Andropause

Andropause is a term referring to the male transition, essentially the male equivalent of female menopause. It is a period that has the same cause as in women (= a decrease in hormone production) but with slightly different onset and course. In women, menopause is characterized by the loss of menstruation (caused by the cessation of sex hormone production), whereas in men there is only a gradual decrease in hormone production (their production never completely stops). The first decline begins around the age of forty, but it is gradual, with typical symptoms of andropause beginning to appear around the age of sixty.

The cause of the male transition is the gradual decrease in the level of the male sex hormone testosterone (a steroid hormone produced by cells in the testicles). This hormone affects the development of sperm and the development of secondary sexual characteristics (increase in muscle mass, deepening of the voice, growth of body hair). The decrease in testosterone levels triggers symptoms similar to those in women's menopause:

• fatigue,
• sweating,
• depression,
• concentration difficulties,
• occasionally gynecomastia and thinning of facial hair,
• reduced libido,
• benign enlargement of the prostate (occurs in up to 50% of men over seventy years of age),
• bone thinning (an increase in fractures, especially of the hip joint, is observed in men over 60 years of age).
• tendency towards visceral obesity,
• development of type 2 diabetes.

Just as the treatment of female menopause nowadays focuses primarily on the administration of the hormone estrogen, the same option is available for men, i.e., the administration of testosterone. However, this carries many risks, a safer approach is:

1. Increasing physical activity.
Exercise stimulates the body's own production of testosterone.

2. Monitoring the quality of the diet.

3. Selecting appropriate dietary supplements.
If the goal is to support the body's own production of testosterone, the most effective supplement is Tribulus terrestris, which makes sense to combine with adaptogens (such as ginseng). In the case of emerging prostate issues, then Saw palmetto.

The impact of diet on the course of andropause

When adjusting the diet, it is recommended to focus primarily on the content of:

A) Proteins.
Their amount should range around 15-20% of total energy intake, but the aim is also to address amino acid balance (in practice, this means a "reasonable" ratio between plant and animal sources).

B) Fiber.
The goal is to enhance intestinal peristalsis in optimal activity and at the same time increase the activity of intestinal microbiota.

C) Vitamin D and minerals affecting bone metabolism (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, fluorine).