A drop in testosterone levels with advancing age causes andropause. There are actually two aspects to this process. First, there's a decrease in production of testosterone by the body. Second, the body increases the production of a substance called "Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)", which, in effect, takes some of this reduced amount of testosterone "out of circulation". That is, while it's still circulating in your body, it's not available to your body to be used.

The amount of testosterone that your body can actually use is measured as bioavailable testosterone, and the combination of lower total amounts as well as more being bound up to SHBG and not available, can dramatically lower bioavailable testosterone. This seems to be the key in driving the changes that are seen in men with andropause.

Is andropause a new phenomenon?

Not at all. "When a man is old, all his desires cease; his youthful sparkle, his fresh colour and looks fade, and he becomes thoroughly useless, like a cloud from which the rain has fallen". This description, which really captures the essence of andropause, was written in Germany over 1,000 years ago!  As a measurable clinical entity though, testosterone itself wasn't identified until the 1930s, and bioavailable testosterone until much more recently.

Learn about the Bio-T Test: the most effective test to determine low testosterone levels.

Like many things in medicine, andropause was known to exist, however, doctors just couldn't be sure of the exact cause. As awareness in the medical community increases more testing will be done and appropriate treatment initiated. Almost as important though is that as the general public becomes more aware of andropause, they will ask their doctors to do the appropriate testing, and work together to help get their lives back.

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