TOKYO - Recent symptoms such as fatigue and irritability may be signs of menopause, a condition often seen as a women’s health issue but one that also affects many men, especially those in their 40s and 50s who face growing responsibilities, declining recognition and physical changes that are difficult to discuss.
A man in his 50s who works at an IT-related company in Tokyo recently visited a specialist outpatient clinic for male menopause. What troubled him most was his inability to control his anger. "When I pointed out mistakes by subordinates, I would say things that cornered them more than necessary," he said.
He said his anger was not limited to work. "I would lecture someone for 30 minutes or an hour. It was not just at work. If I went to a store and a staff member made a small mistake, I would blame them more than necessary. I really could not stop myself, or rather, I became quick to snap." After receiving treatment, including supplementation of male hormones, his symptoms have improved.
The number of potential patients in Japan is estimated at about 6 million. Among men aged 40 and older, male menopause is said to affect one in five or six, but awareness and understanding remain limited.
Some men still see menopause as a women’s condition. A 58-year-old man said, "I have the image that it is something for women." A 65-year-old man said, "I feel like I have never heard of men having menopause." A 54-year-old man said, "I do not understand the symptoms themselves. I do not know what kinds of symptoms count as menopause."
Koichi Amano, director of eHealth Clinic Shinjuku, said male menopause can cause a wide range of symptoms. "Physical symptoms include becoming tired easily, palpitations and sweating. Psychological symptoms include anxiety, low mood and irritability. Sexual symptoms include reduced sexual function and ED, or erectile dysfunction," he said.
The symptoms vary widely, and their severity differs from person to person.
Watanabe, 47, was troubled by severe fatigue. His discomfort began the moment he woke up in the morning. "My family, friends and colleagues told me my face looked extremely tired. I had not really noticed it myself, so it was a big shock," he said.
At the time, his intense fatigue reduced his ability to concentrate and began to affect his work. He started treatment, including taking herbal medicine, and three months later, the change was visible even in the way he entered the examination room, Amano said.
"When I say, 'Please come in,' the time it takes for the patient to enter the examination room is faster," Amano said. "At first, everyone comes in slowly and heavily, but now he comes in with an alert response, like, 'Yes.' You can tell at a glance whether treatment is working."
Menopause refers to a period when hormones in the body decline. In women, it generally occurs around ages 45 to 55, before and after menopause. In men, male hormones also begin to decline from around their 40s.
Experts say stress from work and changes in the surrounding environment is one factor. After their 40s, many men face increasing responsibilities while receiving less recognition. Shigeo Horie, chairman of the Menopause Health Management Association, said that social environment can contribute to male menopause. "In Japanese society, people are often praised for their work until around their 30s. After they pass 40, they may be scolded, but they are rarely praised," he said.
Shinji Anan, a 65-year-old hairdresser, suffered from severe menopause symptoms. When he asked his mother whether she had experienced menopause, she replied, "I did. My body felt hot."
Anan first faced symptoms at age 47, when he had become independent, opened his own salon, hired employees and was expanding his business. The responsibility and pressure created major stress, he said.
"I was taking a break, and then staff called me. When I tried to stand up, I could not stand, and I collapsed just like that," Anan said.
He was taken to a hospital by ambulance, where he was told that menopause could be the cause. He now shares his experience with customers. "The conversation turns to what male menopause is like, and I talk about dizziness, palpitations and fatigue," he said.
A survey found that 63% of men who are aware of their symptoms said they find it difficult to tell people around them, while 58% said they do not want to acknowledge the symptoms.
Anan said it is important to tell others. "If you gain the understanding of people around you, work and personal relationships go more smoothly and efficiently," he said. "The hardest thing is being told you are lazy when you are not. You are trying your best."
The question is how people should respond when someone complains of menopause symptoms.
Chebura, an organization working to spread accurate knowledge about menopause, is using theater to deepen understanding of the condition. The group says it has recently seen an increase in consultations from wives who are unsure how to deal with their husbands’ menopause.
Source: TBS
