Alternative Medicine Cabinet - Male Menopause?

If you tell your doctor you’re experiencing menopausal symptoms, he may raise a brow or even chuckle. But male menopause, or “manopause,” as Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council, calls it, is no laughing matter. All of the symptoms—libido loss, fatigue, moodiness, weakness, depression, urinary and erectile dysfunction, and even hot flashes—stem from low testosterone levels, a natural result of aging.

While pharmaceutical drugs, antidepressants, and hormone-replacement therapy top the list of standard treatments for age-related testosterone loss (also known as andropause), these remedies’ side effects—breast enlargement, sexual dysfunction, sleep apnea, increased stroke risk, and even prostate cancer—make them less-than-desirable solutions. Why not try one or a few of these natural supplements? They just may give you the boost you need to feel like your old self again.


Saw palmetto
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is an androgenic hormone responsible for male characteristics like deep voice, facial hair, and sex drive. When a guy’s body produces an overabundance of DHT, he may experience hair loss and even an enlarged prostate, which leads to urinary problems and sexual dysfunction. Saw palmetto increases testosterone and lowers DHT in the prostate. Take 160 mg twice a day.

Pumpkinseed extract
Well known as a prostate supplement in Germany (and Blumenthal’s personal favorite manopause
remedy), pumpkinseed gets very little love in America. Plant sterols in the seeds stop DHT from binding to androgen receptors (sex hormones) in prostate tissue, thus preventing prostate swelling and reducing urinary and sexual dysfunctions. Blumenthal recommends taking the equivalent of 10 to 20 grams
of raw pumpkinseeds or about 500 to 1,000 mg of an extract daily.

Stinging nettle
To add insult to injury, urinary tract infections often come with the andropause package. Supplementing with stinging nettle root, in combination with saw palmetto, can work as effectively as pharmaceutical drugs, but with 90 percent fewer adverse side effects, says Blumenthal. Reduce your risk with this root’s anti-inflammatory properties by taking 120 mg in capsule form twice a day.

DIM
Age-related testosterone loss leads to an overabundance of estrogen. This hormonal seesaw can cause male breast cancer and prostate cancer, says Holly Lucille, ND, an expert in hormone health. DIM, or diindolylmethane, found in cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower, metabolizes estrogen to bring levels back into balance. “By preventing estrogen dominance, DIM alleviates depression, supports memory, and builds muscle,” Lucille explains. Take 60 mg daily.

DHEA
In order to treat andropause effectively, Lucille says you must strengthen the adrenals, which secrete DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a hormone that naturally diminishes as you age. “DHEA supports the production of testosterone, strengthens bones, and prevents adrenal burnout in the face of unrelenting stress in today’s society,” says Lucille. Holistic docs recommend supplementing with DHEA, in combination with DIM. But before you do, get your DHEA levels checked and then have your doctor monitor them throughout your DHEA supplementation. Take 25 mg daily.

Enter a comment related to this article

---