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Tag: Menopause

  • Menopause in women/men: Solutions to the disquiet of middle age (3)

    Today’s is a continuation of Part 2’s article which was published last week.

    As part of the symptoms or feelings that comes with perimenopause and menopause even up to postmenopause, the mouth may become dry and hot as well as painful.

    There may be colour changesin the mouth as it become pale. In some women, there could be changes in the manner of eating eithertoo high or too low or general dislike for food.

    Of major concern to a lot of women is loss of their skin smoothness which becomes slack. Wrinkles appear. This is as a result of loss of the underlying fat underneath the skin. This loss may give the appearance of aging and loss of beauty. This is probably the reason that makes women to put in more efforts at this age to appear and maintain being beautiful and acceptable.

    Among other reasons, divorce and separation are common in menopausal and post-menopausal times. Still, menopause gives rise to a much more concerning symptoms.

    In the reproductive tract itself, vagina loses its elasticity and lubrication. As a result, difficulty with sex may emerge. These challenges with sex may drive a wedge between couples if not properly managed. Further, the womb itself will shrink. At this time, any fibroid within the womb (uterus) may also correspondingly be reduced in size. The womb lining may also dry up or be reduced in size.

    A note of warning and caution: Any woman, who had stopped having her period or be in post menopause but now having irregular vaginal bleeding, should as a matter of priority see her medical doctor for advice. The reason is that cancer of the womb lining (endometrium) may be the reason for the irregular vagina bleeding.

    That said, the ovaries also become smaller during menopause. Again, I must caution here for two reasons here. The first is, in spite of what I have written so far, break-through or occasional pregnancy may still occur. Women will need to take caution and not make a mistake believing that she is no longer menstruating and so not being fertile. Unwanted pregnancy can be heart-breaking. The second point is, though the ovaries had shrunken in size, and as the years go by, there remains a risk that the ovary may develop cysts and cancers. Post menopausal women should therefore be vigilant to irregular vaginal bleeding, abdominal swelling and unusual body appearances.

    Still on the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause and even post menopause, the bladder and urine passages may lose their strengths. Urging to go to toilet and loss of ability to control passing urine during stress such as coughing may now be a problem. The women simply wet her self. This may create considerable social problem for the woman and her family. She may become an object of ridicule if the people around her fail to understand her difficulties.

    In some other circumstances, the womb may fall out (prolapsed) into outside world through the vagina as a result of the weakening of the supporting structures that hold the womb in place.

    In general, perimenopause due to variation of the hormone levels in the woman poses considerable changes.

    These difficulties may continue into menopause and climacteric times. Of crucial concern lies the fact that the larger African society and in particular Nigerian cultures may not fully understand the many problems that menopausal and peri-menopausal women go through. In ruraln cultures or even in cities, such women may be stigmatised or be called abusive names for lack of understanding of the events that is taking place in the woman.

    Investigations: Very often, the diagnosis of peri-menopause or menopause can be made by the doctor purely on history. Therefore, the woman should tell her story in full to her doctor. Her husband, if married or partner can and should ideally accompany her to see the doctor.

    The man is probably going to be the target of the woman’s irritability that menopause had brought upon her and as such he is at vantage point to give an eye witness account and state his experience of the development.

    The reader should not be surprised that the tests to diagnose menopause is few and sometimes may nor even require a test. The doctor is well advised that the only test is follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. With exception to where the clinical necessity so indicates, there is no need for ultrasound scan or unnecessary prodding or extensive and expensive investigations to make a diagnosis of menopause.

    Crucially, I wish to seriously encourage women that may be undergoing the symptoms and feelingsthat I have described here to consider seeing a doctor. There is really no sense in suffering in silence.

    Part 4 article will deal with treatment.

  • Menopause in women/men: Solutions to the disquiet of middle age (2)

    In this article, we shall look at the cause of menopause in women and the feelings that it generates as well as its impact on the family.

    Remember that we had earlier defined natural menopause simply as the term that is used to indicate that a woman has ceased to have her menstrual periods and her ovaries are no longer functioning to produce hormones to support her so as to be able to reproduce and bear children naturally.

    To qualify as having reached menopause, a woman’s menstrual period must have stopped for at least for the last 12 consecutive calendar months. We also saw earlier menopause may not be natural or it may be induced.

    Whatever the cause, to qualify as being in menopause: a woman’s period “must have stopped for at least for the last 12 consecutive calendar months” backed up relevant laboratory investigations. I will encourage the reader to go back to Part 1 of this series so as to get familiarise with the necessary and guiding definitions.

    Causes of Menopause: The first thing to realise in all these discussions is that, aging process is inevitable. However, natural menopause occurs on the average, in a woman in the age range of 45-52 but most commonly around 48-52 years. At this age range, the ovaries may stop to respond to the instructions or stimulations from the brain. By not responding, there will be no ovulation.

    As a matter of fact, after ovulation which occurs at about the mid cycle in a woman who has a 28-day cycle, pregnancy is suppose to result. It’s the failure of pregnancy to result that leads to menstrual period.

    This event is repeated every month. Therefore, when the ovary fails to respond to the said instructions as I said above, there will be no menstrual period. This lack of response is essentially due to aging process and the woman’s timed biological clock.

    Anything outside the above natural menopause could either be a pre-mature ovarian (POF) resulting in early premature menopause or menopause that is induced. POF may be due to no specific cause which scientists are yet to discover. POF may result from a genetic defect in the individual which the woman may have inherited from her parents. POF may also be due to tuberculosis of her reproductive tract.

    In some cases, POF may be due to treatments that the woman may have received from the doctors. Such treatments are often directed at cancers and may be chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Cigarette smoking is another cause.

    In some individuals, autoimmune diseases may the cause whereby the body works against its own interest and body defences start to attack the body organs. Individuals who have undergone a long time ovarian stimulation for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) to resolve infertility may also suffer premature ovarian failure and hence early menopause. Yet, there are other causes such as endometriosis whereby the menstrual flow instead of flowing outside the woman’s body through the vagina, flows inward back into the body.

    Outside these listed factors, surgical intervention to remove the womb or uterus may lead to early menopause. Obviously, outright removal of the ovaries without question results in menopause.

    How does perimenopausal and menopausal women present? What do they feel?

    Unfortunately in our African and indeed Nigerian cultures, some women especially if she suffers from infertility or she is under pressure not to appear as “old” may hide her symptoms and suffer in silence.

    Such women may want to prove to her husband (and in polygamous homes prove to her contemporaries), that she is still in her fertile age and that she can bear still children. Some women are in self-denial and may want to continue to have her menstrual periods as a false sign of continuing fertility.

    That said, about 80 per cent of women undergoing perimeno-pause or menopause or climacteric suffer considerably. Sadly only about 10-20 per cent of them world-wide including Nigeria may come forward.

    Some women make the assumption that, menopause is “part of a woman’s life” even if she is suffering greatly. The main symptom of fluctuating hormone in a woman is called hot flush which the main feeling of perimen-opause and menopause.

    The hot flush, or flash, is well known as the classic menopausal symptom and affects 60–85per cent of menopausal women. Hot flushes and sweats constitute vasomotor symptoms and vary immensely in both their severity and duration; for many women, they occur occasionally and do not cause much distress, but for about 20 per cent they can be severe and can cause significant interference with work, sleep and quality of life. Women are affected by vasomotor symptoms on average for about two years but, for about 10 per cent, symptoms can continue for more than 15 years.

    Hot flushes usually last three to five minutes and are thought to be caused changes in the brain’s thermoregulator , according to Menopause Matters.

    In some women, with or without hot flushes, sleep could be impaired.  She may become irritable—a “short fuse”, anxious and even depressed and lacking in concentration. In those with tendency but hidden vulnerability toward frank madness, serious mental illness may manifest as this age of menopause.

    The bones become weak and as a result, fractures of the hip and hands and back may occur in menopausal and post-menopausal women. We shall continue with the symptoms and treatment in next week’s article.

  • Menopause in women/men: Solutions to the disquiet of middle age (2)

    In this article, we shall look at the cause of menopause in women and the feelings that it generates as well as its impact on the family.

    Remember that we had earlier defined natural menopause simply as the term that is used to indicate that a woman has ceased to have her menstrual periods and her ovaries are no longer functioning to produce hormones to support her so as to be able to reproduce and bear children naturally.

    To qualify as having reached menopause, a woman’s menstrual period must have stopped for at least for the last 12 consecutive calendar months. We also saw earlier menopause may not be natural or it may be induced.

    Whatever the cause, to qualify as being in menopause: a woman’s period “must have stopped for at least for the last 12 consecutive calendar months” backed up relevant laboratory investigations. I will encourage the reader to go back to Part 1 of this series so as to get familiarise with the necessary and guiding definitions.

    Causes of Menopause: The first thing to realise in all these discussions is that, aging process is inevitable. However, natural menopause occurs on the average, in a woman in the age range of 45-52 but most commonly around 48-52 years. At this age range, the ovaries may stop to respond to the instructions or stimulations from the brain. By not responding, there will be no ovulation.

    As a matter of fact, after ovulation which occurs at about the mid cycle in a woman who has a 28-day cycle, pregnancy is suppose to result. It’s the failure of pregnancy to result that leads to menstrual period.

    This event is repeated every month. Therefore, when the ovary fails to respond to the said instructions as I said above, there will be no menstrual period. This lack of response is essentially due to aging process and the woman’s timed biological clock.

    Anything outside the above natural menopause could either be a pre-mature ovarian (POF) resulting in early premature menopause or menopause that is induced. POF may be due to no specific cause which scientists are yet to discover. POF may result from a genetic defect in the individual which the woman may have inherited from her parents. POF may also be due to tuberculosis of her reproductive tract.

    In some cases, POF may be due to treatments that the woman may have received from the doctors. Such treatments are often directed at cancers and may be chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Cigarette smoking is another cause.

    In some individuals, autoimmune diseases may the cause whereby the body works against its own interest and body defences start to attack the body organs. Individuals who have undergone a long time ovarian stimulation for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) to resolve infertility may also suffer premature ovarian failure and hence early menopause. Yet, there are other causes such as endometriosis whereby the menstrual flow instead of flowing outside the woman’s body through the vagina, flows inward back into the body.

    Outside these listed factors, surgical intervention to remove the womb or uterus may lead to early menopause. Obviously, outright removal of the ovaries without question results in menopause.

    How does perimenopausal and menopausal women present? What do they feel?

    Unfortunately in our African and indeed Nigerian cultures, some women especially if she suffers from infertility or she is under pressure not to appear as “old” may hide her symptoms and suffer in silence.

    Such women may want to prove to her husband (and in polygamous homes prove to her contemporaries), that she is still in her fertile age and that she can bear still children. Some women are in self-denial and may want to continue to have her menstrual periods as a false sign of continuing fertility.

    That said, about 80 per cent of women undergoing perimeno-pause or menopause or climacteric suffer considerably. Sadly only about 10-20 per cent of them world-wide including Nigeria may come forward.

    Some women make the assumption that, menopause is “part of a woman’s life” even if she is suffering greatly. The main symptom of fluctuating hormone in a woman is called hot flush which the main feeling of perimen-opause and menopause.

    The hot flush, or flash, is well known as the classic menopausal symptom and affects 60–85per cent of menopausal women. Hot flushes and sweats constitute vasomotor symptoms and vary immensely in both their severity and duration; for many women, they occur occasionally and do not cause much distress, but for about 20 per cent they can be severe and can cause significant interference with work, sleep and quality of life. Women are affected by vasomotor symptoms on average for about two years but, for about 10 per cent, symptoms can continue for more than 15 years.

    Hot flushes usually last three to five minutes and are thought to be caused changes in the brain’s thermoregulator , according to Menopause Matters.

    In some women, with or without hot flushes, sleep could be impaired.  She may become irritable—a “short fuse”, anxious and even depressed and lacking in concentration. In those with tendency but hidden vulnerability toward frank madness, serious mental illness may manifest as this age of menopause.

    The bones become weak and as a result, fractures of the hip and hands and back may occur in menopausal and post-menopausal women. We shall continue with the symptoms and treatment in next week’s article.

  • Menopause in women /men: Solutions to the disquiet of middle age (1)

    A walk through any crowded and open market in Lagos or any big city in Nigeria will quickly bring home the often unrealised symptom and impact of menopause. It goes thus: upon the top of a small car in the market, sits a blaring loud speaker in the middle of the market. The announcer and the marketer frequently targeting women, urging passers-by to purchase preparations and solutions from him to cure myriad of illnesses and specifically for women to cure “internal heat” and “hot belly.”

    Such is the general discomfort that menopause brings upon middle- age women. Feelings of internal heat or perception of hot belly are not the only symptoms of menopause. As we shall see later, the distress caused by the change in reproductive function during middle age is huge and can be disabling.

    Women suffer needlessly when they don’t realise the changes that is going on in them. When a person is well informed biologically, the burden of the changes will be less. There is no doubt that menopause causes a lot of unease but a lot of women sufferers do not often realise the cause of their symptoms and very frequently blame the feelings on something else even to the point of accusing others of persecution.

    So far, I have directed my attention in this article towards women. However, evidence, albeit not generally accepted yet, is gradually emerging to say that men also suffer from “menopause”. Thus, in the coming weeks, I will be dealing with menopause primarily in women but with some degree of devotion to “menopause” in men at latter stages. To date both in medical circles and in public minds, the term menopause is generally applicable to women. With this in mind, let us now get on with the task of dealing with preliminaries of menopause in women: First, the definitions. These definitions will guide us in our way when we begin to have our discussions under menopause.

    Natural Menopause: This is simply the term that is used to indicate that a woman has ceased to have her menstrual periods and her ovaries are no longer functioning to produce hormones to support her   to reproduce and bear children naturally. To qualify as having reached menopause, a woman’s menstrual period must have stopped for at least for the 12 consecutive calendar months.

    Pre-menopause: This term means, anytime before the arrival of menopause. Very often it means anytime from the adolescence to end of reproductive age.

    Peri-menopause: This means the few years before menopause and up to one year after the last menstrual period.

    Climacteric simply means transition from the period of being able to reproduce to that time when the woman is no longer being able to reproduce. It’s the change over time.

    Post-Menopause: this is the term that doctors use to indicate the time that comes after menopause.

    Premature Ovarian Failure (POF): This term is reserved for the event that occurred in a woman who isunder 40 years old whose ovaries have failed to continue to function. This failure to function may be as a result of natural occurrence or due to disease states that is inherited from own parents. A lot of the reasons for POF are due to genetic diseases.

    It may also be due to a situation when the ovaries are surgically removed. In some other occasions, it may be due to conditions whereby the woman is treated for cancer. Such treatment may be an exposure of the ovaries to chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

    Surprisingly, POF may occur as a consequence of cigarette smoking. Premature ovarian failure may also be due to common infections such as tuberculosis of the reproductive tract. In some cases, the failure of ovaries to continue working may be as a result of no specific or identifiable conditions.

    Induced menopause: Menopause can be natural or brought upon the individual by artificial means.

    When menopause is not natural, then it’s induced. Such unnatural occurrence of menopause is called Induced menopause. This induction can be due to administration of medications, such as chemotherapy for treatment of cancer or exposure to radiotherapy because of the need to bring a cancer under control. Induced menopause may also be as a result of surgical operations during hysterectomy (removal of womb with or without removal of ovaries) carried out by medical doctors.

    Now that we have taken care of the necessary definitions that relate to menopause, we can begin the proper task of elaborating on the very distressing matter of menopause. We shall begin this by looking at the causes of menopause and what the sufferers feel (symptoms) as well as the signs. We shall also address the investigations. Subsequent article will look at the treatment and self help measures that the woman can undertake. Finally, the last part in the series will address the much debated “menopause in men.”

  • ‘Women can enjoy their menopause’

    ‘Women can enjoy their menopause’

    Women do not need to be 40 years before they prepare for menopause. Menopause is a natural thing that every woman should experience in her lifetime, so it must be made as pleasurable as possible. A good way to achieve this is adequate planning. My advice is that women should not be afraid of it.

    What I usually tell women ageing is to make half of their daily food intake raw. This will ensure that women complete their transition to menopause without any hitch.

    Menopause is not a disease. It is a point when a woman stops ovulating and menstruation.

    Many years before a woman gets to menopause, her ovaries slow down the production of important hormones- estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Estrogen is very important for a woman’s reproductive activities. It also performs non-productive functions. Estrogen can act on the cell of the skin, mammary glands, especially the breasts, heart, liver, bones, arteries, brain and the vagina wall. These cells have estrogen receptors and require hormone to stimulate the receptors to function at optimum.

    There are early symptoms a woman would experience as pointers to her arriving at the menopausal stage. These are hot flash, irritability (mood swing) and frequent vagina infections, cold hands and feet, night sweat, fatigue, headache, decreased sex drive, breast tenderness, palpitation of the heart, insomnia, dry skin and vaginal irritability because the body flora and fauna are affected.

    Others are dizziness, inability to concentrate, urinary incontinence, weight gain, anxiety, reduced stamina and the feeling that they are bloated.

    These symptoms are normal, but they often subside when a woman gets into menopause because a new balance has been achieved in all the hormones present in the body.

    But, this also is a difficult period for the woman because new health challenges will emerge, especially cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and vaginal atrophy. Osteoporosis is the major problem women often face after menopause with about 75 per cent or more experiencing it.

    Women in their menopause should avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugar, so also spicy food, hot soups and drinks. They should also ensure that they are not stressed out with tasks.

    Furthermore, there is need for them to stop taking salty food and get used to salt substitute. This is because salt increases urinary excretion of calcium, which might lead to bone loss in the long run. Salt substitutes are low-sodium table salt alternatives marketed to circumvent the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease associated with a high intake of sodium chloride while maintaining a similar taste. The salt substitutes are currants and raisins, white beans, dark leafy greens (spinach), baked potatoes (with skin), dried apricots, baked acorn squash, yogurt (plain, skim/non-fat), fish (salmon), avocados, mushrooms (white), bananas.

    Others are sun-dried tomatoes, sweet potato (with skin), kale (raw), green (snap) beans, cowpeas, pigeon peas, yam, beans, walnuts, cashew nuts, carrots, onions, sugarcane, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, papayas (pawpaw) and dates.

    These women should drink not less than two and half litres of purified water daily. It is advisable at this stage for such women to avoid fried food and junk meals.

    Menopausal problems showed that there was a transition and as such some women experience frightening symptoms that suggest they have terminal diseases but that is usually not the case. That is why we encourage women to try natural medicine approach to their condition.

    Menopausal symptoms could be very disturbing; it may look as if the life of the woman getting into menopause is in danger when the situation arises. This is why most people treat it as a disease instead of a natural transition that women experience as they grow.

    Medics usually prescribe various medications to ameliorate the symptoms. Whereas, all they need do is to aid the body to overcome the symptoms naturally. The use of hormonal replacement therapy by orthodox medicine practitioners has its disadvantages that outweigh the benefits. Primarin is commonly used in the treatment but it contains estrogen that is derived from the urine of pregnant mares. The danger of synthetic progesteron is that it has many reactions, which are adverse to the woman system. They are present in the blood. It is always good to stay close to Mother Nature at this phase of a woman’s life.

  • Natural ways to handle menopause

    Natural ways to handle menopause

    Many women are afraid of menopause, but experts say there is nothing to fear, reports WALE ADEPOJU. 

    Are you afraid of menopause? Don’t be; all you need do is to prepare adequately for it and make it pleasurable, says Dr Leye Popoola, Chief Executive Officer, Nature Healing Alternatives. A way of doing this is by ensuring that half of  their daily meal is raw.

    This, Popoola said, would ensure that women complete their transition to menopause without any hitch. He said menopause is not a disease, noting that it is a point when a woman stops ovulating and menstruation.

    He said: “Many years before a woman gets to menopause, her ovaries slow down the production of important hormones- estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Estrogen is very important for a woman’s reproductive activities. It also performs non-productive functions. Estrogen can act on the cell of the skin, mammary glands, especially the breasts, heart, liver, bones, arteries, brain and the vagina wall. These cells have estrogen receptors and require hormone to stimulate the receptors to function at optimum.”

    Popoola said there are early symptoms a woman would experience as pointers to her arriving at the menopausal stage. “These are hot flash, irritability (mood swing) and frequent vagina infections, cold hands and feet, night sweat, fatigue, headache, decreased sex drive, breast tenderness, palpitation of the heart, insomnia, dry skin and vaginal irritability because the body flora and fauna are affected.

    “Others are dizziness, inability to concentrate, urinary incontinence, weight gain, anxiety, reduced stamina and the feeling that they are bloated.”

    These symptoms, Popoola said, are normal, stressing that the problems often subside when a woman gets into menopause because a new balance has been achieved in all the hormones present in the body.

    “But, this also is a difficult period for the woman because new health challenges will emerge, especially cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and vaginal atrophy. Osteoporosis is the major problem women often face after menopause with about 75 per cent or more experiencing it,” he said.

    He warned women in their menopause to avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugar, so also spicy food, hot soups and drinks.

    The women, he said, should ensure that they are not stressed out with tasks.

    Dr Popoola recommended the use of salt substitute because salt increases urinary excretion of calcium, which might lead to bone loss in the long run. “Salt substitutes are low-sodium table salt alternatives marketed to circumvent the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease associated with a high intake of sodium chloride while maintaining a similar taste. The salt substitutes are currants and raisins, white beans, dark leafy greens (spinach), bakedpotatoes (with skin), dried apricots, baked acorn squash, yogurt (plain, skim/non-fat), fish (salmon), avocados, mushrooms (white), bananas.

    “Sun-dried tomatoes, sweet potato (with skin), kale (raw), green (snap) beans, cowpeas, pigeon peas, yam, beans, walnuts, cashew nuts, carrots, onions, sugarcane, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, papayas (pawpaw) and dates. They should drink not less than two and half litres of purified water daily. It is advisable at this stage for such women to avoid fried food and junk meals.”

    Menopausal problems, he said, showed that there was a transition and as such: “Some women experience frightening symptoms that suggest they have terminal diseases but that is usually not the case. That is why we encourage women to try natural medicine approach to their condition. Menopausal symptoms could be very disturbing; it may look as if the life of the woman getting into menopause is in danger when the situation arises. This is why most people treat it as a disease instead of a natural transition that women experience as they grow,” he stated.

    Popoola said: “Medics usually prescribe various medications to ameliorate the symptoms. Whereas, all they need do is to aid the body to overcome the symptoms naturally. The use of hormonal replacement therapy by orthodox medicine practitioners has its disadvantages that outweigh the benefits. Primarin is commonly used in the treatment but it contains estrogen that is derived from the urine of pregnant mares. The danger of synthetic progesteron is that it has many reactions, which are adverse to the woman system. They are present in the blood. It is always good to stay close to Mother Nature at this phase of a woman’s life.”

  • Men experience ‘menopause’ too

    Men experience ‘menopause’ too

    You have heard of menapouse. But, have you ever heard of andropause-the male version of menapouse? Men with the condition also experience menopausal fits, writes OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA writes.

    A 46-year-old teacher, Taiwo Olujobi, thought he had erectile dysfunction (ED) because his wife’s incessant complaints about his manliness.  He too observed that he could not sustain his erection for long. He resorted to some aphrodisiacs, to no avail.  He then decided to pay a visited the hospital.

    At the clinic, Olujobi was diagnosed of “andropause.” He was stunned, because he thought it is only women that experience anything called ‘pause’

    A nurse (name withheld) took time to explain the condition to him, saying the term ‘male menopause’ refers to the hormonal changes that some men experience as they get older. As men age, their testosterone levels tend to decrease. This shift can cause physical, emotional, and psychological changes.

    The nurse expalained that there is no doubt that a man’s sexuality changes with advancing age.

    “The instant, anytime, ‘as-many-times-as-you-want’ erections experienced at  18 years, do not last forever. With advancing age, the urge reduces, erections take time to come on, any time is not always a good time and the male organ requires more direct stimulation in order to get aroused. Besides, the erections may not be as angled and rigid, and ejaculation becomes feebler. The refractory period (interval) between erections gets prolonged”, she said.

    According to a Consultant Urologist, at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH),  Dr Habib Tijani, the above sums up a condition called Andropause in men. It is also known as Androgen deficiency in the ageing male (ADAM for short).

    He said: “Like menopause in women, it is usually due to the age- related reduction in the sex hormones, this is due to a reduction in the active body testosterone which tends to occur as men age. Andropause is a distinct physiological phenomenon that is in many ways akin to, yet in some ways, quite different from the female menopause. A healthy man has a testosterone level of 300–1,200 ng/dL (nanograms per deciliter). A man’s testosterone level usually peaks in his 20s. After age 30, the average man’s testosterone level declines one per cent each. Thus, by age 70, a man’s testosterone level might reach 50 per cent of his pre-”menopause” level.”

    Dr Tijani said, “Menopause is a condition most often associated with women. It occurs in a woman when she ceases to menstruate and can no longer become pregnant. Men experience a different type of ‘menopause’ or life change. It usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 60, but sometimes as early as age 30. Unlike women, men can continue to father children, but the production of the male sex hormone (testosterone) diminishes gradually after age 40.

    “Testosterone is the hormone that stimulates sexual development in the male infant bone and muscle growth in adult males, and is responsible for sexual drive. It has been found that even in healthy men, by the age of 55, the amount of testosterone secreted into the bloodstream is significantly lower than it is just 10 years earlier. In fact, by age 80, most male hormone levels decrease to pre-puberty levels. Men in andropause can also experience a lowered sperm count and a reduction in the proportion of red blood cells in their plasma. If you notice any of the signs and symptoms, visit your doctor right away. Menopause happens suddenly; ‘male menopause’ can take decades. While all women experience menopause, some men never experience ‘male menopause.’ Men’s testosterone levels vary widely. Someone in his 80s with a testosterone level of 600 ng/dL exits, and someone in his 30s with a level of 150 ng/dL equally exists.”

    Are there predisposing factors?  Yes, there are, he says.

    He identified obesity and diabetes as contributing factors to low testosterone.

    Ge said: “It is important to take care of yourself as a healthy lifestyle is the best guarantor that your testoserone will remain at a healthy level as you age. Make sure you do exercise and eat a healthy diet.”

    Dr Tijani said should a man be experiencing some of the following symptoms, it is advisable to visit your doctor. “They can determine whether you are undergoing andropause. With proper care and support, you’ll feel better in no time”, he stated.

    He said: “The symptoms are- Low sex drive; difficulties getting erections or erections that are not as strong as usual; lack of energy; depression; irritability and mood swings; loss of strength or muscle mass; increased body fat and hot flashes. Although symptoms may vary from person to person, other warning signs of andropause include fewer spontaneous erections, breast enlargement, reduced endurance, tiredness, decreased motivation and self-confidence, difficulty remembering things and inability to concentrate, increased irritability and nervousness and reduced muscle size and strength.”

     

  • ‘Menopause is not a disease’

    Menopause can be telling on women, if this phase of life is not understood. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA writes on how to prepare for it.

    Nowadays, more women seem to be reaching menopause quickly due to what some call a change in life style and diet. According to a traditional medicine practitioner, Dr Theophilus Lambo, it is high time women understood that there is a phase when a woman would attain menopause and she should be prepared for it, instead of being caught unawares.

    “It is to be noted that in the days of our mothers, women were able to experience menstruation and ovulation till late in life and with less health problems as prevalent today. They lived a healthy life and ate fresh fruits and vegetables,” Dr Lambo said.

    According to him, there were no microwaves or chemically preserved foods or many months of frozen foods in the days of our mothers. “It is advisable for modern women to cultivate habits of healthy living from what they eat, do away with drugs abuse alcohol and cigarette smoking,” he said.

    Lambo said: “We have often been asked about what caused Menopause and if it can be prevented or cured, but Menopause is not a disease or an ailment or infirmity. Every woman is born with a finite number of eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. The ovaries produce the hormones, estrogen and progesterone, which regulate menstruation and ovulation. Menopause occurs when the ovaries no longer release an egg every month and menstruation stops.

    “Natural menopause is the permanent ending of menstruation that is not brought about by any type of medical or surgical treatment. It is a stage at which a woman’s ovary ceases to produce Estrogen.”

    He continued: “It is often considered as normal when menopause occurs after the age of 40. To many, it is a normal part of aging process, even though most rural women with access to natural and fresh farm products enjoy menstruation and ovulation into their late 50s. Menopauses, which occur before the age of 40, regardless of the causes, is called ‘premature’ menopause. Causes may be as a result of surgery or damage to the ovaries.”

    Common symptoms of premature menopause, he said, are often similar to those experienced by women undergoing natural menopause. They may include irregular or missed menstrual periods; menstrual periods that are heavier or lighter than the usual ones and hot-flashes in temperature (a sudden feeling of warmth that spreads over the upper body).

    These, according to Lambo, are signs that the ovaries are producing less estrogen. In addition to the above symptoms, he said some women may also experience vaginal dryness (the vaginal may also become thinner and less flexible); bladder irritability and worsening case of lack of bladder control (incontinences); emotional changes (irritability, mood swings, mild depression); dry skin, eyes or mouth; sleeplessness and low libido.

    Dr Lambo said: “If any woman under the age of 40 is experiencing any of the above symptoms provided such a woman has not undergone chemotherapy or cervical radiation, if the mother or sister of such a woman had experienced premature menopause, if the woman had unsuccessfully tried to become pregnant for more than a year and if she is suffering from autoimmune disorder such as hypothyroidism or lupus, it is important she sees her doctor for medical checkup.

    “There are at present, no accurate and reliable methods medically, to determine menopausal stages since the levels of estrogen vary from women to women. The only proven evidence is the loss of menstrual periods for a year or more, during when there will be loss of estrogen. Estrogen, hence, affects many parts of the body, including the blood vessels and the urinary system.”

    According to Lambo, loss of estrogen is believed to be the cause of many of the symptoms associated with menopause.

    “At menopause, the ovaries decrease their production of testosterone.  Testosterone is the hormone that drives sex. The loss of testosterone as a result of menopause can lead to changes in a woman’s sexual drive and functions,” he said.

    He continued: “Menopausal and postmenopausal women may complain that they are not easily aroused and may be less sensitive to touching and caressing; which can be as a result of decrease interest in sex. In addition, lower levels of estrogen can cause a decreased in blood supply to the vagina. This decrease blood flow can affect vagina lubrication, causing it to be too dry for comfortable intercourse.”

    According to another expert, Dr Segun Fahuwa (a.k.a Mister Guarantee), to get to natural menopausal stage, a woman needs to consume fresh vegetables and fresh fishes, which are rich in nutrients such as Boron, which increases testosterone and decreases calcium loss in bones; Fibre, which decreases the risk of cancer by decreasing estrogen levels in the blood and Folate that repairs the DNA while lowering breast cancer risks.

    Lack of Vanadium, experts say, can increase progesterone, but if it is in excess it can decrease progesterone; hence, it should be balanced. Vanadium is a trace element, which plays a vital role in blood sugar balance, cardiovascular functions, and bone and tooth formation

    Vitamins A and C help in hormones production, while Vitamin E helps in relieving hot flashes and protects the adrenals and ovaries from free radical damage.

    Zinc, which makes the sex hormones and the breast tissues to be healthy, also promotes ovaries and adrenal glands to function and maximise estrogen receptor.

    Dr Lambo said: “It will be advisable for anyone with problems of menopause, to see a doctor, who is in a better position to diagnose the problems and causes before attempting treatment. If a woman experiences seizure of menstrual cycles for three months without any sign of pregnancy, she should consult an accredited physician or a doctor as self-medication may result in incalculable health damages.

    “We should always endeavour to follow the advice of the founding father of conventional modern medicine, Hippocrates, which is, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food.”

    According to Lambo, there are different stages of arriving at a natural menopause, which is the final stage. According to him, there are three stages of menopause, Premenopause, menopause and postmenopause.

    The stages

    Premenopause typically begins several years before menopause, when the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen. Premenopause lasts until menopause, when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last one to two years of premenopause, the decrease in estrogen accelerates. At this stage, many women experience menopause symptoms.

    The second stage, Lambo said, is the point when a woman’s menstrual period ceases for a year “At this stage, the ovaries would have stopped releasing eggs and producing most of their estrogen. The Final stage, which is postmenopause, are years after menopause. At this stage, health risks to older women increases due to the decrease in the supply in production of estrogen. During these stages, women generally undergo different discomforts or symptoms.

    “It is to be noted that menopausal women, who have more than one specific risk factors for coronary heart diseases (like high cholesterol), may be at much greater risks for heart disease than people with no risk factors,” Dr Lambo said.

    Loss of Libido, according to Lambo, can be due to other health factors and not lower estrogen level. “There are numerous other factors that may influence a woman’s interest in sexual activity during menopause and after, and these include ‘bladder control problem’;  medications; health concerns; stress; depression; anxiety and sleep disturbances,” he said. They also happen, according to Lambo, in women with marital problems and those suffering from different kinds of abuses from their spouses.

    Dr Lambo said a simple understanding of how a woman’s body functions would better prepare her for the phases because, “the term ‘Estrogen’ is a female hormone that is produced in the ovaries.

    “The woman’s body has receptor sites for estrogen everywhere; in the brain, muscles, bones, bladder, gut, uterus, ovaries, vagina, breasts, eyes, heart, lungs and blood vessels, to name a few.

    “Estrogen has over 400 crucial functions in the body, which include regulation of the body temperature, prevention of loss of memory; helps prevent muscle damages and maintenance of muscles,” he said.

    Estrogen, he said, also “regulates body blood pressure, enhances the body energy, improves the mood and increases sexual interests.

    “It is when the body does not produce the estrogen again, nay, non release of eggs, and a vital sign of aging, when menstruation stops that menopause is arrived at. So it is a natural process in women. Natural Menopause is the permanent ending of menstruation that is not brought about by any type of medical or surgical treatment. It is a stage at which a woman’s ovary seizes to produce Estrogen,” he said.

     

  • Attaining menopause gracefully

    Diet: – There are some herbs and food which should be avoided such as high-soya diets, ginseng, because they interfere with the body’s ability to make estrogen and progesterone. Fruits with high concentration of citric acid such as lime oranges should be avoided as the peel is one of the ingredients we used to induce menstruation after it has seized for months.

    ·Chronic dieting can also affect the balance of essential nutrients, leading to dysfunction of the hormones, eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. It can lead to suppression of the hypothalamus and its regulation of the ovaries.

    · Tubal ligation, commonly known as ‘getting your tubes tied’. This is a form of birth-control method from which many women have suffered regrets. Many women when after some 10 years they decide to start child bearing, it is discovered that the fallopian tubes have become blocked or ‘crippled’ as they grow to assume their constricted position and hence can no longer function properly to transport eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. We have had to cope with many such cases where their fallopian tubes have shifted and not align to the opening of the ovaries.

    ·Viral infections that damage the ovary as prolonged ovarian cysts and syphilis can damage the ovaries and affect the development of fertile eggs.

  • ‘Menopause is not a disease’

    ‘Menopause is not a disease’

    Menopause can be telling on women, if this phase of life is not understood. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA writes on how to prepare for it.

    Nowadays, more women seem to be reaching menopause quickly due to what some call a change in life style and diet. According to a traditional medicine practitioner, Dr Theophilus Lambo, it is high time women understood that there is a phase when a woman would attain menopause and she should be prepared for it, instead of being caught unawares.

    “It is to be noted that in the days of our mothers, women were able to experience menstruation and ovulation till late in life and with less health problems as prevalent today. They lived a healthy life and ate fresh fruits and vegetables,” Dr Lambo said.

    According to him, there were no microwaves or chemically preserved foods or many months of frozen foods in the days of our mothers. “It is advisable for modern women to cultivate habits of healthy living from what they eat, do away with drugs abuse alcohol and cigarette smoking,” he said.

    Lambo said: “We have often been asked about what caused Menopause and if it can be prevented or cured, but Menopause is not a disease or an ailment or infirmity. Every woman is born with a finite number of eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. The ovaries produce the hormones, estrogen and progesterone, which regulate menstruation and ovulation. Menopause occurs when the ovaries no longer release an egg every month and menstruation stops.

    “Natural menopause is the permanent ending of menstruation that is not brought about by any type of medical or surgical treatment. It is a stage at which a woman’s ovary ceases to produce Estrogen.”

    He continued: “It is often considered as normal when menopause occurs after the age of 40. To many, it is a normal part of aging process, even though most rural women with access to natural and fresh farm products enjoy menstruation and ovulation into their late 50s. Menopauses, which occur before the age of 40, regardless of the causes, is called ‘premature’ menopause. Causes may be as a result of surgery or damage to the ovaries.”

    Common symptoms of premature menopause, he said, are often similar to those experienced by women undergoing natural menopause. They may include irregular or missed menstrual periods; menstrual periods that are heavier or lighter than the usual ones and hot-flashes in temperature (a sudden feeling of warmth that spreads over the upper body).

    These, according to Lambo, are signs that the ovaries are producing less estrogen. In addition to the above symptoms, he said some women may also experience vaginal dryness (the vaginal may also become thinner and less flexible); bladder irritability and worsening case of lack of bladder control (incontinences); emotional changes (irritability, mood swings, mild depression); dry skin, eyes or mouth; sleeplessness and low libido.

    Dr Lambo said: “If any woman under the age of 40 is experiencing any of the above symptoms provided such a woman has not undergone chemotherapy or cervical radiation, if the mother or sister of such a woman had experienced premature menopause, if the woman had unsuccessfully tried to become pregnant for more than a year and if she is suffering from autoimmune disorder such as hypothyroidism or lupus, it is important she sees her doctor for medical checkup.

    “There are at present, no accurate and reliable methods medically, to determine menopausal stages since the levels of estrogen vary from women to women. The only proven evidence is the loss of menstrual periods for a year or more, during when there will be loss of estrogen. Estrogen, hence, affects many parts of the body, including the blood vessels and the urinary system.”

    According to Lambo, loss of estrogen is believed to be the cause of many of the symptoms associated with menopause.

    “At menopause, the ovaries decrease their production of testosterone.  Testosterone is the hormone that drives sex. The loss of testosterone as a result of menopause can lead to changes in a woman’s sexual drive and functions,” he said.

    He continued: “Menopausal and postmenopausal women may complain that they are not easily aroused and may be less sensitive to touching and caressing; which can be as a result of decrease interest in sex. In addition, lower levels of estrogen can cause a decreased in blood supply to the vagina. This decrease blood flow can affect vagina lubrication, causing it to be too dry for comfortable intercourse.”

    According to another expert, Dr Segun Fahuwa (a.k.a Mister Guarantee), to get to natural menopausal stage, a woman needs to consume fresh vegetables and fresh fishes, which are rich in nutrients such as Boron, which increases testosterone and decreases calcium loss in bones; Fibre, which decreases the risk of cancer by decreasing estrogen levels in the blood and Folate that repairs the DNA while lowering breast cancer risks.

    Lack of Vanadium, experts say, can increase progesterone, but if it is in excess it can decrease progesterone; hence, it should be balanced. Vanadium is a trace element, which plays a vital role in blood sugar balance, cardiovascular functions, and bone and tooth formation

    Vitamins A and C help in hormones production, while Vitamin E helps in relieving hot flashes and protects the adrenals and ovaries from free radical damage.

    Zinc, which makes the sex hormones and the breast tissues to be healthy, also promotes ovaries and adrenal glands to function and maximise estrogen receptor.

    Dr Lambo said: “It will be advisable for anyone with problems of menopause, to see a doctor, who is in a better position to diagnose the problems and causes before attempting treatment. If a woman experiences seizure of menstrual cycles for three months without any sign of pregnancy, she should consult an accredited physician or a doctor as self-medication may result in incalculable health damages.

    “We should always endeavour to follow the advice of the founding father of conventional modern medicine, Hippocrates, which is, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food.”

    According to Lambo, there are different stages of arriving at a natural menopause, which is the final stage. According to him, there are three stages of menopause, Premenopause, menopause and postmenopause.

     

    The stages

     

    Premenopause typically begins several years before menopause, when the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen. Premenopause lasts until menopause, when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last one to two years of premenopause, the decrease in estrogen accelerates. At this stage, many women experience menopause symptoms.

    The second stage, Lambo said, is the point when a woman’s menstrual period ceases for a year “At this stage, the ovaries would have stopped releasing eggs and producing most of their estrogen. The Final stage, which is postmenopause, are years after menopause. At this stage, health risks to older women increases due to the decrease in the supply in production of estrogen. During these stages, women generally undergo different discomforts or symptoms.

    “It is to be noted that menopausal women, who have more than one specific risk factors for coronary heart diseases (like high cholesterol), may be at much greater risks for heart disease than people with no risk factors,” Dr Lambo said.

    Loss of Libido, according to Lambo, can be due to other health factors and not lower estrogen level. “There are numerous other factors that may influence a woman’s interest in sexual activity during menopause and after, and these include ‘bladder control problem’;  medications; health concerns; stress; depression; anxiety and sleep disturbances,” he said. They also happen, according to Lambo, in women with marital problems and those suffering from different kinds of abuses from their spouses.

    Dr Lambo said a simple understanding of how a woman’s body functions would better prepare her for the phases because, “the term ‘Estrogen’ is a female hormone that is produced in the ovaries.

    “The woman’s body has receptor sites for estrogen everywhere; in the brain, muscles, bones, bladder, gut, uterus, ovaries, vagina, breasts, eyes, heart, lungs and blood vessels, to name a few.

    “Estrogen has over 400 crucial functions in the body, which include regulation of the body temperature, prevention of loss of memory; helps prevent muscle damages and maintenance of muscles,” he said.

    Estrogen, he said, also “regulates body blood pressure, enhances the body energy, improves the mood and increases sexual interests.

    “It is when the body does not produce the estrogen again, nay, non release of eggs, and a vital sign of aging, when menstruation stops that menopause is arrived at. So it is a natural process in women. Natural Menopause is the permanent ending of menstruation that is not brought about by any type of medical or surgical treatment. It is a stage at which a woman’s ovary seizes to produce Estrogen,” he said.