No matter how much you take care of yourself, the human body is ultimately susceptible to the effects of age. For men, these changes can manifest themselves in a variety of different ways.
Falling Levels of Testosterone: Generally speaking, men’s testosterone levels begin their irreversible decline at the age of 30, to the tune of one percent annually. With this loss of testosterone can come the development of numerous unwanted health issues, such as fat gain, hair loss and even erectile dysfunction. It should be noted, however, that the presence of these symptoms can vary from man to man. Some men might encounter significant testosterone-related changes, whereas others may experience more moderate effects.
Muscle Mass Decline: As with testosterone, men steadily lose muscle mass as their age advances. Known medically as sarcopenia, this process usually begins to appear around age 40, and further gathers steam past the age of 75. Though
it generally targets sedentary men, sarcopenia can also afflict males who lead relatively active lifestyles. Fortunately, regular resistance training can help stem the tide of age-induced muscle loss.
Greater Presence of Body Fat: One thing that increases with age is body fat – something that men would like to see less of. The culprits behind this body fat increase are lower hormonal levels. Making matters worse is that body fat effectively serves to change testosterone into estradiol, a hormone that helps clamp down on testosterone production. In turn, this decrease in testosterone spurs the formation of abdominal fat.
Mood Difficulties: Research suggests that falling hormonal levels can also lead to emotional instability. Specifically, some middle-aged and older men might find themselves struggling with nervousness, irritability and bouts of fatigue. Some men may also have to cope with depression, along with cognitive issues such as memory loss and a reduced ability to concentrate.
Male Menopause: Believe it or not, men go through their own form of menopause, medically referred to as andropause. To put it succinctly, andropause occurs as a result of massive hormonal declines, leading to problems with sleep, emotional stability and sexual performance.
