Hormonal Shifts, Not Just Age, Can Cause Mood and Weight Changes
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Hormonal Shifts, Not Just Age, Can Cause Mood and Weight Changes
- Men experiencing symptoms like increased irritability, weight gain, and low mood in middle age may be undergoing hormonal changes, specifically a decline in testosterone, which typically decreases by about 1% per year after age 40.
- This gradual decline in testosterone, sometimes referred to as andropause or late-onset hypogonadism, can manifest with symptoms similar to perimenopause in women, which involves fluctuating estrogen levels.
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Many men in their late 40s to early 50s may experience symptoms such as depression, decreased sex drive, and erectile dysfunction, which are often mistakenly attributed solely to “middle-age spread” or general aging. However, these symptoms, along with others like fatigue, mood swings, increased body fat, and reduced muscle mass, can be indicative of a gradual decline in testosterone levels, a phenomenon sometimes termed andropause or late-onset hypogonadism.
Unlike the more abrupt hormonal shift of menopause in women, male hormone decline is typically a slower process. After the age of 40, a man’s testosterone production generally decreases by approximately 1% each year. While normal testosterone ranges vary, for men in their 40s, levels typically fall between 252 and 916 ng/dL. For those in their 50s, the range is often 215 to 878 ng/dL.
Symptoms of low testosterone are not always specific and can also be influenced by other factors like age, medications, or a high body mass index. For women, perimenopause, the transitional period before menopause, can also bring about similar non-specific symptoms such as weight gain, mood changes, anxiety, depression, and fatigue, due to fluctuating estrogen levels. These symptoms can last for years and may include irregular periods, hot flashes, and sleep problems.