Andropause in men: a taboo subject?

Updated on 2026-04-15

Summary: Andropause in men: a taboo subject?

Andropause is a gradual decline in testosterone levels in men, often around the age of 50, the effects of which - fatigue, lack of motivation, reduced libido, difficulty concentrating and abdominal fat gain - set in gradually and sometimes go unnoticed; unlike menopause, it is less sudden, but very real, and can be improved naturally through good lifestyle habits such as quality sleep, effective stress management, weight training, a diet rich in protein and healthy fats, and adequate zinc intake, while alcohol and sugar should be avoided as they aggravate symptoms by disrupting hormone production. Supplements such as Vigor Force by Prairie Naturals can provide support, without replacing these essential foundations.

Andropause: a little-known reality for men

Andropause is the male equivalent of menopause, but is distinguished by a gradual, partial decline in testosterone. Unlike women, men experience symptoms that are more subtle and spread out over time, so they are less likely to recognize them or talk about them.

The main symptoms to watch out for

The most frequent signs include:

• Fatigue and low energy
• Lack of motivation
• Difficulty concentrating ("fuzzy" mind)
• Irritability and increased stress
• Decreased libido
• Abdominal fat gain

These symptoms may develop slowly and go unnoticed.

Natural solutions to support testosterone

Several lifestyle habits can help improve the situation:

• Quality sleep: essential for hormone production
• Stress management: reduce cortisol (e.g. adaptogenic plants such as ashwagandha)
• Physical exercise: especially weight training and short, intense workouts (HIIT)
• Nutrition: sufficient protein + healthy fats (avocado, nuts, oily fish)
• Zinc: key mineral for men's health (found in oysters, pumpkin seeds, meats, etc.).

Mistakes to avoid and the role of supplements

Two major enemies aggravate andropause:

• Alcohol: harms the liver, increases inflammation and reduces testosterone
• Sugar: promotes abdominal fat storage and energy fluctuations

Supplements, such as Vigor Force by Prairie NaturalsThey can give a helping hand, but are complementary to good lifestyle habits, which are the foundation.

About the author

Lynn Goneau, Certified Naturopath

Specialized in :

• Digestive health
• Hormonal health
• Stress and fatigue
• Memory and concentration
• Weight management

Frédéric Bisson, radio host at 104.7 FM

Host of the 104.7 FM radio station on the Cogeco network. Frédéric Bisson has hosted L'Outaouais Maintenant from 3 to 5 p.m. every weekday since February 27, 2023.

Transcription

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

How's morale these days? Yes, of course the rain isn't helping. But if you're a 50-something man, like your host right now, you may be in low spirits, lacking energy and suffering from a problem called andropause, the male equivalent of menopause. We talk about it with Lynn Goneau, a naturopath at La Boite à Grains. Hello Lynn.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Hello Fred.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Andropause for men can be compared to menopause for women.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Definitely. I'm really, really glad we're talking about it today, because it's easy for women to talk about all their menopausal symptoms. But men rarely talk to each other. It's when someone talks about the symptoms of this and that. That's not done. You don't see that with men. The big difference between men and women is that menopause is a rapid and complete hormonal decline in women. Okay, so the symptoms arrive almost overnight. In men, on the other hand, andropause is more a gradual, partial drop in testosterone. So the symptoms are real, but much more gradual, which means that many men don't even realize what's happening.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

So what are the signs that appear in men?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

In fact, the most common ones are a drop in energy, more fatigue, less motivation to accomplish or even start new projects, difficulty concentrating, like a kind of blurred focus. That's it. Exactly, more nervousness, less tolerance for stress. You get really worked up over nothing. And we often see this with a drop in libido, less desire for sexual activity, and then the famous abdominal fat, that's the belly, even if you haven't changed your diet.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

The belly grows. As you often say, it's the testosterone level that's going to drop. You can test this with a blood test. You don't have to take hormones. You can naturally help yourself.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, because testosterone is a hormone. The doctor can prescribe a natural way of increasing it, starting with sleep, which is important because testosterone is mainly produced at night when we sleep well. So we can help ourselves with relaxing plants, magnesium in the evening, or good sleep practices to really achieve a good level of sleep. Stress is also very important. When the body is stressed, it produces more cortisol. It's the famous cortisol that blocks testosterone production. You can help yourself with adaptogenic plants like ashwagandha. Because it obviously blocks your stress receptor. So less cortisol, more chance for the body to produce or manufacture testosterone.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

You sleep better, you reduce stress... I've heard a lot about weight training.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

It's so important, Frédéric, the loads, then the resistances. So we're talking about short-intensity exercise, it's really the most natural way to stimulate testosterone because the body naturally responds by increasing its production to repair muscle fibres, then increase strength and improve recovery automatically the body will produce more.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

So weights and weights, diet, I imagine, as in everything, has a role to play.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Plenty. You need enough protein at every meal. That's for sure. Then good fats like avocados, walnuts, olive oil, oily fish, because that's going to help calm your inflammation, which is often the cause of pain. The pain and inflammation will disrupt testosterone production.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

You want to tell us about zinc?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Zinc is one of the most important minerals for men's health. Yes, because it increases testosterone production. And it will reduce your cortisol. You can now find it in oysters, unroasted, unsalted pumpkin seeds. Obviously in dairy products, in good meats, there are many sources.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

Yes, it's, it's delicious. So, what are the enemies of male andropause?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

There are two of them.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

I'm guessing the alcohol's in there.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, alcohol, and it's strange because it's often at this point that we find ourselves turning to alcohol to reduce stress or because we're feeling more depressed. Sugar too. That's another one for yes, to compensate for lack of energy.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

That's where we come in. That's two mistakes not to make.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Alcohol will tire your liver, which in turn promotes abdominal fat, increases inflammation, then causes your testosterone production to drop, and sugar will trigger insulin spikes which obviously encourage fat storage, especially in the belly. This is exactly what you want to avoid during andropause, because the result is more fatigue, less energy, and a vicious circle.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

And of course Lynn, it's tradition. If you need a little more help there, beyond sleep nutrition and stress reduction, there's a supplement you can recommend.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, in fact, Prairie Naturals offers a product called Vigor Force that's specially designed for andropause because it helps support energy, vitality and stress management. Of course, supplements never replace the essential pillars. Sleep well, exercise, manage stress and eat a balanced diet. But it can help, because Vigor Force contains the adaptogenic and nutritive plants we discussed earlier. It's known to support the body when you want to make a change in your lifestyle, and you're lacking energy or motivation.