Does male menopause really exist? It’s become a growing topic because of the aging of the baby boomers. It’s questioned, because it’s not as overt as female menopause. But there can be similarities due to changes in the estrogen / testosterone ratio. Which means as men’s testosterone reduces, the estrogen ( however small the amount ) will fill in the hormone receptors that usually holds the testosterone. It can probably explain why men stop feeling so bullet proof as they age, and less incline to jump from a moving car after drinking copious amounts of beer. Usually there is a mellowing affect, loss of muscle tone, weight gain around the belly, changes in mood, hair loss, low libido, sleep disturbance, hot flashes ( or power surges as many of my female patients call them), stiffness and joint aches, irritability and anger - in other words aging aint for the mild at heart.

But let me say, that in most cases, it’s a gradual decline and doesn’t come on as quickly as it does for women. And thank goodness for that, because there’d be far to many homicides for CSI to handle. However it does occur to some degree in all men. The peak hormone level for men is about 18 and maintains fairly constant through the mid - twenties. It’s about a 6-8 year cycle for men regarding changes in hormones. And most guys will agree it’s the late 20’s to early 30’s when there seems to be some chinks developing in the armor.

Party guys will see it in not recovering as fast from long nights out. Guys who don’t workout and eat poorly will start to see their body start to pudge out. And although peak athletic years for professional athletes occur between 27 - 32, recovery from injuries start to take it’s toll. Guys who had a full head of hair at the 5 yr. high school reunion, are a lot thinner at the 10 yr.

So what hormones cause these drops? In a gradual decline, testosterone, human growth hormone (HGH), DHEA, and androsteindione. It will have a effect on the thyroid metabolism, cortisol output, dopamine and serotonin ( brain chemistry ). Which means it could make guys sluggish, stressed out, can’t sleep, and cranky ( and regardless of one’s political affiliation, these guys run governments throughout the world).

When does this take place? It starts around 35 and continues from there. Some studies show that at age 55 hormones are significantly lower than 10 yr. previous. And that by age 80, most hormones are to that of pre - puberty levels ,( shoot me now). Levels will certainly be affected by what we eat, the environment, activity levels, and certainly stress.

Too much soy for example may increase the estrogen. Pesticides and petro-chem exposure (smog) convert to something called xenoestrogen (foreign estrogen). By the way this has led to decrease sperm production and sperm motility ( bad swimmers ). Poor diet and lack of exercise will affect muscle to fat ratio that will affect HGH and testosterone output. Too much fat may increase men’s ability to make a estrogen type by-product. Stress produces cortisol that could impact testosterone output.

For men, modernization has affected us in many ways. Since we are supposedly built to hunt and kill things, and spend a lot of energy doing it; we’ve fallen short. Now our idea of hunting food, is hunting for the next drive thru and tracking it via gps. The club that we use is the one we put on our steering wheel before we go into the 7-Eleven. So the notion of needing enough testosterone to exist has to be affected, because we don’t tap into the primal need to exist! And like anything else it’s use it or lose it. Because of modernization and stress there could be lowered sex drive. Low sex drive equals few orgasms, few orgasms mean less need for the testis to make hormones, less feedback to make hormones means less circulating in the blood stream. All this makes some bummed out guys.

What can be done? First of all lose some weight. That tire around the middle is all fat. Extra fat for men will increase the potential to make more estrogen. Which leads to how to lose the weight with exercise. Aerobics are fine, but strength training makes a bigger muscle and to make more muscle the body has to produce more hormones, like testosterone. Short, intense bursts of 30 -90 sec of either aerobics or weights will increase HGH.

Avoid the processed foods and fatty foods. All of which in excess can lead to insulin changes that can impact men’s estrogen out put. We really are what we eat. On that note, with everyone eating chicken these days get the free range ones. They aren’t pumped with hormones and pesticides that will deposit more female type hormones in men’s bodies. Same holds true with beef. Try and get the organic stuff.

Supplements. Controversial as it is, there is some good evidence of helping. Try to find a healthcare practitioner to walk you through it rather than the nice person at the health food store. But regardless here are some suggestions. DHEA, zinc, selenium, saw palmetto with pygeum(helps protect the prostate- pygeum blocks something called arometase), epimedii-also known as horny goat extract (farmers noted that when the male goats ate this plant - well you get the idea...), lycopene ( a strong antioxidant that protects the prostate ), siberian ginseng, cordyceps, ( herbs that can help testosterone levels).

Foods. Oysters ( lots of zinc - helps with testosterone levels ), lean beef ( high protein and zinc), beans ( good zinc source, protein and fiber which stabilizes cholesterol - cholesterol may have some impact on male’s estrogen in too high an amount), chicken and turkey ( don’t forget to get the free range stuff, but high protein to fat ratio helps build more muscle, more muscle=more testosterone ), Cruciferous vegetables ( high in indoles that reduces the estrogen in the body), and finally garlic, (the allicin in garlic stimulates testosterone and reduce the impact of cortisol).

So you see guys there is hope. It’s not hard, you just have to want to do it. But, because it is so gradual with men,and men rarely like to admit their mortality, it will be a up hill battle. Take stock in yourselves. You can be as health as you would like or as feeble as you want. So step up to the plate and take a swing at being healthy! Remember use it or lose it!

By the way I do practice what I preach. With a busy practice and two young children, I still train 4-6 days a week. I’m 51 with 7-8% body fat, I’m a brown belt in Krav Maga, I skate board with my two boys, I just started surfing again ( rather falling) after 25 yr. away, and according to my last blood work I still maintain a balanced testosterone to estrogen ratio. We eat very well, drink plenty of water, rest, and I try to keep my stress as minimal as I can.

But there has been a hip replacement, assorted injuries that take longer to heal, a few more gray hairs, a few less hairs, and I definitely have to work harder to stay in shape. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Majid Ali, L.Ac., Cft, CSPN