Dr. Duncan Gould of London's Goldcross Medical Services says men often suffer from menopausal-like symptoms of depression, hot flashes, impotence and physical and mental fatigue. He said hormone therapy should be considered for men with these symptoms.
A counterpoint opinion by Howard Jacobs of London's Royal Free and University College School of Medicine disagreed with Dr. Gould's definition of male menopause and the use of the sex hormone testosterone to treat it. He cited the fact that erectile dysfunction among older men is often non-hormonally based; testosterone deficiency accounts for 6 to 45 percent of all cases, he said.
Jacobs says there is no evidence that testosterone replacement therapy works, claiming most older men have more than enough hormones to fulfil their sexual needs. Circulation of the blood is the main culprit, he says, a physical problem which could be remedied by Viagra.
