Male Menopause - An Inconvenient Reality
Jan 16, 2024
In this newsletter:
- Male menopause - an inconvenient reality
- Male Menopause versus Female Menopause
- Testosterone - a precious resource
- John O'Donohue - on Aging
- Helpful links
- Natasha Teran, yoga retreat in Spain
Male Menopause - An Inconvenient Reality
As much as I don't want to admit it, mostly to myself, I don't have the same energy today at 64 as I did when I was 34.
I also have less strength, less muscle mass, and less need for sex.
But there's good news. I'm normal and I'm not alone. It's part of getting older and wiser.
As we age, our bodies change and we eventually begin to produce less testosterone, a sex hormone. It's not nearly as abrupt as what women go through during menopause. But this process is nonetheless called "Male Menopause." Sorry man. I know that's inconvenient.
Most, if not all, men go through this same process of our bodies producing less testosterone over time. Sex hormone changes in men is gradual and is a natural part of aging.
There are well-documented effects associated with aging and testosterone decline, like a decline in interest in sexual activity.
"When Socrates asks sixty-eight-year-old Cephalus about his libido, Cephalus responds, ‘Most gladly have I escaped the thing of which you speak; I feel as if I had escaped from a mad and furious master.’ A sixty-eight-year-old friend of mine, H., whom I’ve known for forty years, was one of the most sexually active people I’ve ever known until a few years ago, when his libido just up and disappeared. ‘I can’t believe how much time I have now to do other things,’ he notes.”
- Daniel J. Levitin in Successful Aging
Oh good. I'm not alone.
When we have less interest in sex, we have more time for other, perhaps far more meaningful, pursuits. Less sex, more time to nurture the soul.
As a friend of mine suggested to me yesterday at the yoga studio, less interest in sex opens the pathways to greater awareness of everything.
I've enjoyed reading Successful Aging. It's a great book on aging.
In the book, author Daviel J. Levitin debunks myths around cognitive decline and aging, and explores how to lengthen our healthspan as well as our lifespan. He brings up testosterone in the book in several places.
Levitin says we should consider our life span as occurring in three stages:
-Childhood – before the pubertal sex hormones kick in.
-Puberty to late adulthood – when sexual desire dominates many of our thoughts.
-Old age – when we are back, like children, to wanting friends to play with, but not thinking so much about sex.
On many occasions, I have gone back to Levitin's list of ten things for Rejuvenating Your Brain at the bottom of my note Intelligence grows with age. Scroll all the way to the bottom.
Male Menopause versus Female Menopause
Differences between Male and Female Menopause:
- Female menopause is a sudden and dramatic change that typically occurs around the age of 50.
- Male menopause is a more gradual process that can begin as early as a man’s 30s or 40s.
- Women experience a sharp drop in estrogen levels during menopause.
- Men experience a more gradual decline in testosterone.
- According to the Mayo Clinic, testosterone levels decline around 1 percent per year after a man turns 40. Mayo Clinic - Men's health
Testosterone is a hormone produced in our testes. It fuels sex drive, mental and physical energy, maintains muscle mass, etc.
Symptoms of Male Menopause:
- Fatigue, low energy, feeling physical weakness
- Mood changes like depression, sadness, less motivation
- Decrease in sex drive, infertility, erectile dysfunction
- Increased body fat, less muscle mass, decreased bone density
- Insomnia
Testosterone - a precious resource
What is testosterone?
Testosterone is a hormone that decreases with age. It varies among individuals, some men have faster rates of decline of testosterone.
From what I've learned, there is a lot of confusion about testosterone. Research is ongoing, and the debate about the causes of the decline will continue for some time.
Are men’s testosterone levels lower now than in the past?
There is some evidence that men’s testosterone levels today may be lower compared to the past. But it’s a complex issue.
There are a number of factors that are commonly cited which contribute to this trend of lower testosterone.
-Lifestyle changes – more sedentary now, more stress, more junk food, weight gain
-Environmental factors – exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (found in plastics, pesticides, etc.)
-Increased stress – modern life can lead to chronic stress, causing hormonal imbalances, reducing testosterone production
-Nutrition choices – wrong dietary decisions, too much sugar, deficiencies in essential nutrients like zinc and vitamin D
-Sleep deficiency – poor sleep quality and quantity can disrupt hormone regulation
-Health issues – obesity, diabetes, heart problems
-Social media - unhealthy psychological effects
What can we do to fight fatigue associated with lower testosterone?
These may not come as a surprise but they are the key drivers of our energy level, especially as we age.
-Weight management - Maintaining healthy weight and percent body fat will reduce chances of chronic disease that are linked to lower testosterone.
-Caffeine and Alcohol - The timing of when you have these is crucial. See my 17 Tips for better sleep.
- Exercise - When I'm feeling sluggish, even just simple movements like doing stretches on the floor, using the foam roller, or walking will generate energy for me. I become more awake. At the same time, I believe strength training, sprinting, cold water plunges, and other intense workouts can boost testosterone.
-Hydrate – Drink water. My guess is this is a lot more important than most guys think. Think clear pee, not yellow pee. That's your gauge. But obviously not a couple hours before sleep time.
-Nutrition – Protein, vegetables, nuts, fruits. Eating pancakes and sandwiches regularly won't cut it. Think easy poop, no struggle. That's your gauge for this one.
-Supplements - Magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D are shown in studies to boost testosterone if you are deficient in these.
-Smoking - You know the problem...I just saw Maestro, a movie about the great composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper). Lenny smoked himself to death.
-Rest – See my Sleep note. We need to figure out our sleep routine. This is so important it’s ridiculous. I read faster and comprehend more after a short nap.
-Stress management – For me, there is no better cure than a hard pump at the gym or a challenging yoga class. If it's late and I'm tired, yet stressed, the Box Breathing mentioned in my Sleep note works wonders. It takes close to 30 minutes and often makes me sweat.
-Friends – If they are your age, they’re likely feeling similar. Talk to them about this stuff. Both of you will feel better.
-Learn new things – Anything and always. Here is something new to learn; it helps remind us how small and temporary we are: Scientists discover a galaxy 1.3bn light-years in diameter
-Purpose – I'm having a little construction work done in my place. I told the contractor (a tough 64-year-old Austrian) that I’m writing about fatigue. He said, “Peter, it’s very simple. If you love what you are doing, you will have endless energy.” I couldn’t agree more.
Obviously, see a doctor if you think you don’t have things under control. Maybe hormone therapy or supplements can help you. Or maybe you have underlying medical issues.
Energy is a limited resource
I talk to a lot of older guys. One thing is for sure; the older we get the less energy we have. Lower testosterone can contribute to having less energy.
Energy is limited and how we deploy our energy determines our Well-Being.
I know this well. The harder my workouts, the more time I need to recover.
The more sex I have, the less energy I have for my work.
Given that we have less energy with age, how we allocate that energy becomes more important than ever.
John O'Donohue on Aging
From Anam Cara
The Passionate Heart Never Ages
“There is a place in the soul that is eternal. Time makes you old, but there is a place in the soul that time cannot touch. It is a lovely thing to know this about yourself. Even though time will inscribe your face, weaken your limbs, make your movements slower, and, finally, empty your life, nevertheless there is still a place in your spirit that time can never get near. You are as young as you feel. If you begin to feel the warmth of your soul, there will be a youthfulness in you that no one will ever be able to take away from you. Put more formally, this is a way of inhabiting the eternal side of your life. It would be sad on your one journey through life to miss out on this eternal presence around you and within you.”
Aging: An Invitation To New Solitude
“The new solitude in your life can make the prospect of aging frightening. A new quietness settles on the outer frame of your active life, on the work that you have done, the family that you have raised, and the role that you have played. Your life takes on a greater stillness and solitude. These facts need not be frightening. If you view them creatively, your new stillness and solitude can be wonderful gifts and great resources for you. Time and again, we miss out on the great treasures in our lives because we are so restless. In our minds we are always elsewhere. We are seldom in the place where we stand and in the time that is now. Many people are haunted by the past, things that they have not done, things that they should have done that they regret not doing. They are prisoners of their past. Other people are haunted by the future; they are anxious and worried about what is coming.”
“Few people are actually able to inhabit their present time because they are too stressed and rushed. One of the joys of aging is that you have more time to be still. Pascal said that many of our major problems derive from our inability to sit still in a room. Stillness is vital to the work of the soul. If as you age you become more still, you will discover that stillness can be a great companion. The fragments of your life will have time to unify, and the places your soul-shelter is wounded or broken will have time to knit and heal. You will be able to return to yourself. In this stillness, you will engage your soul. Many people miss out on themselves completely as they journey through life. They know others, they know places, they know skills, they know their work, but tragically, they do not know themselves at all. Aging can be a lovely time of ripening when you actually meet yourself, indeed maybe for the first time.
There are beautiful lines from T. S. Eliot that say:
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And to know the place for the first time”
Helpful Links
Here are some useful resources:
Examine - database of health research - testosterone
Understanding Men's Passages (1999) by Gail Sheehy, chapters 9 & 10
Natasha Teran
Northern Spain Yoga Retreat
April 21-28, 2024
I met yoga teacher Natasha Teran when I first moved to Miami Beach 15 months ago. She is an outstanding yoga teacher. One of my favorites.
I'm pleased to say she is hosting a yoga retreat at a winery in Northern Spain. Here is the link to her Yoga Retreat.
Natasha was certified as a Bikram Teacher in 2001 and certified in Ashtanga Yoga in 2002 under Tim Miller, the first American certified by K. Pattabhi Jois to teach Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga (that's a big deal). Natasha is also a Tap Dancer and Personal Trainer.
She has traveled to India to expand her yoga wisdom, instructed at workshops and retreats around the globe, and is committed to sharing her knowledge with students of all levels. Natasha has devoted her life to the practice of improving health and wellness for everyone.
One of the places Natasha teaches is at the excellent Hanu Yoga Studio near my house here in South Beach.
You might want to have a look at her yoga retreat. Here is the Retreat Schedule.
I'm sure both yoga and wine are good treatments for male menopause. :)
Thank you for reading!
Be well,
Peter Pavlina
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