The Manopause: Myth or Reality

Men’s Health week (10th – 16th June) is an annual campaign organised by the Men’s Health Forum that aims to increase access to information around men’s health and encourages men to talk more openly about their concerns. “Midlife crisis” is a term often used to describe men wanting to feel youthful again and more often than not carries negative connotations, such as cheating or compulsively buying a motorbike. This term can be dismissive of underlying physiological and psychological changes experienced by men as a result of the decline in hormones as men age. Raising awareness of the Manopause, however, can help men manage this time in their lives in a healthy way – ageing doesn’t need to be seen as a crisis. What is the Manopause? Ageing is a natural process where physiological functions decline due to tissue damage over time, meaning the body is unable to repair itself in the same way it could before. Menopause is often talked about with women as they age, but when referring to men, midlife crisis is a more frequently used term. This discrepancy means that men do not have access to advice to help manage their symptoms. While women’s hormone levels decline quite rapidly over a relatively short amount of time, men’s hormone levels decline at a slower rate over many years with symptoms ranging from a general lack of energy and weight gain to sexual dysfunction, anxiety, depression and insomnia. As the decline of hormones is slower in men, the side effects sometimes go unnoticed, which has contributed to the narrative that men experience a midlife crisis rather than an actual physiological decrease in their hormone levels. Encouraging men to talk about their experiences will help them to feel validated and heard. This, in turn, will help men to manage this period of their lives in a healthier and more balanced way. What can you do to relieve the symptoms of Manopause? First and foremost, a healthy diet and regular exercise are two of the most important changes a man can make to alleviate the effects of ageing. As we get older, it can be difficult to motivate ourselves to live a healthy lifestyle. As your knees start creaking and your body feels more sluggish, it may feel uncomfortable to go for those long runs that you used to do. However, making small changes in how you live your life can have long-term health benefits. Talking through your experience with others can also normalise these topics and provide greater access to support. You also do not have to go through this transition on your own. Another way to ease the ageing process is through Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). This process helps to regenerate your body by rebalancing hormones to levels that resemble those at a more youthful stage while avoiding the negative effects of synthetic HRT. Experiencing loss of libido, weight gain, loss of muscle mass, stress and mood changes alone can be very alienating. The Natural Doctor’s Recharge programme for men combines both bioidentical hormone therapy with a functional nutritional medicine approach to provide a holistic solution for the effects of ageing. We at the Natural Doctor can give you the advice, help and support you need to navigate this period of your life and regain control. Men’s Health week is an important reminder to prioritise men’s physical and mental health, and helps to create a supportive community so that men don’t feel so alone. The Recharge programme for men has various treatment options to suit any needs. If you would like to book a consultation to chat through BHRT for men, contact us today so we can help you on your journey to a more energised and healthy you. References