Diagnosing Male Menopause – Andropause Correctly

Andropause is not simple to diagnose. Many hormone problems can be diagnosed with a single blood test but in the case of andropause a blood test can be entirely misleading. The correct diagnostic test is bioavailable testosterone and this should be taken between 8 and 10 AM when testosterone levels are the highest. Taking the test at other times of the day will give a lower reading. In addition tests such as total testosterone or free testosterone are not helpful and in many cases are so unreliable that the diagnosis of low testosterone levels can be missed.

A second problem is the interpretation of bioavailable testosterone levels. The so-called “normal” range is very wide and in it are men who are suffering from Andropause but the test may indicate they are not. What we are looking for at the Masters Men’s Clinic is the Optimal Range of Testosterone. We have now seen many men who were told that their testosterone levels were normal but when we assessed them we felt that their levels were not Optimum and with treatment they have responded very well.

The third problem is that the diagnosis of Andropause is made from a combination of abnormally low (non-optimal) bioavailable testosterone levels AND from a high score on the Masters Men’s Clinic Andropause Screening Inventory( MMC ASI). This 50 question questionnaire has been develop exclusively at our clinic and measures the level of Andropause symptoms in each individual man.

The diagnosis of andropause at the Masters Men’s Clinic is made from a combination of low testosterone and a high value on the MMC ASI questionnaire. With correct treatment we can also show that the score on the questionnaire decreases as men regain their optimal health.