Aging and the Effect it has on Men

Sound familiar?

While it is true that with age your body slows down. Possibly you are one of the millions of men suffering with andropause, without even knowing it. Andropause, is the male equivalent of menopause that affects women. Occuring at about middle age, usually between the ages of 40 and 50, but in some cases, 35 or as late as 65 years.

YES. It happens to men, too!

A decrease in hormones at a steady pace, is part of aging. Men lose 10% of their testosterone every decade after 30. Even so, some men lose much more than that, these are the ones who are in the throes of andropause.

The less testosterone that your body is producing, the greater a man will feel his age. It is easy to forget how much this steroid hormone,testosterone, actually does. At the same time, we must not dismiss your hormone balance, any more than you would your cardiovascular system, or muscles - it is testosterone that helps keep the rest of you in shape.

Physically, there are many parts of the body that are affected by a drop in testosterone. Bone density is an important factor. Over 10% of men suffer from osteoporosis, the result of a lack of bone density. This increases the possibility of the hip, wrist and fractures of the spine, to name a few examples of areas of your body that are affected. Sexual function is also affected, causing difficulties in maintaining an erection, or weak erections. The muscles lose their strength, and the immune system is weakened.

Is more than physical, however. Your moods may also change, either gradually or dramatically, when suffering andropause. Depression, also, is often a symptom of low testosterone. With the physical sexual functions mentioned above, sexual desire may also decreased.

Andropause is detectable by blood tests, but in most cases, not just a simple blood test is sufficient. A normal blood test can tell your doctor the amount of testosterone in your system, but not tell the availability of it to your body. Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) binds to testosterone and other sex hormones, making them useless. In addition, different men need different levels of testosterone to function at their peak.

You can request a more thorough analysis of your doctor, however, while some men choose to talk to a doctor about health measures, such as hormone replacement therapy, it is best to treat your body well to achieve peak potential naturally. This includes a healthy lifestyle, which you are already following, of course, like getting enough sleep, maintaining low stress, and exercising on a regular basis.

There are supplements available, made to promote your body's natural production of testosterone.

So, do not sit there, letting old age over-take you, there are ways to slow, or reverse aging.

Aging and the Effect it has on Men