Andropause in men refers to a condition associated with a decrease in the production of the male hormone called testosterone. It is a term that is sometimes used as the male equivalent of menopause but it is different in that, unlike the sudden onset of menopause in women, a male will experience a decrease in testosterone production throughout their lives.
It is estimated that about a third of men aged over 50 will experience symptoms of this condition and, where they do so, it has the risk of exacerbating other conditions that they may be suffering from (such as osteoporosis) unless they are treated. Symptoms associated with low testosterone levels can cause various physical, and in some cases mental, changes in a man such as experiencing depression or mood swings and feeling unusually fatigued. It can also result in symptoms associated with sexual function such as experiencing reduced sex drive or the inability to gain or maintain an erection during sex.
