Eastday-Survey finds 1m locals suffer from andropause

A NEW survey claims about 11.6 percent of the local male population over the age of 50 suffer from andropause, better known as male menopause.

That effectively means nearly 1 million of the registered male population in the city are affected by it.

The late onset of hypogonadism (LOH), the medical term for andropause, is caused by a drop in the level of testosterone among the aging population. It usually hits men after 40 years of age with symptoms similar to the ones women experience such as depression, increased irritability, mood swings, hot flushes, weakness and difficulty in attaining and sustaining erections, doctors said.

The survey covering nearly 3,000 middle-aged and senior men in nine communities in the city is the first widely covered epidemiological research on men's andropause in the country.

The research tested for sexual hormones among the respondents to figure out the incident of andropause, said Shanghai Changhai Hospital's Dr Sun Yinhua, who headed the project.

China has just started andropause research and doctors as well as the public do not have clear understanding of it which can seriously impact a person's life quality and mental health and even lead to chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer and mental diseases, Sun said.

"There are 150 to 200 million men over the age of 50 in the nation who suffer from various andropause symptoms," he said. "People at the age bracket should visit doctors if they spot any symptoms. LOH can be treated through medication."

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Eastday-Survey finds 1m locals suffer from andropause

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