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HEALTH&FITNESS

264

June15

#1 GRUMP ALERT

G

iven their general reluctance

to admit weakness by going

go to the doctor, plus how

embarrassing it can be to talk

about such things, it’s little wonder that

when low levels of testosterone cause

depression, a lack of energy, a flagging

sex drive and erectile dysfunction,

the men afflicted do nothing about it.

Possibly, they resign themselves to

growing progressively plumper and

grumpier as the years go by.

But wives and partners didn’t sign

up to spend the rest of their lives with

Mr Grumpy, did they? (I know I didn’t.)

There’s every chance of damage or

even disaster to key relationships.

What’s more, testosterone drives muscle

metabolism and helps prevent insulin

resistance, and low levels are associated

with heart disease and prostate cancer.

More about that later.

Fortunately, together with a growing

understanding of the health benefits

of an active lifestyle together with a

sound diet, there are plenty of medical

treatment options available from a

variety of doctors and specialists.

So don’t let matters go too far; it’s

in everyone’s best interest for the

man concerned to get tested, to get

treated and to get well again, says

endocrinologist DR BEN NG of Arden

Endocrinology Specialist Clinic. His

services, by the way, include the

assessment of testosterone status,

including andropause; the treatment of

low testosterone; and the management

and treatment of problems related

to low testosterone, such as erectile

dysfunction, osteoporosis, diabetes

and obesity.

Interestingly, it’s very often their wives

who drivemen to come in for assessment.

Whilemen usually don’t realise the extent

of their problem, their partners often

do, he says. “They’ll say: ‘Over the past

five years, my husband has been losing

interest in sex; he doesn’t want to do

anything – and he’s putting on weight.’

“One o f t he p rob l ems w i t h

andropause is that it’s generally a

gradual decline that you can sort of

get used to, slowly slipping into a state

of weakness, fatigue and obesity.

It’s very different from a woman’s

menopause experience, where hot

flushes, sleeplessness and other

unpleasant symptoms tend to come

on suddenly.”

When you start these men on

testosterone replacement in the right

way, he goes on, it’s a life-restoring

treatment that makes both them and

their wives so happy.

“On the other hand, though, we do

need to counsel the wife as to what to

expect. Not only will she see a change in

her husband’s libido, but as his youthful

aggression comes back, he may not

be as docile as he has recently been.”

The effect of this on a relationship can

even break up a marriage, he adds.

(Be careful what you wish for, as the

adage goes.)