The male menopause has always been a hot topic for discussion; with many within the medical community arguing that it is a purely psychosomatic condition.
However, researchers at two UK universities (Manchester University and Imperial College in London), believe that they have identified nine identifiable symptoms of the male menopause that should help to provide reliable and conclusive diagnosis of the condition.
The research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine examined the physical condition, sex drives and psychological states of 3369 men between 40 and 79 years of age.
They found that lower testosterone levels (the cause of the male menopause) within the group were intrinsically linked to lowered sexual function including a loss of libido, infrequent morning erections and frequent problems in achieving or maintaining an erection. As such, these symptoms, once confirmed to be the linked to low testosterone levels, should form the basis of a male menopause diagnosis.
Sufferers of the male menopause also exhibited significantly reduced physical performance, resulting in an inability to engage in strenuous exercise, whilst other common physical symptoms included difficulty in bending and stooping.
The study’s authors also noted that the three key psychological symptoms of the male menopause included depression, loss of energy and overall fatigue.
The study also cautioned that many symptoms generally regarded as being key markers of the male menopause including disturbed sleeping routines, as well as decline in cognitive functioning and increased anxiety, can be symptomatic of numerous other problems and should not form the cornerstone of a diagnosis.
According to the researchers, the newly identified key symptoms suggest that only two percent of men experience sufficiently severe symptoms of the male menopause to derive any benefit from testosterone hormone replacement therapy – which is generally used as a first line treatment.
Professor Fred Wu, one of the study’s lead authors stated that the new firm diagnosis criteria should help to curb excessive diagnosis of male menopause and reduce the unwarranted or unwise use of testosterone therapy in many cases.
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