Man-o-pause and Homeopathy

A recent study published in a medical journal in the UK claimed that menopause does not only affect women, but men too suffer from the male menopause or andropause.

This finding created quite a flutter among the over-the-40 men, who were suddenly conscious of their own bodies and moods. However, health experts across the city claim that andropause is nothing like the female menopause and that crossing their forties or fifties need not ring any alarm bells in men, as long as they maintain healthy lifestyles. The men BT spoke to, couldn’t have agreed more.

Renowned sexologist Dr Prakash Kothari says, “We do see a lot of male patients reporting similar symptoms that women experience during pre-menopause and menopause. But it’s common and men often tend to go through something called the mid-life crisis post their 40s, but it’s presumptuous to call it andropause. Andropause affects a very small percentage of men and is purely due to some illness or ailment.”

Explaining the difference between the female and male menopause, he adds, that in women, the estrogen production halts suddenly and abruptly after a certain age and is permanent. Whereas among men, there’s a gradual decline of testosterone and this too is a decline of less than one per cent a year. But unlike women, men do not lose their ability to reproduce and can do so even in their late nineties.

Well-known sexologist Dr Rajan Bhosle, too, insists that post the 40s, a man is usually stressed about his appearance, change in work if nearing retirement, dealing with grown-up children, family... this may lead to depression if a person is not able to adapt to the changes around him positively. This may lead to a decrease in libido or desire for sex, but it has nothing to do with the testosterone. It’s more psychological than a physical change.

Talking about the decline in hormones, a male body undergoes according to age, consultant endocrinologist Dr Manoj Chadha explains, “Sure, there is a decline in testosterone production, but it is hardly anything to be worried about. Men who show menopausal symptoms are mostly due to to other factors and the lowering of testosterone level is just one small factor that may or may not cause the symptoms.

Experts opine that the male menopause is more of a western concept being brought to the fore by those with vested interests in promoting the hormone therapy with testosterone, which is otherwise not required at all. But even as the medical community rages a debate on whether or not men really do go through a well-defined menopause, some of the celeb brigade who’re well in their 40s offer their takes.

“I am still 18,” says adman and theatre personality Bharat Dabholkar, adding “and if there’s anything like a male menopause then I am still years away from it.” On a serious note he adds that menopause-like symptoms may affect men who have always lived in a routine. “Suddenly when they retire, they feel unwanted. To top it, their appearances undergo changes and they don’t find themselves as attractive to young women. But truly, it’s all in the head. People who are unable to cope with these changes can fall prey to mid-life crisis.”

Male menopause is a word that doesn’t exist in the dictionary of TV star Ronit Roy too. “It’s all about how positively you can deal with changes around you, when you hit a certain age.” For adman Prahlad Kakkar, male menopause is a self-inflicted wound. “Men are constantly worried about their performance in bed. This automatically leads to insecurity, when they are not confident about their looks and appearances. The ‘big’ that they try to compensate with is the big wallet, but it breeds even more insecurity within knowing that you have a woman with you only because of that.” And the way to beat the blues? “It’s all about what you believe in truly. Keep falling in love to avoid going through this phase,” is his mantra.

Kabir Bedi, too, insists that it’s all in your head. “It’s all about being confident about who you really are,” he says. For restaurateur Dr Suhas Awchat, the term doesn’t hold any importance. “The problem is not between the legs, but between the years,” he says. Elaborating on this he explains, “Men post their 40s often have to deal with receding hairlines, pot-belly, and above all the fact that young girls start calling you an uncle. That causes major heartburn. However, if a man chooses to not succumb to this, then there is no deterioration of any kind at all.”

Dr Bhosle sums it up saying, “The male menopause need not be an issue at all, unless a man chooses to make it so. It’s purely psychological in nature and the key lies in dealing with it on that front and not by hormone therapies

What is male menopause?
Doctors insist that there’s no well-defined male menopause. Andropause refers to the decline of androgen (testosterone) in the aging male. But male menopause can best be described as a phase that involves hormonal, physiological, and chemical changes that occur in all men mostly after 40. These changes effect all aspects of a man’s life and are associated with symptoms like gaining weight, diminished memory, declining work performance, sleep issues, lack of energy, loss of motivation, decline in self-confidence, lack of sex drive and even feeling depressed.

Tips to deal with it
- Keep a positive outlook towards life and do not let feelings of worthlessness creep in.
- Keep yourself occupied with new projects.
- Accept the changes in you and around you with grace.
- A man can lead an active sex life well into his 90s.
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle.

The following homeopathic medicines and remedies can be used to treat menopause:

1. A balanced diet which provides you with optimal nutrition can be helpful in treating menopausal symptoms. When you get enough vitamins and minerals, the physical discomfort caused by the symptoms can be reduced greatly.
2. Phosphorus can help with migraines, extreme sweating, numb hands, fast pulse, memory problems and dry and itchy skin. Foods high in phosphorus content are meat, fish, cheese, nuts and seeds of pumpkins, sunflowers etc.
3. Excessive deposition of fat can interfere with the hormonal cycles and cause imbalances in the level of estrogen and progesterone. So, regular yoga and exercise can be helpful.
4. Amylenum nitrosum can provide relief from profuse sweating, shortness of breath and palpitations.
5. Phytoestrogen or dietary estrogen is a compound found in foods such as soybeans, oats, barley, carrots, fenugreek, rice etc. Phytoestrogen can provide natural relief from menopausal symptoms.
6. Aurum metallicum is used to get the tissues and organs to function normally again and control feelings of anxiety and claustrophobia.
7. Aconitum napellus (wolf's bane) is a flowering plant and its extracts can reduce panic attacks, heat flushes, over excitability and depressive symptoms.
8. Argentum nitricum is a nitrate compound of silver which is used to control excessive bleeding in the pre-menstrual stages.
9. Belladonna (deadly nightshade) is beneficial for a large number of symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, insomnia, frequent urination, osteoporosis, abnormal weight gain and other nervous disorders.
10. Bryonia alba, a flowering plant, is used as a remedy for vaginal infections, rashes and vaginal dryness that are common during menopause.
11. Natrum muriaticum, in small amounts, helps to reduce stress. Stress can cause problems in thyroid function, cognitive functioning, digestive system functioning and it can elevate blood pressure levels rapidly.
12. Nux vomica (strychnine) is a common homeopathic medicine for nausea, vomiting and indigestion. These problems are seen frequently in menopausal women, especially after meals at night.