Male Menopause — A Condition Many Men Overlook
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Men can experience menopause too
Female menopause is widely known, but many people are unaware that men also go through their own version. Male menopause refers to the cluster of symptoms that appear as testosterone gradually declines from the 40s onward, medically known as late-onset hypogonadism (LOH syndrome).
Suspect male menopause if you have these symptoms
- Persistent fatigue and low energy with no clear cause
- Decreased libido and weakened erectile function
- Increased abdominal fat and a sense of muscle loss
- Reduced concentration, memory decline, and depressed mood
- Night sweats or sleep disturbances
How Korean medicine views male menopause
In Korean traditional medicine, male menopause is interpreted as kidney deficiency (sin-heo, 腎虛). As the essence and qi of the kidney become depleted, vitality across the whole body declines. Rather than simply raising hormone levels, treatment aims to comprehensively support the function of the liver and kidney (gan-sin, 肝腎).
Treatment methods
- Kidney-tonifying (bo-sin) prescriptions: Deer antler, Cornus officinalis, and Rehmannia are used to replenish kidney essence (sin-jeong, 腎精).
- Acupuncture: Points such as Shenshu (BL23), Guanyuan (CV4), and Taixi (KI3) are stimulated to activate the lower jiao (ha-cho, 下焦).
- Lifestyle care: Regular strength training, adequate sleep, and supplementation with zinc and vitamin D are recommended.
Early management changes quality of life
Dismissing male menopause as simple aging and leaving it untreated raises the risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. If the symptoms above persist for more than 2 weeks after age 40, we recommend consulting a specialist.