Glossary
Andropause
The slow drop in testosterone in men, less sharp than menopause in women.
What is andropause?
Andropause, in everyday speech male menopause, is the gradual drop in testosterone in men as they get older. Unlike menopause in women it has no sharp line. It is a slow change that plays out over decades. The medical name is late-onset hypogonadism.
| English term | andropause, colloquially male menopause; doctors call it late-onset hypogonadism |
| Also known as | penopause, male menopause, testosterone deficiency |
| Category | a hormonal change that comes with getting older, not a disease in itself |
| Difference from menopause | women stop relatively abruptly, in men it drops slowly and rarely completely |
| When | usually between the ages of forty and sixty |
| Important | real symptoms belong with your doctor, not with self-diagnosis |
What happens in the body
Testosterone drops over the years. In some men it drops so far that symptoms come with it: less desire for sex, more fatigue, a shorter fuse, less muscle strength. It happens gradually. That is exactly why many men do not recognize it as one thing.
What counts as a real deficiency is defined strictly. In the European Male Ageing Study Wu and colleagues drew the line: at least three sexual symptoms have to coincide with a lowered testosterone level, below 11 nanomoles per liter, before you can call it late-onset hypogonadism. So the bar sits high. Getting older on its own is not the same as a deficiency.
Why this matters
If your partner is in this phase, more is going on than you see at first glance. A dip in his desire is not all in his head. It says nothing about you. It is physical, and there is no need for shame.
At the same time it is not fixed. Exercise, sleep and weight play a part, and sometimes care from a doctor helps. But the first thing that makes a difference is that he knows what is going on and that the two of you can talk it over together.
Where to turn
If he suspects a deficiency, or you notice it is getting in the way between you, your doctor is the right place, because a blood test can show whether something is really going on and refer him on if needed. Reliable information to start with is on Thuisarts.nl. I am a gigolo myself, not a doctor. So I say nothing about the medical side. If you want to talk about what a change like this does to your intimacy, that I can do. What a meeting like that looks like is on intimate togetherness.
Sources
- Identification of Late-Onset Hypogonadism in Middle-Aged and Elderly Men. Frederick C. W. Wu, Abdelouahid Tajar, Jennifer M. Beynon et al., New England Journal of Medicine 363(2), 123-135, 2010. The European Male Ageing Study. Gives the strict definition of late-onset hypogonadism: at least three sexual symptoms together with a total testosterone level below 11 nanomoles per liter.
- Andropause in Diabetic and Non-diabetic Males: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study in Western India. Ramiz S. Kadiwala & Jagannath S. Dhadwad, Cureus 16(7), e65152, 2024. Shows that andropause, late-onset hypogonadism and male menopause are terms for the same age-related hormonal change in men.
Related terms
- Menopause. The female version, faster and more sharply defined.
- Libido. The desire for sex that can drop with a dip in testosterone.
- Sexual response cycle. How arousal and desire unfold, independent of age or hormone level.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about this term
What is andropause?
Andropause is the gradual drop in testosterone in men as they get older. Unlike menopause in women, andropause runs slowly and rarely completely. The medical name for it is late-onset hypogonadism.
Is andropause the same as menopause?
No. With menopause a woman’s fertility stops relatively abruptly, while andropause is a slow drop in testosterone that stretches over decades. That is why “male menopause” is a misleading name, and why doctors prefer to speak of late-onset hypogonadism.
Who can you turn to with questions about andropause?
For the medical side of andropause your doctor is the right place; a blood test can show whether there is really a testosterone deficiency. Reliable information is on Thuisarts.nl. If you want to talk about what a change like this does to your intimacy, you can turn to me, Victor, no obligation and free.
Learn more
Still have questions about andropause?
I am Victor, a gigolo. The medical side belongs with your doctor, but what a dip in testosterone does to your intimacy is something I am glad to talk over. Feel free to send me a message. Asking costs nothing and commits you to nothing.