‘Manopause’ exists and it’s inevitable for all men

PHOENIX — Sports cars and young women are not the only things that men end up with during a midlife crisis.

They also get “manopause.”

Just like women, when men reach a certain age, their bodies start to change.

“Men also, as they age, lose their testosterone, which can lead to the ‘manopause’ symptoms,” Valley hormone specialist Dr. Angela DeRosa said.

Symptoms of manopause include weight gain, mood swings, low libido, irritability and a lack of energy.

“They kind of lose that killer instinct that guys get,” DeRosa said.

The most common symptom of manopause, however, is erectile dysfunction, and that is what drives most middle-aged men to see hormone specialists.

“It takes two ways to get a man in to see the doctor,” DeRosa joked. “It is either in an ambulance or with erectile dysfunction.”

Manopause, similar to menopause, is an inevitable part of life.

“You’re never going to feel the way you did in your 20s,” she said.

There are a few things men can do to lessen the symptoms of manopause.

“At some point, your testosterone levels are going to drop below optimum (levels) for you and they’re probably going to start causing issues,” she explained. “But if you eat right and take good care of yourself, it’s less likely to be as traumatic.”