Father’s Day is coming up in Taiwan. It falls on August 8. Today we look at a health issue that not too many people talk about but may be affecting fathers today – male menopause.
Matzka sings “Big uncle! How old are you? This girl says," 40 or 50" and she says, "At least 65," but he says, “70! Because I’m over 60!"
As Father’s Day approaches, we need to look out for our middle-aged men. People don’t talk about this much but…testosterone levels drop in midlife and could lead to many unpleasant symptoms such as a bad temper or low libido.
Wanfang Hospital Urologist Dr. Hsiao Tsi Hao says, "Most men don’t like to talk about this or think it’s temporary, like hot flushes may be due to the weather. But ignoring it will make things worse."
Male menopause symptoms include emotional instability, hot flashes, heart palpitations, and low libido. What can men do about it? Dr. Hsiao says, "Injecting hormones is the most common treatment. Injections can last for about 3 weeks."
Testosterone actually peaks at 30 and then starts to drop. After 40, hormone levels may not be sufficient and this affects long term energy levels.
It could also lead to loss of muscle mass, depression and fatigue. So if your middle-aged guy has any of these symptoms, perhaps a trip to the doctor is in order.
