Nowadays, the terms mid life crisis and male menopause seem to be popular explanations for odd behaviors exhibited by the men over 40. Are they the same thing? And what in the world is andropause?
Admittedly, there does seem to be a number of men who begin to act strangely in their 40s and 50s. Many a Hollywood movie has been based on this theme for sure.
I experienced this with my previous partner of many years. It started insidiously. Sometime after he turned 40, I started noticing some attitude and behavior changes.
First, he started questioning whether to change a job which he always had enjoyed before. Over the next few years he began to exercise MUCH more, seemed preoccupied, irritable and more competitive. Then, it accelerated with strange manners of dress, excessive drinking, bar hopping, infidelity and finally leaving the family.
Was it just marital unhappiness, general midlife funk, depression and/or hormonal changes that caused this? Could it really be hormonal?
What Are the Scientists Saying?
More and more the medical community and men themselves are acknowledging that something is going on. Research shows us that men do experience hormonal changes starting in midlife which include gradual loss of testosterone, DHEA, HGH and adrenal hormones, an increase in the proteins that bind to testosterone (making it unavailable) and aromatase which converts testosterone to estrogen. Unlike women, where menopausal changes are pretty abrupt, men's changes happen over a period of years generally between the ages of 40 and 55. The effects and symptoms are hard to quantify because they are psychological in addition to physiological. Often evidence is anecdotal: men report feeling different.
There is a wide variation in the changes in healthy men so the symptoms will range from very little to extreme enough to use hormone replacement therapy. Some of the typically reported conditions related to reductions in androgens (male hormones) are:
? Low sex drive ? Emotional, psychological and behavioral changes ? Decreased muscle mass ? Loss of muscle strength ? Increased upper and central body fat ? Osteoporosis or weak bones and back pain ? Cardiovascular risk
Now, earlier I discussed that as a man ages his body begins to convert more testosterone into estradiol (estrogen). Too much estrogen in a man's body is not a good thing because estrogen negates testosterone. So, some men with normal levels of testosterone will still have symptoms of andropause because the testosterone:estrogen ratios in the body are whacky.
What Can You Do About It?
1) Stay Strong and Lean
So how to keep testosterone high and estrogen low? Keep yourself strong and lean. Why? Fat cells contain aromatase ? the guys that convert testosterone to estrogen. More fat cells = more estrogen. This is true for women too!
Building and maintaining muscle mass requires free testosterone, so building and maintaining muscle mass trains the body to use testosterone efficiently.
So, the idea behind slowing down the effects of diminishing testosterone would be to increase or at least maintain muscle mass and bone density while keeping the heart strong and fat away.
Hmmm, this looks like the goal of any good fitness and nutrition program. That's good news!
2) Watch What Goes Into Your Body
Zinc, Alcohol and some Prescription Drugs. Zinc inhibits the actions of aromatase in the body. Getting adequate levels of zinc from the diet is important to keep estrogen levels down. Zinc is also important for the manufacture of testosterone by the body. Foods rich in zinc include meat, poultry, dairy, nuts, beans and whole grain foods.
Alcohol drives estrogen levels up. Since the liver helps excrete hormones and chemicals from the body anything that diminishes liver function results in higher estrogen levels.
Some prescription drugs can mess with hormone levels. It's a good idea to check this out with your doctor if you feel you are having some symptoms related to lowered testosterone.
3) Listen to Other People
Men, if you are over 40, and a family member or friend says that you are acting out of character, talk to your doctor about it. It might not be "her hormones"?.it might be YOURS!!
Does this even seem possible? Well, think again! It seems "Mid-Life" and "Crisis" always go together but since Baby Boomers have a knack of doing things differently I would suppose you can do this differently also. Just like you approach Retirement (since no one seems to be able to come up with a better name yet,) you will create your own path into something with a more positive spin to it.
Your 40's are no longer considered as old as they used to be; neither are your 50's or 60's. Retirement isn't as it used be either. There must be better terminology that puts more truth into these times of your lives.
The Encarta Dictionary (an efficient and complete dictionary generally found in the home of children) states that middle age is:
"The period in somebody's life when that person is no longer considered young, usually between 40 and 60 years."
"Typical of somebody middle aged characterized by the behavior, attitudes, lifestyle or interest considered typical of middle age, especially staidness, conventionality, or old fashionedness."
If you are within these ages, do you consider yourself part of this definition? Are you staid and conventional and old fashion? Is that how you want people to see you?
Let's move on the Encarta's definition of retirement.
"The act of leaving a job or career or near the usual age for doing so. Being away from busy life; a state of being withdrawn from the rest of the world or a former busy life."
Do you desire to spend the next 30 years or more being withdrawn from the rest of the world? There definitely need to be some more accurate words to describe this stage of life that you are experiencing! Mitch Anthony, calls it The New Retirementality in his book. Rick Miners and Jeri Sedlar call it "Rewiring". What do you call it?
Your mid-life can be the best time of your life, it's simply a choice you have. It is a time to relax, appreciate your family and friends and view life from a different perspective. It's a time to either work or not work. To find employment in something you have always wanted to do and never did or to totally go out on a limb and do something you had never even thought possible for you.
You may feel more control at work and in your families and in your social lives. You continue to grow, accept yourselves and your bodies. By now, you have experienced adversity and you have come through the other side. You appreciate what you have and your relationships. This makes you more confident and competent in whom you are now. You are in the unique position of planning this essential and exciting stage of life. Your experiences have taught you that you can go after what you want and that you can achieve it. Your maturity comes with a wealth of coping skills and a comfortable sense of self. You have earned all that you have and you have much to look forward to in the years and decades to come. You have access to your own wisdom which will help you reach your own answers to your own questions. That doesn't sound like much of a "crisis".
Both Ainsley Laing & Kim Kirmmse Toth are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Ainsley Laing has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Aerobics and Fitness. About the Author:Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Person Fitness Training. Read other articles by Ainsley at. Ainsley Laing's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.
Kim Kirmmse Toth has sinced written about articles on various topics from Web Development, Web Development and Health. Kim Kirmmse Toth is a certified life coach. She works with baby boomers on the many transitions faced including the non-financial side of retirement planning. She may be contacted at: kim@myretirementbydesign.com or at her website:. Kim Kirmmse Toth's top article generates over 720 views. to your Favourites.