A Male's Guide to Menopause

In scientific terms, menopause is the period of a woman's life which begins 12 full months after her final menstrual cycle and usually occurs between the ages of 50 to 55. There is no physiological equivalent for men; males can father children well into old age. However, dealing with the effects of menopause can be a challenge for men as well as for women.

Dealing with Menopause

• Male partners should know that while the majority of women in the United States will suffer some menopause-related symptoms, many do not. The symptoms also vary in severity from woman to woman. Hot flashes and vaginal dryness are the most common symptoms. Vaginal dryness can be addressed with local hormone treatment or over-the-counter lubricants, along with male awareness and patience during intimate encounters.

  Dealing with hot flashes is somewhat more complex. Until the mid-2000s, hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) was routinely prescribed for women to relieve menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. However. disturbing results from a long-term study conducted by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) linking HRT with possible increased cancer risks caused many doctors and women to reconsider its use.

  Some women have chosen to substitute plant-based estrogen, black cohosh or other alternatives to ease hot flashes. While black cohosh is widely used in Europe for treating hot flashes, and is also popular in the United States for treating menopausal symptoms, the Mayo Clinic reports that there is little scientific support for its effectiveness. The Mayo Clinic also reports that dietary supplements such as dong quai, evening primrose oil and natural progesterone cream (made from wild yams) have not been shown to be safe or effective in scientific testing.

  Other symptoms of menopause, such as weight gain and diminished libido are far from universal. In fact, many women experience an increase in sexual desire because they are freed from the worry of accidental pregnancy. However, the possibility of pregnancy remains until a woman has gone a full 12 months without a period, so contraception should still be used for sexually active women who are going through menopause. Men and women should also be aware that vaginal walls often become thinner with age, so that tearing and lesions are a definite possibility without proper lubrication.

Male Andropause

• There is also evidence to suggest that males face a gradual decrease in testosterone production and sexual function which is sometimes referred to as male menopause. However, this term is medically misleading, because while female egg production ceases during a relatively short window, male sperm production almost never ceases completely. Total loss of of libido and sexual function is not normal for males, and males exhibiting these symptoms are well advised to see a physician.