Menopause VS. Andropause: Who has it worse?

MILWAUKEE, WI. - March, 2010 - It's menopause vs. man-o-pause when it comes to who has it worse dealing with hormone imbalance and aging - men or women. Fatigue, weight gain and hot flashes and a number of other issues can hit hard during "The Change." Muscle loss, hair loss and low libido are all players in the "Midlife Crisis." No matter which side of the fence you're on, these symptoms can really do a number on your quality of life.

"Hormonal imbalance does not discriminate - men as young as 40 can suffer many of the same symptoms as women experiencing perimenopause or menopause," says Milwaukee bioidentical hormone expert Dr. Kenneth Raskin of BodyLogicMD of Milwaukee.  "Age-related symptoms, including those mentioned above, along with behavior changes that have more commonly been linked to ?Midlife Crisis? or ?The Change,? are oftentimes the result of hormonal shifts that occur as we age. And it doesn't really matter what sex you are."

According to hormone experts, women and men have more in common than they may think when it comes to symptoms of hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalances are a natural part of aging that cause a variety of physical changes. For men, these changes associated with andropause (the male menopause) typically take place gradually over a period of years and are not fully "appreciated" until much later, compared to women who may undergo drastic and abrupt changes during perimenopause and menopause. But hormones aren't the end of the story.

"It is important to remember that hormonal shifts aren't the only reason for some of the issues women and men can face as they age," says Dr. Raskin. "As we work with a patient to determine the source of his or her symptoms, we also review the overall attitude, psychological stress, alcohol/narcotic usage, injuries, surgery, medications, weight and any infections. Many times, we find that a variety of factors contribute to the onset of perimenopause, menopause and andropause, which is key to developing an individualized treatment plan."

There is no magic bullet, but Dr. Kenneth Raskin and other BodyLogicMD bioidentical hormone doctors recommend a combination of bioidentical hormone therapy and customized fitness and nutrition regimens to balance the scales. While hormone levels decline as we age, hormone therapy can replenish the hormones that the body requires to function optimally. Natural or bioidentical hormones are molecule-by-molecule, exactly the same as the hormones present in the human body - as opposed to bio-similar or synthetic hormones. They are also individually tailored, based on a thorough assessment, to meet the needs of each patient.

So, it turns out that in this battle not only do women and men have more in common than they thought when it comes to hormonal imbalance, but also can use many of the same weapons to fight it.

About Dr. Raskin

Dr. Kenneth Raskin received his undergraduate from the University of California in 1990. Dr. Raskin later graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1994. He completed his internship and fulfilled his Residency in Obstetrics/Gynecology at the University of Oklahoma Health Service Center in 1998.

About BodyLogicMD

Founded in 2003, BodyLogicMD affiliated physician-owned practices make up the nation's largest and fastest growing network of the most highly trained physicians specializing in natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Integrated with fitness and nutrition programs, BodyLogicMD's medically supervised programs are for men and women suffering from hormonal imbalance, menopause, and andropause. BodyLogicMD is currently featured as an expert resource on Oprah.com; Suzanne Somers? latest book "Knockout: Interviews With Doctors Who Are Curing Cancer And How To Prevent Getting It In The First Place" and "Breakthrough: Eight Steps to Wellness" lists BodyLogicMD as an expert source, and her book, "Ageless, The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones" dedicates an entire chapter to BodyLogicMD, and Business Week March, 2006 cover story features the BodyLogicMD business story.

BodyLogicMD is currently featured as an expert resource on Oprah.com and cited in Suzanne Somers? latest book, Breakthrough: Eight Steps to Wellness. Somers? 2006 book, Ageless: the Naked Truth about Bioidentical Hormones, dedicates an entire chapter to BodyLogicMD. In March 2006, BusinessWeek ran a cover story on growth of BodyLogicMD and the anti-aging industry.

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