Does Male Menopause Exist???

BabsieGirl · 10-24-2003, 11:57 AM

By Neil Sherman, healthAtoZ contributing writer

Men approaching the big "Five O" may fret, and women may snicker. But whether the constellation of physical and mental symptoms plaguing middle-aged men can actually be labeled male menopause is still hotly debated.

The theory that men go through a change in life, similar to what women experience, could be taking hold. Societies for andrology, which study male reproductive dysfunction, are cropping up around the world. Medicine is beginning to seriously ponder if a plummeting supply of the male hormone testosterone could be a culprit. If less estrogen in women leads to the end of menstruation, moodiness, hot flashes, loss of sexual interest and osteoporosis, couldn't male versions of these symptoms be caused by less testosterone?

Maybe yes, maybe no.

When testosterone levels drop

"The jury's still out," says Harvey Sternbach,M.D., a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute in Los Angeles. Sternbach is currently updating a review of all available studies on male menopause he originally published in 1998. "My original review looked at the relationship between declining testosterone levels and mood, cognition, and sexual function. My new review looks at the relationship between declining testosterone levels and psychiatric manifestations."

With women, menopause generally marks the end of youth, hence the idea of a "mid-life crisis." Some women get hot flashes, are moody, irritable and/or depressed. While you may not be able to zero in on a precise set of symptoms for male menopause, you may be able to blame testosterone for at least some of them.

"There probably is a syndrome of testosterone deficiency in aging men, and that testosterone deficiency is manifested by a diminished sexual drive, difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection, lack of energy, even irritability and grumpiness," Sternbach says. "There are even changes in a man's height, caused by bone loss and osteoporosis."

No biological clock

The problem is that declining testosterone levels can't be linked to a biological clock as lowered estrogen levels can be in women.

"There are a lot of things that can lower testosterone levels aside from aging," Sternbach explains. "You can lower it from drug and alcohol abuse or from stress or medications. Depression lowers testosterone as does obesity. So the timetable for lower levels of the hormone can be variable in men. What we do know is that every woman will go through menopause and not all men will go through what's called andropause, and we just don't know why."

One of the reasons scientists cannot make up their minds about male menopause is "there's no agreed-upon definition of the cut-off point for low testosterone," Sternbach explains. "See, there are different types of testosterone you can measure. So you really don't know what level the person started from, and you really don't know how much has been lost." Testosterone is present in the circulation both in protein-bound and in non-protein-bound formats.

Not all men lose testosterone, Sternbach adds. "Some men, as we all know, don't get depressed and remain virile and sexually active to the end of their days. And we really don't know why."

The role of life changes

Then there's society's image of male menopause - you know, the middle-aged balding guy in a brand new Porsche convertible, top down, a new and younger woman by his side, zooming up the Pacific Coast highway - former wife and kids left behind in New Jersey.

"Ah, yes, the depression side of the issue," Sternbach says. Don't blame it all on testosterone. "Part of the issue is that our society is so youth-oriented, and so, men at about the age of 45 or 50 have lots to face - probably changes in career, changes in family dynamics, the socio-cultural aspect of having a wife or partner who's midway through menopause, and what you get is men reacting. A lot of those actions are actually symptoms of depression, not testosterone levels." So if women can get hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to ease the burden of menopause, will shots of testosterone make turning 50 easier for men?

"That's problematic for men," Sternbach says. "Prostate cancer is the major concern." Testosterone does not produce or create prostate cancer. However if there's prostate cancer there, testosterone can cause it to grow. "Then you have to make sure that the patient doesn't have sleep apnea because testosterone can worsen sleep apnea," Sternbach says.

And if that's not bad enough, "in some men, believe it or not, testosterone can cause breast enlargement." Testosterone is converted in the body to the female hormone estrogen, Sternbach explains.

Sternbach agrees that male aging, male sexual dysfunction and the role of testosterone are an "increasingly big field of study."

So what should men do?

"Well first of all, make sure you're not suffering from depression," Sternbach advises. "Many of the issues in testosterone levels could be confused with the effects of depression. You need to sort that out. If you've got symptoms that may be suspicious, the first thing is to have a thorough physical and laboratory work and make sure you rule out other medical conditions such as diabetes, which also affect testosterone levels. Treat those first, before you consider looking at testosterone. And you should also have a thorough psychological evaluation and deal with those issues."

As a physician, "you can't just get a lab test, and treat a number," Sternbach says. "You have to treat the whole person."

Taking the test

Sternbach says the St. Louis Adam (Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male) questionnaire is legitimate and may help men sort out the emotional from the chemical.

The St. Louis ADAM questionnaire asks you to check for the following symptoms:

1. Decrease in sex drive

2. Lack of energy

3. Decrease in strength and/or endurance

4. Lost height

5. Decreased "enjoyment of life"

6. Sad and/or grumpy feelings

7. Erections less strong

8. Deterioration in sports ability

9. Falling asleep after dinner

10. Decreased work performance

Men experiencing symptoms mentioned in the first and seventh items or a combination of any four or more others might be candidates for testosterone replacement therapy.

Sources:

UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute

Andrology.com

Check out these articles to learn more about men's health:

Is Testosterone Good for the Heart?
http://www.healthatoz.com/atoz/Healt...t02152001.html
Male Erectile Dysfunction
http://www.healthatoz.com/atoz/Sexua...Perectile.html

This article was posted on 12/13/2001

Disclaimer: The text presented on these pages is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information presented may not be appropriate or applicable to your individual medical situation. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without first consulting a qualified healthcare provider. The information may not be representative of benefits covered under your PacifiCare health plan. You must consult your Evidence of Coverage for information regarding the benefits, exclusions and limitations applicable to your PacifiCare health plan. Please consult PacifiCare or your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns in connection with the information presented on these pages.

PacifiCare products and services are offered by one or more of the following PacifiCare family of companies:

Health plan products and services are offered by PacifiCare of Arizona, Inc., PacifiCare of California, PacifiCare of Colorado, Inc., PacifiCare of Nevada, Inc., PacifiCare of Oklahoma, Inc., PacifiCare of Oregon, Inc., PacifiCare of Texas, Inc., PacifiCare of Washington, Inc., PacifiCare Dental of Colorado, Inc., PacifiCare Behavioral Health of California, Inc., and PacifiCare Dental (in California).

Indemnity insurance products (including PPO products) offered by PacifiCare in California are underwritten by PacifiCare Life and Health Insurance Company. Indemnity insurance products (including PPO products) offered by PacifiCare in all other states are underwritten by PacifiCare Life Assurance Company.

Other products and services are offered by PacifiCare Health Plan Administrators, Inc., RxSolutions, Inc., and PacifiCare Behavioral health, Inc.

PacifiCare (R) is a federally registered trademark of PacifiCare Life and Health Insurance Company.

Copyright © 1999-2002 Medical Network Inc. All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this web site may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. "HealthAtoZ.com" should be prominently displayed on any material reproduced with the publisher's consent.

kbm8795 · 10-24-2003, 12:28 PM

I haven't experienced that yet . . . but some of those things, like maybe taking more naps and decreased energy may be typically symptomatic of growing older. This, to me, doesn't make men over 50 lifeless...(well, I guess I'll find out in another year or so)...but I have definitely not noticed any reduction or change in sex drive or desire.
What I have noticed in talking to my male buds in this age group isn't anything I'd call "depression"...though I'm hardly an expert in this area. What we tend to be experiencing is more a change in approach and attitude - our lives become less driven by the need to wave our sexuality in the air all of the time. I wonder sometimes if that lack of locker room talk is assumed to mean we just aren't interested.
In my experience so far, that just isn't the case. Seems to me that a Man reaches a point in his own personal experiences where he often doesn't feel the need or desire to prove himself so much - and that can mean professionally, emotionally, and sexually. It just all gets taken to a different level and gets expressed in some other ways. I don't see it as anyone I know losing desire - they just don't have the need to broadcast it all of the time.
One of the things I LIKE about growing older is how much I don't seem to care about how the rest of the world always perceives me - I've earned the right to be my own man.

Yep...there are guys out there who hit middle age and go "wild"...like there's some crisis in the manhood goin' on. I had my share of buds asking me why I'm working out NOW...one asked if I was trying to live forever...one asked if I was trying to be 25 again...and I thought about it a lot. Honestly, it is a health issue for me - I don't want to court lower back pain, diabetes, etc...all the things that are more likely to happen as you grow older.
I also watched a good friend have a stroke at the age of 44....and another one who died of a massive stroke at 42. You open up your address book and see those names who are gone in there, and it wakes you up to valuing some quality of life pretty quickly. I guess I'm saying this isn't just about moving beyond youth, or society's attitude about youth - I don't have any friends who want to be 25 again, including me. I just think there are lots of life experiences that start to happen as you grow older...losing friends, aging parents...your own physical/emotional experiences...that influence the way we look at every aspect of our lives.

BUSTINOUT · 10-24-2003, 12:58 PM

I better get to my Dr.

Good post kbm8795. The last paragraph is right on the money.

**dg806** · 10-24-2003, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kbm8795
I haven't experienced that yet . . . but some of those things, like maybe taking more naps and decreased energy may be typically symptomatic of growing older. This, to me, doesn't make men over 50 lifeless...(well, I guess I'll find out in another year or so)...but I have definitely not noticed any reduction or change in sex drive or desire.
What I have noticed in talking to my male buds in this age group isn't anything I'd call "depression"...though I'm hardly an expert in this area. What we tend to be experiencing is more a change in approach and attitude - our lives become less driven by the need to wave our sexuality in the air all of the time. I wonder sometimes if that lack of locker room talk is assumed to mean we just aren't interested.
In my experience so far, that just isn't the case. Seems to me that a Man reaches a point in his own personal experiences where he often doesn't feel the need or desire to prove himself so much - and that can mean professionally, emotionally, and sexually. It just all gets taken to a different level and gets expressed in some other ways. I don't see it as anyone I know losing desire - they just don't have the need to broadcast it all of the time.
One of the things I LIKE about growing older is how much I don't seem to care about how the rest of the world always perceives me - I've earned the right to be my own man.

Yep...there are guys out there who hit middle age and go "wild"...like there's some crisis in the manhood goin' on. I had my share of buds asking me why I'm working out NOW...one asked if I was trying to live forever...one asked if I was trying to be 25 again...and I thought about it a lot. Honestly, it is a health issue for me - I don't want to court lower back pain, diabetes, etc...all the things that are more likely to happen as you grow older.
I also watched a good friend have a stroke at the age of 44....and another one who died of a massive stroke at 42. You open up your address book and see those names who are gone in there, and it wakes you up to valuing some quality of life pretty quickly. I guess I'm saying this isn't just about moving beyond youth, or society's attitude about youth - I don't have any friends who want to be 25 again, including me. I just think there are lots of life experiences that start to happen as you grow older...losing friends, aging parents...your own physical/emotional experiences...that influence the way we look at every aspect of our lives.

Great post!

BUSTINOUT · 10-24-2003, 01:05 PM

Oh Dear Lord...it's happening...

I'm starting to relate to threads written by Old Farts". "They" told me this day would come...

katie64 · 10-24-2003, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kbm8795
I haven't experienced that yet . . . but some of those things, like maybe taking more naps and decreased energy may be typically symptomatic of growing older. This, to me, doesn't make men over 50 lifeless...(well, I guess I'll find out in another year or so)...but I have definitely not noticed any reduction or change in sex drive or desire.
What I have noticed in talking to my male buds in this age group isn't anything I'd call "depression"...though I'm hardly an expert in this area. What we tend to be experiencing is more a change in approach and attitude - our lives become less driven by the need to wave our sexuality in the air all of the time. I wonder sometimes if that lack of locker room talk is assumed to mean we just aren't interested.
In my experience so far, that just isn't the case. Seems to me that a Man reaches a point in his own personal experiences where he often doesn't feel the need or desire to prove himself so much - and that can mean professionally, emotionally, and sexually. It just all gets taken to a different level and gets expressed in some other ways. I don't see it as anyone I know losing desire - they just don't have the need to broadcast it all of the time.
One of the things I LIKE about growing older is how much I don't seem to care about how the rest of the world always perceives me - I've earned the right to be my own man.

Yep...there are guys out there who hit middle age and go "wild"...like there's some crisis in the manhood goin' on. I had my share of buds asking me why I'm working out NOW...one asked if I was trying to live forever...one asked if I was trying to be 25 again...and I thought about it a lot. Honestly, it is a health issue for me - I don't want to court lower back pain, diabetes, etc...all the things that are more likely to happen as you grow older.
I also watched a good friend have a stroke at the age of 44....and another one who died of a massive stroke at 42. You open up your address book and see those names who are gone in there, and it wakes you up to valuing some quality of life pretty quickly. I guess I'm saying this isn't just about moving beyond youth, or society's attitude about youth - I don't have any friends who want to be 25 again, including me. I just think there are lots of life experiences that start to happen as you grow older...losing friends, aging parents...your own physical/emotional experiences...that influence the way we look at every aspect of our lives.

Very nice post kbm, this mostly applies to older women as well

**dg806** · 10-24-2003, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BUSTINOUT
Oh Dear Lord...it's happening...

I'm starting to relate to threads written by Old Farts". "They" told me this day would come...

OMG.......................i'm rolling out of my chair BO!!!

BUSTINOUT · 10-24-2003, 01:45 PM

We need an Old Fart Smilie now.

**dg806** · 10-24-2003, 01:49 PM

IAB is the smilie king............................!

kbm8795 · 10-24-2003, 04:03 PM

Just wait until we start gettin' that AARP discount at the nutrition stores.....

BabsieGirl · 10-24-2003, 04:08 PM

BabsieGirl · 10-24-2003, 04:09 PM

katie64 · 10-24-2003, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BUSTINOUT
We need an Old Fart Smilie now.

BabsieGirl · 10-24-2003, 04:57 PM

BabsieGirl · 10-24-2003, 04:59 PM

BabsieGirl · 10-24-2003, 05:00 PM

now...this is being desperate

kbm8795 · 10-24-2003, 06:13 PM

hahaha....

BUSTINOUT · 10-24-2003, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kbm8795
Just wait until we start gettin' that AARP discount at the nutrition stores.....

Now that'll be kinda kewel.

Dero · 10-24-2003, 06:23 PM

Ah,ah,ah, in da face of OLD AGE!!!!

BUSTINOUT · 10-24-2003, 06:25 PM

What the hell is that D? A flashing 3rd grader..you sick bastage.

Dero · 10-24-2003, 07:33 PM

How about this then???

BabsieGirl · 10-24-2003, 08:41 PM

I bet you could find something else for him to suck on........

Tank316 · 10-24-2003, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BabsieGirl
I bet you could find something else for him to suck on........

Dero · 10-25-2003, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BabsieGirl
I bet you could find something else for him to suck on........

You mean to GUM!!!

10-24-2003, 11:57 AM	#1
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	Does Male Menopause Exist??? By Neil Sherman, healthAtoZ contributing writer Men approaching the big "Five O" may fret, and women may snicker. But whether the constellation of physical and mental symptoms plaguing middle-aged men can actually be labeled male menopause is still hotly debated. The theory that men go through a change in life, similar to what women experience, could be taking hold. Societies for andrology, which study male reproductive dysfunction, are cropping up around the world. Medicine is beginning to seriously ponder if a plummeting supply of the male hormone testosterone could be a culprit. If less estrogen in women leads to the end of menstruation, moodiness, hot flashes, loss of sexual interest and osteoporosis, couldn't male versions of these symptoms be caused by less testosterone? Maybe yes, maybe no. When testosterone levels drop "The jury's still out," says Harvey Sternbach,M.D., a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute in Los Angeles. Sternbach is currently updating a review of all available studies on male menopause he originally published in 1998. "My original review looked at the relationship between declining testosterone levels and mood, cognition, and sexual function. My new review looks at the relationship between declining testosterone levels and psychiatric manifestations." With women, menopause generally marks the end of youth, hence the idea of a "mid-life crisis." Some women get hot flashes, are moody, irritable and/or depressed. While you may not be able to zero in on a precise set of symptoms for male menopause, you may be able to blame testosterone for at least some of them. "There probably is a syndrome of testosterone deficiency in aging men, and that testosterone deficiency is manifested by a diminished sexual drive, difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection, lack of energy, even irritability and grumpiness," Sternbach says. "There are even changes in a man's height, caused by bone loss and osteoporosis." No biological clock The problem is that declining testosterone levels can't be linked to a biological clock as lowered estrogen levels can be in women. "There are a lot of things that can lower testosterone levels aside from aging," Sternbach explains. "You can lower it from drug and alcohol abuse or from stress or medications. Depression lowers testosterone as does obesity. So the timetable for lower levels of the hormone can be variable in men. What we do know is that every woman will go through menopause and not all men will go through what's called andropause, and we just don't know why." One of the reasons scientists cannot make up their minds about male menopause is "there's no agreed-upon definition of the cut-off point for low testosterone," Sternbach explains. "See, there are different types of testosterone you can measure. So you really don't know what level the person started from, and you really don't know how much has been lost." Testosterone is present in the circulation both in protein-bound and in non-protein-bound formats. Not all men lose testosterone, Sternbach adds. "Some men, as we all know, don't get depressed and remain virile and sexually active to the end of their days. And we really don't know why." The role of life changes Then there's society's image of male menopause - you know, the middle-aged balding guy in a brand new Porsche convertible, top down, a new and younger woman by his side, zooming up the Pacific Coast highway - former wife and kids left behind in New Jersey. "Ah, yes, the depression side of the issue," Sternbach says. Don't blame it all on testosterone. "Part of the issue is that our society is so youth-oriented, and so, men at about the age of 45 or 50 have lots to face - probably changes in career, changes in family dynamics, the socio-cultural aspect of having a wife or partner who's midway through menopause, and what you get is men reacting. A lot of those actions are actually symptoms of depression, not testosterone levels." So if women can get hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to ease the burden of menopause, will shots of testosterone make turning 50 easier for men? "That's problematic for men," Sternbach says. "Prostate cancer is the major concern." Testosterone does not produce or create prostate cancer. However if there's prostate cancer there, testosterone can cause it to grow. "Then you have to make sure that the patient doesn't have sleep apnea because testosterone can worsen sleep apnea," Sternbach says. And if that's not bad enough, "in some men, believe it or not, testosterone can cause breast enlargement." Testosterone is converted in the body to the female hormone estrogen, Sternbach explains. Sternbach agrees that male aging, male sexual dysfunction and the role of testosterone are an "increasingly big field of study." So what should men do? "Well first of all, make sure you're not suffering from depression," Sternbach advises. "Many of the issues in testosterone levels could be confused with the effects of depression. You need to sort that out. If you've got symptoms that may be suspicious, the first thing is to have a thorough physical and laboratory work and make sure you rule out other medical conditions such as diabetes, which also affect testosterone levels. Treat those first, before you consider looking at testosterone. And you should also have a thorough psychological evaluation and deal with those issues." As a physician, "you can't just get a lab test, and treat a number," Sternbach says. "You have to treat the whole person." Taking the test Sternbach says the St. Louis Adam (Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male) questionnaire is legitimate and may help men sort out the emotional from the chemical. The St. Louis ADAM questionnaire asks you to check for the following symptoms: 1. Decrease in sex drive 2. Lack of energy 3. Decrease in strength and/or endurance 4. Lost height 5. Decreased "enjoyment of life" 6. Sad and/or grumpy feelings 7. Erections less strong 8. Deterioration in sports ability 9. Falling asleep after dinner 10. Decreased work performance Men experiencing symptoms mentioned in the first and seventh items or a combination of any four or more others might be candidates for testosterone replacement therapy. Sources: UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute Andrology.com Check out these articles to learn more about men's health: Is Testosterone Good for the Heart? http://www.healthatoz.com/atoz/Healt...t02152001.html Male Erectile Dysfunction http://www.healthatoz.com/atoz/Sexua...Perectile.html This article was posted on 12/13/2001 Disclaimer: The text presented on these pages is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information presented may not be appropriate or applicable to your individual medical situation. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without first consulting a qualified healthcare provider. The information may not be representative of benefits covered under your PacifiCare health plan. You must consult your Evidence of Coverage for information regarding the benefits, exclusions and limitations applicable to your PacifiCare health plan. Please consult PacifiCare or your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns in connection with the information presented on these pages. PacifiCare products and services are offered by one or more of the following PacifiCare family of companies: Health plan products and services are offered by PacifiCare of Arizona, Inc., PacifiCare of California, PacifiCare of Colorado, Inc., PacifiCare of Nevada, Inc., PacifiCare of Oklahoma, Inc., PacifiCare of Oregon, Inc., PacifiCare of Texas, Inc., PacifiCare of Washington, Inc., PacifiCare Dental of Colorado, Inc., PacifiCare Behavioral Health of California, Inc., and PacifiCare Dental (in California). Indemnity insurance products (including PPO products) offered by PacifiCare in California are underwritten by PacifiCare Life and Health Insurance Company. Indemnity insurance products (including PPO products) offered by PacifiCare in all other states are underwritten by PacifiCare Life Assurance Company. Other products and services are offered by PacifiCare Health Plan Administrators, Inc., RxSolutions, Inc., and PacifiCare Behavioral health, Inc. PacifiCare (R) is a federally registered trademark of PacifiCare Life and Health Insurance Company. Copyright © 1999-2002 Medical Network Inc. All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this web site may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. "HealthAtoZ.com" should be prominently displayed on any material reproduced with the publisher's consent. Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

10-24-2003, 01:49 PM	#9
dg806 Guardian of The Homeland Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Charlotte NC Posts: 18,197	IAB is the smilie king............................! 1-Andro Rx Pro-hormone

10-24-2003, 04:08 PM	#11
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

10-24-2003, 04:09 PM	#12
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

10-24-2003, 04:57 PM	#14
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

10-24-2003, 12:28 PM	#2
kbm8795 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 2,367 Photos: 1	I haven't experienced that yet . . . but some of those things, like maybe taking more naps and decreased energy may be typically symptomatic of growing older. This, to me, doesn't make men over 50 lifeless...(well, I guess I'll find out in another year or so)...but I have definitely not noticed any reduction or change in sex drive or desire. What I have noticed in talking to my male buds in this age group isn't anything I'd call "depression"...though I'm hardly an expert in this area. What we tend to be experiencing is more a change in approach and attitude - our lives become less driven by the need to wave our sexuality in the air all of the time. I wonder sometimes if that lack of locker room talk is assumed to mean we just aren't interested. In my experience so far, that just isn't the case. Seems to me that a Man reaches a point in his own personal experiences where he often doesn't feel the need or desire to prove himself so much - and that can mean professionally, emotionally, and sexually. It just all gets taken to a different level and gets expressed in some other ways. I don't see it as anyone I know losing desire - they just don't have the need to broadcast it all of the time. One of the things I LIKE about growing older is how much I don't seem to care about how the rest of the world always perceives me - I've earned the right to be my own man. Yep...there are guys out there who hit middle age and go "wild"...like there's some crisis in the manhood goin' on. I had my share of buds asking me why I'm working out NOW...one asked if I was trying to live forever...one asked if I was trying to be 25 again...and I thought about it a lot. Honestly, it is a health issue for me - I don't want to court lower back pain, diabetes, etc...all the things that are more likely to happen as you grow older. I also watched a good friend have a stroke at the age of 44....and another one who died of a massive stroke at 42. You open up your address book and see those names who are gone in there, and it wakes you up to valuing some quality of life pretty quickly. I guess I'm saying this isn't just about moving beyond youth, or society's attitude about youth - I don't have any friends who want to be 25 again, including me. I just think there are lots of life experiences that start to happen as you grow older...losing friends, aging parents...your own physical/emotional experiences...that influence the way we look at every aspect of our lives.

10-24-2003, 12:58 PM	#3
BUSTINOUT Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,418	I better get to my Dr. Good post kbm8795. The last paragraph is right on the money.

10-24-2003, 01:05 PM	#5
BUSTINOUT Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,418	Oh Dear Lord...it's happening... I'm starting to relate to threads written by Old Farts". "They" told me this day would come...

10-24-2003, 01:45 PM	#8
BUSTINOUT Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,418	We need an Old Fart Smilie now.

10-24-2003, 04:03 PM	#10
kbm8795 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 2,367 Photos: 1	Just wait until we start gettin' that AARP discount at the nutrition stores.....

10-24-2003, 04:59 PM	#15
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

10-24-2003, 05:00 PM	#16
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	now...this is being desperate Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

10-24-2003, 06:13 PM	#17
kbm8795 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 2,367 Photos: 1	hahaha....

10-24-2003, 06:23 PM	#19
Dero Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 10,780 Photos: 6	Ah,ah,ah, in da face of OLD AGE!!!! Senior citizen at work, don't bugg me.

10-24-2003, 06:25 PM	#20
BUSTINOUT Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,418	What the hell is that D? A flashing 3rd grader..you sick bastage.

10-24-2003, 08:41 PM	#22
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	I bet you could find something else for him to suck on........ Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode