate exercise can have a positive impact on your menopause experience. Remember "a body in motion STAYS in motion."

By adopting a few simple lifestyle changes you can take control of your menopause experience and actually enjoy it. Midlife is the time to gather our gifts, to reclaim the parts of ourselves that are stuck in the past. It's time to let go of those old patterns that are not serving us well, and release them so that all our energies can flow in the same positive direction. It's time to use our insight to become aware, our courage to be able to see, and our wisdom to take charge of our own menopause experience.

Valerie Martinez is a nutritional health consultant who (together with her business partner Carine Horner -- a holistic nutritionist), is dedicated to helping women just like you learn how to achieve relief from their menopausal symptoms naturally and safely vs. the outdated traditional approach of HRT (hormone replacement therapy). To learn more about effective, SAFE, all-natural menopause symptom relief, visit our website at http://www.menopauserelieftoday.com/ and pick up your FREE Report.

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