health issues for men over 40
health issues for men over 40
What makes men aged 40 to create
A decrease in libido, erectile dysfunction, or a decline in vigor: Such complaints are often pushed to the male menopause. It is also about the question whether the administration of the sex hormone testosterone can help men in middle age. In studies, but it turned out that the complaints referred to only partially related to the testosterone level in the blood. Therefore, experts warn, the use to check exactly because he is not without risks.
However, the testosterone decreases gradually with increasing years - and men through to the 50th Age of a phase in which make them to create physical and psychological changes. But we can speak of menopause in men at all? "No," says Prof. Sabine Kliesch, Chief Physician of Clinical Andrology at the University Hospital of Münster. "Menopause, as we know by women who do not exist in men." In women, it will come to an abrupt decrease of female hormones in midlife. That is not the case in men.
With 40 in testosterone value decreases
"About the 40th However, age assumes the testosterone levels in man by an annual 1.2 percent from "Blood explains Kliesch, spokesperson of the German Society of Urology . This number is based on estimates. The decline is the age-related reduction in the testis or in brain regions that control the hormone balance. Testosterone is important for muscle growth, bone density and the formation of red blood cells. Also during metabolism in adipose tissue as well as in the sexual life and fertility, it plays a role. "However, a decrease of testosterone in the blood does not make a man sick," says Kliesch.
A European study, which analyzed data from more than 3,200 men aged 40 to 79 years, examined a few years ago the relationship between the hormone and physical and mental ailments. The authors came to the conclusion that only three had symptoms from the sexual area - if at all - a direct connection with the decline in testosterone levels. These include erectile dysfunction, less sexual desire and less frequent morning erections.
The researchers suggested that the presence of these three symptoms plus a total testosterone level of less than eleven nanomoles per liter (nmol / L) could be regarded as the minimum criterion for the diagnosis of "hypogonadism of the aging male". With the technical term medical denote the decreased function of the sex glands. The proposal should serve as protection against overdiagnosis and unwarranted use of testosterone in older men.
Impact on obesity and diabetes
As a standard for the total value in the blood values ??currently in force, according to Kliesch of more than twelve nmol / l, the critical point lies at less than eight nmol / l Then one could speak of a testosterone deficiency, the effects on the entire body have if he existed long and remain untreated. "From a value less than twelve nmol / l to our attention, especially when diseases such as dyslipidemia, obesity or diabetes come to this. "This hormone influencing this suffering - and this in turn had an impact on the level of testosterone from. "In such situations, it may partially have sense to treat with testosterone."
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The emergency in bed
"Before we started with a therapy must be excluded that a manifest prostate cancer or breast cancer even when a man is present," says Prof. Wolfgang Weidner, president of the German Society of Andrology . The prostate should be examined regularly and the proportion of red blood cells in the blood. "Testosterone stimulates the formation of blood, and it can contribute to high values ??easier to clots come with a higher risk for heart attacks or strokes." Weidner also points out that funds the laboratory test to determine hormone levels usually only take when a reasonable suspicion of hypogonadism is present.
Not think about the psyche
The psychologist Kurt Seikowski of the Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig is regularly asked by men if they could help the administration of testosterone. For more than 30 years, he deals with complaints such as depression, sleep or concentration problems in men. He offers individual meetings to, autogenic training teaches and gives affected men in self-help groups.
From pills he counters little: "Especially as the boom with agents such as Viagra came along, there was almost relief in men: We have drugs can, stay strong and do not need to think about our psyche," criticized the chairman of the Society for Sexology . Fortunately, these thoughts have changed: now the men accepted rather that from 40 pick up their performance and they would have to think about rest breaks. And they questioned more if they should get involved with hormones or other drugs.
Especially men 48-55 years describe a greatly reduced life satisfaction as a small study of Seikowski revealed. Leisure and hobby prepared more problems than usual, and the men were with their partnership, their sexuality and themselves dissatisfied. "In the years that they have, however, mostly adapted again," says Seikowski. He therefore find the English term "midlife crisis" is still most appropriate to describe the situation. (AP)