Menopause vs. Andropause: Understanding the Differences

What is menopause?

Menopause is a stage in which the menstrual period stops permanently, and pregnancy is no longer possible. It is diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.¹

Menopause doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a gradual process that usually begins around age 40, when the ovaries gradually start producing less estrogen and progesterone.¹  

This big drop in hormone levels can trigger symptoms like hot flashes, irregular periods, and mood swings. This period is often called perimenopause. ¹

Eventually, the ovaries stop releasing eggs, estrogen levels drop, and periods come to an end.¹

 

Symptoms

For some women, the menopausal transition can lead to a range of uncomfortable symptoms like:¹

·      Irregular periods

·      Hot flashes

·      Night sweats

·      Vaginal dryness

·      Mood swings

·      Trouble sleeping

·      Breast tenderness

·      Urinary urgency

·      Headaches

·      Weight gain

·      Loss of sex drive

·      Hair loss or thinning

·      Joint muscle and pain

·      Difficulty concentrating

·      Memory loss

These symptoms may last for up to 10 years, but many women report that they ease once they reach menopause.¹

 

Treatment

There are many treatments available to manage the symptoms of menopause. It’s important to discuss the options with your healthcare provider to find a plan that works for you. Treatment for menopause can include:¹ 

 

• Hormone replacement therapy -a type of treatment that boosts your hormone levels, helping ease symptoms like hot flashes and low libido. Hormone replacement therapy can come in various forms (tablets, sprays, gels, vaginal rings, or patches), and it is available as estrogen alone or a combination of estrogen and progesterone.

 

• Nonhormonal treatments – they include lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, managing stress, and prescription medicines that help relieve menopausal symptoms.

What is andropause?

Andropause refers to the gradual decline in testosterone levels as men age. This decrease can cause various physical and phychological symptoms, such as:²

·      Reduced sex drive

·      Erectile dysfunction

·      Infertility

·      Loss of muscle mass

·      Fat redistribution

·      Fatigue

·      Mood changes

·      Sleep problems

·      Loss of body hair

·      Hot flashes

·      Poor concentration or memory loss

 

Is andropause the same as male menopause?

Although hormone levels decline in aging men, some doctors avoid using terms like “male menopause”.²

Unlike women, who experience a sharp drop in estrogen and progesterone that ends menstruation, men’s testosterone levels fall gradually, at a rate of 1% per year between the ages of 30 and 40, which doesn't always cause symptoms.² Not all men go through andropause, and when symptoms do occur, they can vary widely.²

In many cases, issues such as fatigue, mood changes, or reduced libido may be linked to lifestyle factors, including poor sleep, unhealthy diet, smoking, alcohol use, high stress, and lack of physical activity. Adopting healthier habits can often ease these effects.²

In some cases, however, testosterone levels drop significantly due to hypogonadism, a condition where the testes produce little or no testosterone, which can also develop later in life.²

 

Treatment

Treatment for andropause involves various approaches. If symptoms are the result of an unhealthy lifestyle or stress, the doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and therapy.²

A blood test may be needed to measure testosterone levels. If these are significantly below normal, your doctor may prescribe hormone replacement therapy to alleviate the symptoms. This treatment may be given as an injection or a gel.²

 

Takeaways

Menopause and andropause are natural hormonal changes that occur with age, but they have some differences. Menopause involves a sharp drop in estrogen that ends menstruation and often causes symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep problems. Andropause, on the other hand, happens gradually, with testosterone declining slowly over the years, so symptoms such as fatigue, reduced libido, and muscle loss may be milder or even go unnoticed.

 

References

1-    Peacock K, Carlson K, Ketvertis KM. Menopause. [Updated 2023 Dec 21]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507826/

2-    Singh P. Andropause: Current concepts. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Dec;17(Suppl 3):S621-9. doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.123552. PMID: 24910824; PMCID: PMC4046605.