For the first time, scientists claim to have identified the symptoms associated with what has
been termed late-onset hypogonadism or 'male menopause' caused by a reduction in testosterone production in some aging men.
However, unlike female menopause, which affects all women, the male menopause is relatively rare, affecting only two per cent of the elderly men, and is often linked to poor
general health and obesity, say the scientists.
A team from Manchester University, Imperial College London and University College London has based its findings on an analysis of the testosterone levels of 3,369 men between the ages of 40 and 79 years from eight European nations.
The scientists asked details about their sexual, physical and psychological health and found that only nine of the 32 candidate symptoms were actually associated with low testosterone levels, the most important being the three sexual symptoms -- decreased frequency of morning erection, decreased frequency of sexual thoughts and erectile dysfunction.
Their research concluded that the presence of all three sexual symptoms, together with low testosterone levels, was required to establish a diagnosis of male menopause though
other non-sexual symptoms may also be present.
These other symptoms included three physical symptoms -- an inability to engage in vigorous activity such as running or lifting heavy objects, an inability to walk more than a km,
inability to bend, kneel or stoop -- and three psychological symptoms -- loss of energy, sadness, and fatigue.