Are you suffering from MALE menopause? Bosses now offer special clothing made from ‘natural breathable fabrics’, a desk by the window and a YEAR of paid leave
Male NHS workers suffering from ‘manopause’ are being offered special uniforms, tailor-made desk spaces and up to a year of paid leave to help them cope with the ‘hormonal change’, MailOnline can reveal.
The controversial term describes the supposed drop in sex hormones that affects men in mid-life – although experts say a significant drop is only true for a vanishingly small number with medical conditions.
When used in comparison to female menopause, the term is ‘unhelpful and misleading’, according to the NHS website.
Experts say that while menopause is caused by a sudden shift in hormones that causes the dreaded symptoms, the decline in testosterone occurs gradually and much less significantly over many years.
This means that the chance of symptoms is much smaller.
Yet earlier this week, Freedom of Information request data obtained by the BBC revealed that as many as one in ten NHS trusts have protocols in place for managing ‘manopause’ – also known as andropause.
Now MailOnline can reveal intriguing details of some of these initiatives.
For example, the NHS East Midlands Ambulance Service has produced a document for bosses entitled: ‘Andropause in the Workplace Guidance Document’.
NHS workers suffering from ‘menopause’ are being given special uniforms, tailor-made desk spaces and equal access to menopause support. Stock image
The guidance advises ‘all staff’ to be aware of manopause, and encourages men to ‘request reasonable adjustments in the workplace’ if they are suffering.
The document also states that men are entitled to a special uniform made from ‘natural fibers’ that can help with ‘hot flashes/sweating’.
Another adjustment available is changing the position of a man’s desk.
“Positioning near a window or door can help,” the document reads. Managers should also “ensure that portable fans or heaters are available” to “enable the individual to personally regulate the temperature around them.”
Other support mentioned includes flexible working and time off to attend medical appointments for manopause, and the offer to discuss the condition with a manager.
The document adds: ‘The man should not be placed in a position of shame where he is expected to suffer in silence, but the support offered to identify the problem is real.’
The trust’s staff will also be offered up to a year of paid leave if they are experiencing menopause, similar to the trust’s policy for other health conditions, previous reports have revealed.
NHS East Midlands Ambulance Service is not alone in offering male workers andropause support.
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust is offering middle-aged male staff the same ‘extra’ support as menopausal women, its website says.
Testosterone levels peak around age 20, but decline by about 1 percent annually after age 30
As with women, ‘male menopause’ is used to describe the period in an adult man’s life when his hormone levels drop, causing a host of symptoms that can be life-changing and disabling – from erectile dysfunction to depression, anxiety and fat fast become. earn
Several other NHS trusts also include brief mentions of ‘andropause’ in documents setting out their menopause policies, but do not provide details of the support offered.
Doctors insist that it is incorrect to equate manopause and menopause.
Research shows that an estimated one in fifty men experience a significant reduction in sex hormones as they age.
But this applies to every woman.
It is also different in terms of timescale and impact. Menopause occurs over the course of just two to five years.
Men, on the other hand, experience a gradual decline in testosterone after about age 30, which equates to about a 1 percent decline per year. Not all men will develop complaints as a result.
The NHS warns that menopausal symptoms can have a ‘major impact’ on women’s lives, including relationships, social life, family life and work.
But the health care system is less generous when it comes to describing andropause.
The NHS website reads: ‘This label is misleading as it suggests that the symptoms are due to a sudden drop in testosterone in middle age, similar to what happens during female menopause. This is not true.’
Like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women, some men struggling with the drop in testosterone may receive artificial boosts to help combat symptoms.
This is usually for men whose drop levels are related to a specific medical condition known as late-onset hypogonadism, which means their testicles produce too little of the hormone.
