Did you know that men also experience a kind of menopause? Andropause1, just like menopause, is a hormonal decline in the body. The main hormone present in the male body is testosterone. However, it can experience a significant drop and strongly affect the sexual life of the couple. To adjust these hormone levels in men, there are testosterone-based medications, such as Androgel, for example.
Hormone replacement therapy2 is a major advancement for men who, from this replacement, experience increased sexual desire. It also provides more energy for life in general. However, Androgel can bring some downsides to male reproductive health. The gel, which is based on testosterone, can lead to low natural production of this hormone. This may compromise fertility, since the body stops producing the adequate amounts of sperm. The body starts to believe it already has enough testosterone and reduces daily production. This can greatly affect the production of male gametes.
Bearing this in mind, some American researchers at the University of Tennessee began studying the development of a drug that would have the same effect as Androgel in the body, but without impairing gamete production. Enclomiphene Citrate is similar to medications that stimulate ovulation in women and are based on clomiphene (Clomid, Indux, Serophene). It would help sperm production and, when combined with testosterone treatment, would enhance the chances of achieving pregnancy. The study involved 44 men who started with the lowest dose of medication and achieved better results with gradual increases. After 16 weeks, the sperm count increased considerably in 10% of the men, even with the concurrent use of Androgel with Enclomiphene. Additionally, men who did not use Androgel also saw a considerable increase in their testosterone levels.
Enclomiphene is still in the testing phase3 and there is no release date for the American market yet. However, it aims to provide support that had not been considered for men who need help becoming fathers. The study was led by Dr. Edward Kim, urologist at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. The goal of these studies is to increase male fertility rates, due to the recurring hormonal issues and age-related hormone declines.
See also: Aspirin Could Be the Newest Ally for Fertility
Photo: Anaïs Nannini
