Unreasonable indifference to everything, depressive states, constant mood swings are the main signs of premenstrual syndrome in the beautiful half of humanity, caused by hormonal changes in the female body, which is preparing for a possible pregnancy. But is it only women who face hormonal changes in their bodies? Indeed, in men, for various reasons, the concentration of hormones in the blood can also change. Do a strong half of humanity have emotional swings, tearfulness, irritability and other symptoms of hormonal changes?

In this article, we will try to figure out what PMS is in guys, and whether there is such a syndrome in men at all.

What is it and what is it called

It sounds like "premenstrual syndrome", in relation to men it is used only in common parlance, but is not a medical formulation, since a priori. But the representatives of the stronger sex are characterized by a violation of the hormonal background, which can cause symptoms very similar to those of PMS in women. For the first time, the Scottish physician J. Lincoln drew attention to the psychoemotional changes caused by the hormonal storm in men, he called this condition the "irritable man syndrome" or abbreviated CPM.

More recently, only in 2005, therapist and doctor of psychology in one person, Jed Diamond, after lengthy research, published a book in which he described in detail whether men have PMS, he also scientifically proved that testosterone is the culprit of everything that happens in the psycho-emotional state of a man. According to the researcher, if the amount of testosterone in the body falls, then depression begins, withdrawal and irritability appear.

As practice has shown, male hormones are subject to strong changes throughout the day. For 1 hour, the concentration of testosterone can change 4-5 times, and if you look in the context of the whole day, the maximum value of the hormone will be in the morning, and by the evening it gradually decreases. There are also seasonal fluctuations in hormones, with the maximum concentration in November and the minimum in April. Also, the level of hormones depends on age; in men, at 40-50 years old, andropause occurs, an analogue of female menopause. But this does not mean that male impotence appears, the level of sex hormones simply decreases, but the ability to fertilize in men with normal health remains until old age.

Causes of PMS in the strong half

PMS in men can be caused by psychological and physiological causes. The psychological reasons that adversely affect the level of testosterone, which cause irritability and bad mood, include stress, various diseases and age-related changes. The following reasons can affect the hormonal background of a man:

• problems with work;
• drama on the personal front;
• physical and mental stress;
• insufficient rest;
• even excessive sexual activity.

Because of these reasons, PMS is most common in boys and young guys. Also, a hormonal storm can be caused by an incorrect daily routine, when a man combines active work or study, a lot of chores around the house, construction, and besides, he does not forget to walk with friends at night instead of normal sleep, and in the morning he visits the gym and clogs muscles to the limit.

Signs of CMP can appear with pathologies of the endocrine system and other chronic and severe diseases. In addition, irritability, unmotivated aggression, uncontrolled anger can manifest itself in men after 40 years of age, in whom the function of the gonads begins to fade.

Symptoms

It has been scientifically proven that in women living in the same house, hormonal changes occur synchronously, at the same time they start PMS. Since male PMS is in no way related to premenstrual female syndrome, a similar condition can manifest itself in guys regardless of when the hormonal storm is supposed to occur in their halves. The main symptoms of a decrease in testosterone levels in a man will be as follows:

• a person quickly gets tired, even if he was not engaged in any important and difficult matters;
• gets annoyed at every, even the smallest, occasion;
• depressed mood;
• constant desire to sleep;
• distracted attention, inability to concentrate;
• fluctuations in sexual desire, from irrepressible desire to complete apathy.

If the drop in testosterone levels is observed for a long time, then cardiovascular diseases and metabolic problems can occur.

What to do

The irritable man syndrome is not a medical condition that requires medical or, even worse, surgical intervention. This condition is mostly caused by overwork and improperly chosen daily and nutritional regimen.

Here are some helpful tips for men on how to get over PMS:

• sleep should be normalized, a man should sleep at least 6 hours a day;
• you need to get into the habit of systematic moderate spot practice. The loads should not be excessive, without fail they should alternate with good rest;
• you need to reconsider your diet, it should be balanced and free of spicy, spicy and fatty foods. It is also advisable not to abuse alcohol and tobacco;
• relaxation practices, especially auto-training, will help men with PMS;
• regular sex life is the best antidepressant;
• you need to take your free time, you need to acquire some kind of hobby, for example, fishing, hunting or collecting stamps.

If a man cannot cope with the manifestations of PMS on his own, or they are complicated by concomitant pathologies, you should seek medical help. Your doctor may prescribe daytime tranquilizers to help manage stress without depressing the nervous system. These can be Adaptol or Afobazol drugs. You can also use herbal sedatives (Motherwort or Novo-Passit). Fluoxetine may be prescribed as antidepressants. In more serious conditions, hormone therapy is indicated.

Physiotherapeutic procedures have shown good results in the fight against male PMS: massage, ozone therapy, acupuncture, circular shower and balneotherapy.

It should be remembered that with SMR, a man is also very vulnerable and susceptible to other people's criticism, just like a woman with PMS. For this reason, it is very important to surround him at this special time with care and attention, in order to make it clear that you can overcome all difficulties together.

Mood swings, depression, gratuitous lethargy, and other symptoms commonly associated with the onset of the menstrual cycle in women also occur in men. Some believe that this is how emotional closeness between partners is manifested - the body of a loving man supposedly adjusts to the rhythm to which the body of the beloved obeys.

Sounds dubious? Of course, because our bodies are too different from the point of view of physiology. But does this mean that men who report these kinds of symptoms are just fooling around? Let's figure it out.

The menstrual cycle exists to prepare the female reproductive organs for fertilization. A few days before and, in some cases, several weeks after the onset of menstruation, an imbalance of hormones is observed in a woman's body. Those sensations that a woman experiences at this time are called "premenstrual syndrome" or PMS.

Men do not have menstrual, headaches and swellings that obey cyclical patterns. But their hormonal levels can also change.

In fact, "male PMS" is not a medical concept, but an attempt by amateurs to find a term similar in meaning to describe a special psychological state caused by hormonal changes.

Men become irritable when their testosterone levels drop, not the other way around.

For the first time, the Scottish physician Gerald Lincoln drew attention to him and even suggested a name - "irritable man syndrome" or CPM. In 2005, therapist Jed Diamond, in a book of the same name, for the first time described in detail how CPM manifests itself and what processes are behind it.

“Contrary to popular belief, men become irritable when their testosterone levels drop, not the other way around. Irritability, depression and withdrawal are the result of a lack of this hormone in the body, ”explains Diamond.

Diamond advises men who may be affected by CPM to monitor their hormonal cycles. “For each of us, this period manifests itself in its own way, but we are quite able to prepare for it,” the therapist notes. - The problem is that this phenomenon has not yet been fully understood and studied. Many simply do not attach any importance to this. "

The good news is that male and female “cycles” cannot influence each other, and the possibility of contracting symptoms from the other is nothing more than a fantasy. “Our research has shown that only female hormonal cycles can synchronize with each other. The manifestations of CPM cannot cause the same reaction in another man or woman if they live together, ”Diamond reassures.

Can the inconvenience of CPM be minimized? According to Diamond, the solution to this problem includes proper nutrition and exercise. Therapy may also include taking the hormone testosterone, if its level in a man is consistently low.

Diamond facts about hormonal fluctuations in men:

• Testosterone levels in men are subject to strong fluctuations - up to 4 or even 5 times per hour.
• During the day, testosterone levels in men are not the same: it is usually increased in the morning and decreased in the evening.
• There are also seasonal fluctuations in the hormone with a peak in November and a decrease in April.
• At the age of 40–55, men experience what we call male menopause or andropause.

Your beloved, always cheerful, energetic, kind, self-confident husband suddenly became nervous, irritable, quick-tempered. Now he does not rush to your bed, or vice versa - he has irrepressible sexual desires. He falls into depression, he clearly shows signs of apathy, at the same time, for no apparent reason, he suddenly shows aggression ... You can rest assured that your husband has "critical" days.

According to the candidate of medical sciences Sergei Agarkov, unlike women who have monthly hormonal disruptions, men suffer from them throughout their lives. Conditionally male cycles are designated as life (biological) annual, monthly and daily.

The biological cycle is determined by age. After 30 years, the level of testosterone in a man's body decreases by 1–2 percent annually. The man is no longer so sexually active and not so positive. For many, such changes in their own body end in depression, which further reduces the level of the main hormone.

The annual cycle is determined by the seasons. Based on the research of scientists from different countries, Sergei Agarkov cites data: in spring and especially in autumn, the activity of men is at its peak. Summer and winter are intermediate phases for them. According to the symptoms of irritability, aggressiveness, isolation, it is easy to calculate when the most unfavorable time of the year comes for a particular man.

Daily changes in hormonal levels in men have been thoroughly studied by British scientists. According to their research, it is mainly young men who are subject to such frequent changes in the level of the main hormone - within 24 hours, their testosterone levels can change up to four times. Any reasons can be catalysts for changes: the defeat of your favorite football team, a disruption to a trip to the bathhouse, or ... the arrival of a mother-in-law. The outward manifestations of such differences can be observed when, in the course of a seemingly insignificant dispute between young people, someone suddenly throws himself into a fight. For doctors, this behavior is understandable.

But not all men are subject to the monthly cycle. It is associated more with psychological stress and therefore is more often recorded in men employed in the business sector. Dr. Richard Loop from London, after examining a group of men, found that testosterone levels drop sharply after stress.

The English scientist Jed Diamond has proved that men, like women, also have premenstrual syndrome. It manifests itself, in the words of the Englishman, hungry spasms. A man eats everything and at the same time constantly demands something to eat.

And then the man has day "X" - an analogue of "critical" women's days, only without bleeding, of course. On this day, a man experiences a peak of emotional excitability. Smart women on such a day try not to contradict their faithful.

And yet the most difficult for men is age-related hormonal disruption. Professor-andrologist Svetlana Kalinchenko calls it one big "critical" day for men. It can last, according to the professor, half a lifetime.

It's testosterone again. It is he who makes a man courageous, strong, self-confident, attractive to women. Testosterone is a regulator of metabolic processes, the formation of sperm depends on it, it provides sexual desire. With age-related decline in the main hormone, all the functions for which it is responsible gradually fade away. The man realizes that the peak of his heyday is behind. For some, this period begins immediately after the age of 30, but there are men who do not experience tangible hormonal changes until the age of 45. This is due to the lifestyle and character of a person. Optimists, as a rule, do not lock on to their feelings, lead an active lifestyle and maintain good physical and psychological shape for a fairly long period. This helps to periodically increase the level of the main hormone so much that some men are capable of conceiving a child after 70 years. But the owners of a beer belly may not count on increasing testosterone levels. Doctors-andrologists even call a figure: if a man's waist exceeds 94 centimeters, “critical” days are provided for him until complete hormonal attenuation.

Many believe that only women experience emotional breakdowns when they experience PMS. But this phenomenon also happens with a man. This is called a depressive state. At this moment, the stronger sex is experiencing a hysterical attack due to hormonal changes, an experienced scandal.

Causes

PMS in men is considered in medicine as male irritability syndrome (MSR). There have been many studies that have shown that testosterone is the cause. There is a hormonal disruption, after which there is a breakdown of emotions.

Testosterone affects a man's health, namely the condition:

In this regard, we can conclude that a man who arranges conflicts from scratch is experiencing a hormonal hurricane. From this he feels constant fatigue.

Symptoms of depression in men

When PMS is observed in men, a person becomes indifferent to the child's school problems, the experiences of his wife, he does not care about difficulties with money. He feels tired, he constantly wants to sleep. This state does not go away even when he sleeps for a long time. Sexual activity can increase or, conversely, decrease.

In this case, the woman does not need to despair. The reason for the strange behavior of the husband may be hormonal changes. Better to get help.

Crisis 40 years

Young guys rarely experience this kind of life change. Hormonal disruption is often observed in men aged 40-45 years.

Everything happens due to the fact that a person is going through a midlife crisis, after which PMS may appear in men.

During this period, a strong half of the population begins to fear that their sexual desire is decreasing, reflecting on their successes and failures. They can often start to think about what they have accomplished in their time. After that, their sad conclusions overtake. A man may think that only gray everyday life awaits him ahead, that all the best has already happened.

What to do?

His beloved woman can really help to cope with the syndrome of increased irritability in men. To do this, you do not need to read scientific books, look for difficult treatment, but simply provide support during such a period. A man who works is especially tired, he may fall asleep while lying on the couch. It is better not to wake him up, but just show understanding, cover him with a blanket, and wake him up in the morning, surrounding him with affection and tenderness. This behavior will have a good effect on a man, he will already receive a charge of positive mood in the morning. And, of course, a woman should make sure that her husband does not have a quick meal. His food should be saturated with carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins. By the way, it is advised to pamper a man with dark chocolate, which contains antidepressants.

Several treatment secrets

As mentioned earlier, a man's food should be rich in useful elements. It will help to energize the presence of fiber in food. It happens:

• soluble;
• insoluble.

There are foods that are rich in this element:

• seaweed;
• vegetables;
• cereals;
• fruits;
• legumes.

Fiber is able to provide a person with a feeling of fullness.

A man, especially in a crisis age, needs a feeling of comfort in the house. It can be presented to him by his spouse. She must provide him with a decent rest, and, if her husband wishes, listen to his experiences. To help her man, the wife can add bright colors to weekdays, arrange holidays. Thus, a person will receive an emotional shake-up, which will only benefit.

In this difficult period, it is impossible to limit your sex life. After all, it is during intercourse that endorphins begin to be released, after which the body only gets younger. By the way, if people have sex several times a week, then they look ten years younger.

So, as such, PMS does not exist in men, but sometimes he can feel irritability syndrome, to which various life factors lead him. During this period, he needs help, care. It is not difficult for him to return to his old life, but his wife can influence this, creating all the conditions for his recovery.

Urology Articles

Male PMS

2012-03-12

PMS or premenstrual syndrome- a phenomenon well-known to the weak half of humanity. Scientifically speaking, this is a complex cyclical symptom complex that occurs in some women in the premenstrual days (2-10 days before menstruation) and is characterized by psychoemotional, vegetative-vascular and metabolic-endocrine disorders, which, in turn, negatively affect the usual way of life for a woman. PMS is associated with hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle. As the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, and ovaries work together to produce an egg and prepare the body for possible pregnancy, they send chemical signals to each other and the rest of the body. These signals - in the form of hormones and brain chemicals, neurotransmitters - can affect mood, energy levels, the ability to think clearly, fluid levels in the body, weight, and pain perception.

Prevalence and manifestations... The frequency of premenstrual syndrome depends entirely on the woman's age: the older, the greater the frequency. In general, it ranges from 25 to 90%. At the age of 19 to 29, PMS is observed in 20% of girls, after 30 years, the syndrome occurs in about every second. After 40 years, the frequency reaches 55%. The clinical picture of premenstrual syndrome is characterized by symptomatic diversity. It includes:

• psycho-emotional symptoms (eg, irritability, depression, tearfulness);
• symptoms of vegetative-vascular disorders (headache, nausea, vomiting, heart pain);
• symptoms reflecting metabolic endocrine disorders (engorgement of the mammary glands, edema, itching, fever).

Male PMS. In 2012, Ukrainian psychologists unexpectedly came to the conclusion that men, due to a strong dependence on the mood of their women, also suffer from PMS. In other words, as soon as the menstrual cycle spoils the mood of his companion, the man immediately falls into depression. At the same time, the symptoms of the lady and her boyfriend are almost identical. Men over 40 are at risk. Psychologists believe that the main method of dealing with a spouse's bad mood is to increase the level of proteins and carbohydrates in his body. In this regard, experts advise to abundantly feed the sad breadwinner with bananas and chocolate. And, of course, it is necessary in every possible way to raise the self-esteem of your “hero” in the field of sexual relations. It is not entirely clear how a woman, already in a bad mood and having health problems due to her own PMS, will be able to fulfill the instructions of Ukrainian psychologists (especially to prove the sexual viability of the chosen one), but professionals know better. By the way, the male participants in the study did not agree with the findings of the pundits. They tend to attribute their mood swings to professional employment. Meanwhile, some doctors have already come up with a new designation for a male problem - CMR or male irritability syndrome. Doctors attribute the storm in a glass of water to the "games" of testosterone, the level of which in the body changes from time to time.

Complete harmony... Obviously, the topic of a kind of "adjustment" of the male body to the biological rhythms of the female, touched upon by Ukrainian psychologists, presupposes close contact between two representatives of the opposite sex. When does the moment of "complete agreement" come between them? Several years ago, British scientists conducted a large-scale survey with the participation of more than 4 thousand people who are married, and found that complete harmony in married life occurs exactly 2 years 11 months and 8 days after the wedding. The most satisfied with married life were the couples who had a few days left before the third anniversary of their marriage. It is by this time that the spouses finally get used to each other and to the partner's habits, which previously caused irritation, their sex life becomes harmonious, far-reaching plans for the future appear, and the organisms adapt to each other as much as possible.

Male menopause... Recall that in recent years men were "attributed" not only to a purely female PMS problem up to this point, but also the presence of menopause. Many doctors note the manifestation of symptoms found in women during menopause, in male patients. Experts associate the occurrence of such age-related problems with a decrease in the latter's blood levels of androgen hormones (testosterone). The guest of our portal, doctor of medical sciences, urologist, professor Oleg Borisovich Laurent says: “Male menopause, as I have said more than once, is a very beautiful and offensive definition for men. This is age-related or acquired testosterone deficiency. Testosterone is called the king of hormones and the hormone of kings. Its level determines both the social and mental, intellectual, activity of a man. For well-known social reasons, men move little, exercise little. In the past, sports were the main occupation of my peers, but today it has been replaced by nightclubs, parties (sorry for being vulgar), a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, bad habits, and beer. Young men who are overweight are increasingly common. All this leads to the development of the so-called metabolic syndrome, which leads to arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and testosterone deficiency "(