Some call it the crisis of the 40 years and others talk about menopause of the man. The symptoms are the same: irritability, Ragechanges of humor and little communication. Men don’t bleed, but they have a hormone cycle like women. It is known for sure that the levels of testosterone they have a maximum peak in the morning and decrease during the course of the day. That is, men have hormonal cycles of 24 hours. With age there is a hormonal decline which, as usual, implies a change of the mood. It is the rule and the male menopause, which experts call Male Irritability Syndrome.
Scientists have been investigating for years the effects of these hormonal imbalances and when the changes really last: is it a daily thing or could it be cycles of weeks and even months. What he does know is that this syndrome translates into a depressive picture which has four distinguishing characteristics: exaggerated sensitivity, anger, frustration and distressing.
Symptoms similar to those of depression and anxiety
There are several studies that show that hormonal changes also appear in men. the doctor gerardo lincolnof the Medical Research Unit on Human Reproduction of Edinburghstated that low testosterone levels in men have consequences on mood.
She was so convinced of this that she even named her theory: the irritable male syndrome. He himself identified the following symptomssimilar to those of the depression either anxiety: decay, apathy, loss of sexual appetite, erectile dysfunction, sleeping difficulties, pain and hunger (preference for sweet foods), explained in a article published in New Scientist magazine in 2022.
On the other hand, the doctor jed diamond, author of the book ‘Irritable Male Syndrome’, interviewed 2,000 British men and women. 26% of those surveyed stated that they were convinced that men have a monthly «male period».
Their study identified two groups more sensitive to this condition: teenagers and mature men around 40 years old. Another 50% thought that they are more irritable at some point in the month, 51% of men found themselves tired, 43% sadder than normal and 47% even admitted having cravings.
Four triggers and how to prevent them
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Diamond alludes to four possible triggers As the stressthe levels of testosterone fluctuating, biochemical imbalances and the loss of masculine identity or, what amounts to the same thing, what the concept of man implies for a man.
Regarding the prevention of Male Irritability Syndrome, Diamond recommends keeping testosterone levels at their optimal state. This can be achieved through the practice of sexual relations, doing sports, eating healthy, sleeping between six and eight hours, and controlling the level of stress.