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SYDNEY: The symptoms associated with low testosterone levels in older men, or the 'male menopause', have been identified for the first time, according to British scientists.
Unlike the female menopause, which affects all women, this "male menopause" - or late-onset hypogonadism - is relatively rare, affecting testosterone levels in 2% of older men, and is often linked to poor general health and obesity.
The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that only nine of 32 candidate symptoms were actually associated with low testosterone levels.
Testosterone levels not always responsible
The three most important symptoms are decreased frequency of morning erections, decreased frequency of sexual thoughts and erectile dysfunction.
Additional symptoms often said to be associated with male menopause included changes in sleeping pattern, poor concentration, feeling worthless, nervousness or anxiety and difficulty getting up from the chair.
However, these are not related to levels of testosterone, according to the study.
Small number of cases
"Our findings have for the first time identified the key symptoms of late-onset hypogonadism."
"[The results] suggest that testosterone treatment may only be useful in a relatively small number of cases where androgen deficiency is suspected, since many candidate symptoms were not associated with decreased testosterone levels in older men," said lead author Fred Wu, from the University of Manchester.
The study involved 3,369 men between the ages of 40 and 79 years, and asked details about their sexual, physical and psychological health, and was conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester, Imperial College London, University College London and other European partners, measured the testosterone levels of
Sexual, physical and psychological symptoms
The presence of all three sexual symptoms together with low testosterone levels, was required to establish a diagnosis of late-onset hypogonadism, although other non-sexual symptoms may also be present, the study concluded.
Non-sexual symptoms could be inability to engage in activities such as running, lifting heavy objects, walk more than one kilometer, bend, kneel or stoop.
