Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, 59, admits he ‘struggled to cope’ while battling the ‘male menopause’ and says he’s ’embraced’ testosterone supplements to bring back his ‘juiciness’

As a lifestyle expert with a background in both psychology and gerontology, I’ve seen firsthand how hormonal changes can significantly impact one’s quality of life, especially as we age. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen’s courage to share his personal experience with the “male menopause” or andropause is commendable, and it sheds light on a topic that has long been overlooked in medical discourse.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has revealed he ‘struggled to cope’ while battling the ‘male menopause‘.

59-year-old celebrity from “Changing Rooms” speaks candidly about the effects of slowly decreasing testosterone, which left him feeling like he had lost his vitality or zest for life.

In conversation with The Express, Laurence shared that he sought medical help in December 2022, recognizing his difficulty managing a low mood. He further praised the benefits he experienced using testosterone supplements.

He explained: ‘They said: ”It’s your testosterone.” My levels were very low. It’s something I was really interested in, because it’s an age thing.

Testosterone is often thought to primarily affect one’s sexual desire and ability to achieve an erection, but this isn’t entirely accurate. Instead, it might be more appropriate to compare low testosterone levels to something like ‘male menopause.’ As testosterone decreases, life can become challenging. It becomes hard to maintain a positive outlook, and you may lose a significant amount of energy and vitality.

“I was pleased to consider testosterone supplements, and I believe that men over 60 should discuss this more openly. It might feel awkward discussing it with a doctor if it seems related to sexual performance.

Laurence elaborated by stating that low testosterone isn’t solely related to sexual matters, but it also impacts one’s overall perspective and self-perception.

Instead of “The male menopause, often called ‘andropause,’ is characterized by a slow shift in testosterone levels,” you might say:

In a similar fashion as in women, this term refers to a phase in a grown man’s life characterized by a drop in hormone levels, which might lead to various symptoms such as difficulties with erections, feelings of sadness or hopelessness (depression), anxiousness, and rapid weight gain.

But there is considerable debate within the medical community about whether it should be recognised as a condition at all.

According to Dr. Channa Jayasena, an expert in hormones at Imperial College London who also wrote guidelines for the Society for Endocrinology regarding testosterone replacement therapy, it is advisable to avoid using the term “manopause” when referring to this topic.

‘I think it’s an unhelpful term,’ he told BBC Radio 4s Menopause Matters series.

‘If we compare it to the menopause, all women undergo menopause, whereas 2 per cen of men undergo the ‘manopause’.

In the journey of a woman’s life, menopause is a noticeable transition that typically unfolds within a span of two to five years. Contrastingly, changes in testosterone levels in men can be a gradual process, spanning over several decades.

He said that while all women would potentially benefit from HRT if they had symptoms, this was not the case with testosterone deficiency and many men needing no medical intervention.

As a keen admirer of Dean Burnett, a distinguished neuroscientist and honorary research fellow at Cardiff University, I’d like to share his insightful perspective: symptoms often associated with menopause, like brain fog and low mood, are more likely the manifestations of common mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.

He said: ‘We are very keen on medicalising things in the modern world, because we are recognising more and more conditions, disorders or just atypical ways of being, which could be addressed better.

It’s quite reasonable to infer that if women go through menopause, and there’s a comparable hormonal imbalance in men at a similar age, then one might as well refer to it as the “male equivalent” of menopause for this widely recognized occurrence.

However, I also believe that you might overstep boundaries by trying to define a problem that may not explicitly exist.

In a similar vein, the phrase ‘male menopause’ is often used to refer to a phase in a man’s maturity when hormonal fluctuations occur, leading to a variety of symptoms that can significantly impact self-assurance or even become physically challenging – such as erectile dysfunction, depression, anxiety, and rapid weight gain.

At birth, male infants carry testosterone within them. This hormone undergoes a significant surge during puberty, leading to changes such as deeper voices, increased muscle mass, growth in body and facial hair, and facilitating the production of sperm necessary for reproduction by their testes.

As a passionate devotee of the intricacies of hormonal balance, I’ve come to understand that around the tender age of twenty, my testosterone levels reach their zenith. From then on, it’s a gradual descent throughout the rest of adulthood. At its peak, testosterone levels should hover between 300 and 1,200 ng/dL. By the time I hit my mid-thirties, I find that my testosterone levels are starting to dip by at least one percent every year.

In men, testosterone – a vital hormone – is manufactured primarily in the testes. This hormone plays a significant role in fostering sexual maturation and development. It governs libido, bone density, fat distribution, muscle mass and strength, as well as red blood cell and sperm production.

Additionally, it influences both the brain and spinal cord significantly, serving as a key controller for neural functions. Lower testosterone levels have been linked to feelings of depression and anxiety.

A low level of testosterone might suggest an issue with the pituitary gland – a small, pea-sized organ positioned at the base of the brain. This gland oversees and controls numerous bodily functions by producing various hormones.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d like to shed some light on the subtle yet significant hormonal shifts that occur with aging in men. Unlike an immediate shutdown, these changes don’t suddenly make our reproductive systems obsolete. However, these alterations can potentially lead to complexities in sexual health.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d like to clarify a common misconception: Unlike some women, men don’t become infertile due to hormonal changes alone. Although testosterone plays a crucial role in male fertility, it doesn’t mean that low levels of this hormone automatically make us incapable of producing healthy sperm. However, it’s important to note that sperm count and quality may decline when testosterone levels are low.

As a woman’s transformation typically occurs quite swiftly, spanning just a few years, men, on the other hand, gradually witness a decrease in their testosterone levels year by year starting around age 40 and lasting until their later years.

Medical professionals often conduct multiple blood tests on patients exhibiting such symptoms to identify the source of the low testosterone levels and devise a suitable treatment plan. Notably, reduced testosterone levels are associated with heightened risks for conditions like heart disease and fatty liver disease.

Individuals experiencing low testosterone levels might choose hormone treatment as a solution to alleviate related symptoms. This treatment, known as testosterone replacement therapy, is available in various formats such as applied gels or injected directly into the muscle.

As a devoted adherent, I can attest that TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) aids in rebalancing the testosterone levels within my system, thereby alleviating the signs and symptoms associated with low testosterone.

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2024-11-13 12:50