Erectile Dysfunction

Trussell, expert on male menopause at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.But complaints aren't just about sex.

Haney says he's also hearing from men who say they are "fatigued and tired and can't make it through the day."Testosterone testsMen's testosterone levels begin to drop at about age 30 at a rate of about 1 percent a year.By about age 55, about one in three men fall into the low testosterone range.Not every man experiences symptoms from this decline, just as not every woman experiences symptoms from menopause.Blood tests can determine if the man's testosterone is below 300 nanograms per deciliter of blood, which is considered below normal.But normalcy is not always the same for all individuals, so Haney and others recommend that men get their testosterone levels measured at about age 40 so they have a baseline by which to compare later measurements as they age.TreatmentTreatment, when indicated, involves testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which takes the form of a gel, patch or injection.

Men taking hormones must be monitored closely.For one thing, testosterone can stimulate the prostate gland to grow.

It also can stimulate the growth of any existing prostate cancer or breast cancer in a man.Tests for liver or heart damage also must be done.

Testosterone raises the number of red blood cells, increasing the risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke.There is...

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