Aging Gracefully
Natural Treatments for Male Andropause

Healthy & Natural Journal,  Feb, 2001  by Linda Page

The new year is a time for introspection and resolutions. It is also the perfect time to make the decision to take control over our health and aging. This is especially true as we go through the change of life that hits us all at some point. Along with the threat of age-related diseases like Alzheimer's, macular degeneration and osteoporosis, both men and women experience hormonal fluctuations at midlife that affect the way we look and feel.

As menopause is the change of life for women, "andropause" is the change of life for men. Midlife change for men is much less discussed, even in the medical community. But andropause is a real phenomenon; for some men, it can cause unusual fatigue, anxiety, and even impotence.

However, change is natural, and change may be just what our bodies need at this phase of our lives. Most people I've talked with adjust to and even embrace their changes, especially after they've taken steps to improve their diets and lifestyles in order to ensure health and fitness for the years to come. Here are some suggestions to help both men and women get this year off to a good start and turn back the aging clock.

Natural therapies for andropause

Approximately eight in 10 family physicians recognize male andropause as a real condition comparable to female menopause that can affect quality of life for men. Symptoms to watch for include low energy, slow facial or head hair growth, decrease in muscle mass, lost height or osteoporosis, enlarged prostate, depression, less strong or less frequent erections and decreased sex drive. There are several steps men can take in order to prevent or minimize these symptoms:

1. Reduce fried foods, red meats and fatty dairy foods (full of hormone-disrupting chemicals), caffeine and sugar; all these foods deplete the adrenals, add to andropausal weight gain, and drain male energy.
2. Don't go too far. An extremely lowfat diet is disastrous for andropausal health. Recent Penn State University studies find it may reduce testosterone levels to almost preadolescent levels--definitely bad news for an older man! Your diet should include healthy fats from seafood, cold-water fish and lean meats such as hormone-free turkey and chicken. Consider flaxseed oil as a healthy oil to use in salad dressings.
3. Increase your intake of zinc to renew sexual potency. Zinc, highly concentrated in semen, is the most important nutrient for male sexual function. Eat zinc-containing foods like liver, oysters, brewer's yeast, nuts and seeds regularly. Add zinc-rich spirulina to your superfood supplement list.
4. Check your alcohol intake. Heavy drinking can lead to prostate problems and impaired erections by increasing levels of di-hydro-testosterone (DHT). DHT elevation, linked to testosterone decline and elevation of female hormones, is definitely undesirable for men.
5. Take care of your prostate. Research documented in the Quarterly Review of Natural Medicine finds saw palmetto reduces the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) by blocking DHT, inhibiting production of the enzyme related to prostate enlargement, and interfering with other prostate growth factors.
6. For sexual virility, try the herb tribulus terrestris. An Ayurvedic herb, tribulus has been used since ancient times as a treatment for increasing libido and treating impotence in men.
7. Regular exercise is a vital component of male sexual health. Exercise makes the body function more efficiently and raises strength and endurance. In one study, 78 healthy but previously sedentary men began exercising regularly. For nine months, the men exercised 60 minutes a day for three days a week. Every man in the study reported significantly enhanced sexuality, including increased frequency, performance and satisfaction. Rising sexuality was even correlated with the degree of fitness improvement. The higher the level of physical fitness the men attained, the better their sex lives got!
8. Add a broad-spectrum amino acid supplement to boost the benefits of your exercise program, help increase muscle mass, and improve skin tone.