Study Says Men Suffer From Irritability Starting At 40, Here Are The Symptoms
If you’re a male in your 40’s or soon to be, there’s a good chance you might be suffering from IMS, Irritable Men’s Syndrome. It’s not anything like PMS for…
If you're a male in your 40's or soon to be, there's a good chance you might be suffering from IMS, Irritable Men's Syndrome. It's not anything like PMS for a women, because it doesn't come once a month. It comes later in life and builds up to the point that irritablilty can actually affect your happiness.
For most males who suffer from IMS it starts happening in your early 40's and continues on for perhaps the rest of your life. Maybe that's why we all watched Grumpy Old Men back in the day, we can relate to them more and more each year.
For some guys they think being irritable is just part of the aging process, natural and inevitable, but is it avoidable? The answer is mostly, yes it is, but it will require work and perhaps some help from medications. A lot of it comes from your decrease in the all important testosterone balance. It appears that the lower your numbers go, the more you will suffer from the symptoms of IMS.
What is IMS?
Medical experts acknowledge Irritable Male Syndrome as a legitimate cluster of symptoms affecting aging men. Dr. Justin Houman from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center explains the condition results from gradual testosterone decline starting around age 40. Common symptoms include mood changes, irritability, low energy, reduced libido, memory problems, and sleep disturbances. Psychotherapist Dr. Jed Diamond describes IMS as “a state of hypersensitivity, anxiety, frustration and anger that occurs in males that’s associated with biochemical changes, hormonal fluctuations, stress and loss of male identity.” Doctors recommend blood tests for men over 45 experiencing consistent symptoms, with treatment options including lifestyle changes and possible testosterone replacement therapy. (Story URL)
If you think that you might be a candidate for help with your IMS you should talk to your doctor and have them check your testosterone levels. Optimum numbers are generally in the 400's up to 1000, anything lower than 400 might be cause for some concern and possibly consider some type of mediation to get your numbers up.
