In this article
No, men do not go through menopause. According to the NHS, testosterone in men falls steadily by about 1% a year from around age 30 to 40, which is not the sudden midlife hormone drop that the phrase "male menopause" suggests.[1]
Age-related testosterone change is not menopause.[1] The phrase "male menopause" misleadingly suggests a sudden midlife testosterone drop.[1] Some trans men do experience menopause, a different context recognized in NICE guidance.[2]
Sources checked October 22, 2026, with three sources added November 4, 2026. This is a terminology and research guide, not a symptom test, treatment recommendation or medical review. The research summaries use original author abstracts, not full-text reviews.
Key takeaways
- The NHS calls "male menopause" and "andropause" misleading labels: testosterone declines steadily, by about 1% a year from around age 30 to 40.[1]
- Late-onset hypogonadism, testosterone deficiency developing later in life, is uncommon and not a normal part of aging, according to the NHS.[1]
- The Endocrine Society (2018) recommends diagnosing hypogonadism only with compatible symptoms and consistently low testosterone on a repeat morning fasting test.[3]
- The European Male Ageing Study (Wu and colleagues, 2010) defined late-onset hypogonadism as at least three sexual symptoms with total testosterone below 11 nmol/L and free testosterone below 220 pmol/L.[6]
- The FDA stated in 2015 that prescription testosterone is approved for low testosterone caused by certain medical conditions, not for aging alone.[8]
- Trans men and nonbinary people registered female at birth can go through menopause, and NICE guideline NG23 includes them.[2]
What does male menopause mean?
The NHS describes "male menopause" and "andropause" as misleading labels for changes sometimes reported in midlife.[1] Its explanation distinguishes gradual age-related testosterone change from an abrupt hormonal transition.[1]
Late-onset hypogonadism is a separate medical term for testosterone deficiency developing later in life, rather than a name for every man's aging process.[1] A person's age or use of the word andropause does not supply a diagnosis.[1]
Other names include "low T", androgen deficiency and testosterone deficiency syndrome. Clinicians prefer hypogonadism, or late-onset hypogonadism, because those terms name a measurable diagnosis.[1][3]
For a clinic inquiry, use the question you actually want answered: what a term means, what a laboratory report measures, or what assessment a clinician offers. A service advertised as male-menopause care still needs a specific description.
How do menopause, andropause and hypogonadism differ?
These terms should not be substituted for one another. The table distinguishes the guidance contexts, not a list of self-diagnosis rules.
| Term | What the source describes | What to keep separate |
|---|---|---|
| Menopause | A transition covered by NICE guidance, including for some trans men | NICE separates this from care during current gender-affirming hormone therapy.[2] |
| Male menopause or andropause | A misleading popular label for midlife changes | Not a sudden universal testosterone drop.[1] |
| Hypogonadism | A diagnosis involving compatible symptoms or signs and consistently low testosterone | Clinical evaluation, not an age label or a single questionnaire.[3] |
| Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) | A prescription treatment for confirmed testosterone deficiency, often given as an injection or a gel | FDA approval covers low testosterone from certain medical conditions, not aging alone.[8] |
What symptoms do men notice in their 40s and 50s?
The NHS reports that some men develop depression, loss of sex drive, erectile dysfunction and other symptoms in their late 40s to early 50s. It lists these as also common at that age:[1]
- Mood swings and irritability.
- Loss of muscle mass and reduced ability to exercise.
- Fat redistribution, such as a larger belly or breast tissue growth (gynecomastia).
- A general lack of enthusiasm or energy.
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia) or increased tiredness.
- Poor concentration and short-term memory.
Are these symptoms always caused by hormones?
No. The NHS states that in many cases these symptoms have nothing to do with hormones.[1] Stress, depression, anxiety, lack of sleep, a poor diet, lack of exercise, heavy drinking and smoking can all produce them.[1]
Erectile dysfunction also has physical causes such as smoking or heart problems.[1] Testosterone is only one of the options in the ED treatment guide. Late-onset hypogonadism is more likely in men who are obese or have type 2 diabetes, according to the NHS.[1] A longer symptom list is in the post on signs of low testosterone in men.
Can trans men experience menopause?
Yes. NICE's menopause guideline explicitly includes trans men and nonbinary people registered female at birth who have menopause-associated symptoms or will experience menopause.[2]
That guideline excludes people currently receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy and limits which recommendations apply after past use.[2] Its population boundaries matter: advice written for one hormonal context should not be assumed to describe another.
This distinction is why a simple statement that men never experience menopause would be incomplete. If contacting a practice, ask which patient groups and hormone-care contexts its clinicians assess. The directory category below does not confirm that expertise.
Menopause itself is covered on the menopause condition page and in the menopause treatment guide.
Does everyone reach a male menopause age?
The NHS does not define a universal male-menopause age or an abrupt testosterone event equivalent to menopause.[1] The longitudinal studies below instead measured hormone values over time in defined groups of men.[4][5]
According to the NHS, the decline is steady at about 1% a year from around age 30 to 40 and is unlikely to cause problems by itself.[1]
Camacho and colleagues' 2013 European Male Ageing Study report describes 2,736 community-dwelling men aged 40 to 79 at baseline, with follow-up averaging 4.4 years.[4] Paired testosterone results were available for 2,395 men.[4]
The abstract reports a mean annualized testosterone change of -0.1 nmol/L, with a standard deviation of 0.95 nmol/L.[4] These are a group mean and its spread, not a forecast for an individual or a fixed annual percentage.[4]
This was a longitudinal survey, not a trial assigning testosterone treatment.[4] Its result describes measured change in the available paired sample; it does not establish who should receive a prescription.
What did research measure about primary hypogonadism?
Ahern and colleagues' 2016 report followed a European cohort originally comprising 3,369 men aged 40 to 79 for 4.3 years.[5] The analytical sample for its primary-hypogonadism classifications contained 1,991 men.[5]
Within that analytical sample, 1.1% moved from the study's normal-testosterone category to its biochemical primary-hypogonadism category.[5] Another 1.1% were in that hypogonadism category at both assessments.[5] These are distinct groups, not two estimates of the same event.[5]
The study classification combined testosterone and luteinizing hormone measurements.[5] It was not a count of every possible form of testosterone deficiency or everyone experiencing a midlife symptom.[5]
Both reports come from the European Male Ageing Study.[4][5] Their sample sizes should not be added as independent populations. Neither report was a randomized testosterone-treatment trial.[4][5]
How did the European Male Ageing Study define late-onset hypogonadism?
Wu and colleagues (New England Journal of Medicine, 2010) found that sexual symptoms tracked most closely with low testosterone: poor morning erections, low sexual desire and erectile dysfunction.[6]
Their proposed definition of late-onset hypogonadism required at least three sexual symptoms together with total testosterone below 11 nmol/L (3.2 ng/mL) and free testosterone below 220 pmol/L (64 pg/mL).[6] Fatigue, low mood or weight gain alone did not meet it.
How is low testosterone evaluated rather than assumed?
The Endocrine Society's 2018 guideline describes diagnosis using compatible symptoms or signs together with unequivocally and consistently low testosterone concentrations.[3] It calls for accurate assays and confirmation through a repeat morning fasting measurement.[3]
The same guideline distinguishes identifying a deficiency from investigating its cause.[3] This describes the published assessment framework, not an instruction to order tests or interpret a result without a clinician.
Useful questions for a consultation include: Which diagnosis are you considering? Which assay and reference range does this report use? How will you interpret repeated results? What other explanations are being considered? Who will explain the findings and any proposed next steps?
For background on the service rather than the terminology, see the existing testosterone replacement therapy guide. This page does not determine whether TRT is appropriate for you.
Which clinicians assess low testosterone?
A primary care physician usually starts with a symptom history and blood tests. The NHS notes that men with a suspected deficiency may be referred to an endocrinologist, a hormone specialist, to confirm it.[1] Urologists also assess testosterone alongside erectile dysfunction or fertility questions.
What is male hormone replacement therapy?
Male hormone replacement therapy usually means testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), also called testosterone therapy or androgen replacement therapy. It replaces testosterone in men with diagnosed hypogonadism, and the NHS notes it may be given as an injection or a gel.[1] Skin patches and implanted pellets are other US forms.
The FDA stated in 2015 that prescription testosterone is approved only for low testosterone caused by certain medical conditions and confirmed by laboratory tests; its benefit and safety for aging alone have not been established.[8] Ask how a clinic confirms the diagnosis before prescribing.
The Endocrine Society's 2018 guideline recommends against starting testosterone in men planning fertility in the near term, because added testosterone suppresses sperm production.[3] It lists other conditions where therapy should not start, including breast or prostate cancer, a raised hematocrit, untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea, uncontrolled heart failure, and a heart attack or stroke in the past six months.[3] It also calls for monitoring testosterone, hematocrit and prostate measures during treatment.[3]
What did the TRAVERSE trial find about heart safety?
The TRAVERSE trial (Lincoff and colleagues, New England Journal of Medicine, 2023) randomized 5,246 men aged 45 to 80 with hypogonadism symptoms, two fasting testosterone results below 300 ng/dL and existing or high cardiovascular risk to testosterone gel or placebo gel.[7] Major cardiac events occurred in 7.0% and 7.3% of the groups, so testosterone was noninferior.[7] Atrial fibrillation, acute kidney injury and pulmonary embolism were more frequent with testosterone.[7]
| Source | Design | Main finding |
|---|---|---|
| Camacho et al. (2013) | European Male Ageing Study, longitudinal survey | Mean annualized testosterone change of -0.1 nmol/L in men aged 40 to 79.[4] |
| Wu et al. (2010) | European Male Ageing Study, population survey | Late-onset hypogonadism defined by three sexual symptoms plus low total and free testosterone.[6] |
| Lincoff et al. (2023), TRAVERSE | Randomized, placebo-controlled trial | Testosterone gel was noninferior to placebo for major cardiac events in men with hypogonadism.[7] |
How do men compare TRT services and costs?
Insurance coverage depends on the plan and a documented diagnosis, and many standalone TRT clinics are cash pay. Ask what a fee includes: consultation, laboratory tests, medicine and monitoring. The guide to how testosterone replacement therapy works covers forms and monitoring, and the post on TRT side effects covers the risks clinicians watch for.
Where can I compare TRT clinic listings?
Regenerated.com's September 2026 export contains 1,712 records listing Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) among 9,042 US clinic records, across all 50 states. Source: Regenerated.com clinic export, collected September 2026. This is directory coverage, not market size or a count of confirmed menopause specialists.
For service research, use the TRT clinic directory. Local pages include TRT clinics in Chandler, Arizona and TRT clinics in Gilbert, Arizona. Confirm the clinician, assessment service and patient groups directly. A listing is not an endorsement and does not establish treatment suitability.
Listing order is not paid ranking. Featured slots are labeled and capped, Verified means credential checks rather than spend, and Regenerated.com is free for patients; how Featured, Verified and organic listings differ explains each label. Browse clinics that list testosterone therapy by state or city and read each profile for its clinician type and testing.
Frequently asked questions
Do men go through menopause?
No. Men do not go through menopause, because testosterone does not stop suddenly the way ovarian hormones do. According to the NHS, it falls steadily by about 1% a year from around age 30 to 40.[1] Some men develop late-onset hypogonadism, a testosterone deficiency the NHS calls uncommon.[1] Trans men registered female at birth can go through menopause.[2]
Is andropause another name for menopause?
No. The NHS uses andropause as an alternative popular label for male menopause and explains why the implied sudden testosterone drop is misleading.[1] The closest medical diagnosis is late-onset hypogonadism, which requires symptoms plus consistently low testosterone on repeat testing.[3] Keep that label separate from a specific medical diagnosis.
Is there one age when all men need testosterone tests?
No. The Endocrine Society's 2018 guideline recommends against routine screening of men in the general population.[3] Its diagnostic framework combines clinical findings with consistently low measurements, not age alone.[3] Testing usually follows symptoms such as low sexual desire or erectile dysfunction, after other explanations are considered.
Were the aging studies trials of testosterone replacement?
No. The two cited European Male Ageing Study reports observed hormone measurements over time in men aged 40 to 79.[4][5] Their findings should not be presented as results of assigning TRT or as an individual treatment recommendation. Randomized evidence on testosterone comes from trials such as TRAVERSE (2023), which compared testosterone gel with placebo for heart safety in men with confirmed hypogonadism.[7]
Can men get hormone replacement therapy?
Yes. Male hormone replacement therapy usually means testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), prescribed after a clinician confirms hypogonadism through symptoms and repeated low testosterone results.[3] The NHS notes it may be given as an injection or a gel.[1] FDA approval covers low testosterone caused by certain medical conditions, not aging alone.[8]
Does a TRT listing confirm menopause or gender-affirming care?
No. The directory count records the broader TRT category, which shows that a clinic lists testosterone replacement therapy, not that it treats menopause or provides gender-affirming hormone care. Ask the practice which patient groups it serves, what assessment it provides and who is responsible for care and monitoring. Do not infer those services from the category name; a listing is not an endorsement.
Sources
- NHS: The male menopause (reviewed October 13, 2022). Checked October 22, 2026.
- NICE NG23: Menopause identification and management, recommendations. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Endocrine Society: Testosterone Therapy for Hypogonadism (March 19, 2018). Checked October 22, 2026.
- Camacho et al. (2013): Longitudinal hormone changes in the European Male Ageing Study. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Ahern et al. (2016): Primary hypogonadism in ageing men, European Male Ageing Study. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Wu et al. (2010): Identification of late-onset hypogonadism in middle-aged and elderly men, New England Journal of Medicine. Checked November 4, 2026.
- Lincoff et al. (2023): Cardiovascular safety of testosterone-replacement therapy (TRAVERSE), New England Journal of Medicine. Checked November 4, 2026.
- FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA cautions about using testosterone products for low testosterone due to aging (March 3, 2015). Checked November 4, 2026.