Understanding Andropause After a Vasectomy 

A surgical procedure known as a vasectomy could precipitate a medical condition in men called andropause.

This brief article will examine the procedure, discuss andropause and consider what treatment options impacted men can employ.

What Is A Vasectomy and Why Do Men Undergo the Procedure?

This medical procedure inhibits a man’s sperm from mixing with semen while he engages in sexual intercourse. During surgery, a doctor will execute a small incision on both the right and left sides of a man’s scrotum and remove a tiny portion of the vas deferens, which are tiny reproductive organs that help transport mature sperm out of his body. After a surgeon completes this action, he or she will seal off the respective excised regions with clamps.

Typically, men who, along with their female partners, have chosen not to have any or any more children, will have this procedure performed as a means of birth control. Many men prefer going through this procedure as a form of birth control because it is relatively short (most usually take about a half hour) with limited associated risks and complications but also due to its effectiveness. Many physicians and fertility experts opine that the vas deferens surgery is among the best forms of birth control short of abstinence. Usually, the procedure needs several months to fully take hold. Research conducted, however, has shown once that timeframe has passed, the procedure prevents pregnancies in the female partners of an astounding 998 to 999 men out of every 1,000 who have undergone it.

How Does the Operation Impact A Man After Surgery?

In most cases, other than infertility, men do not usually experience ill effects on their bodies, in their ability to perform sexually or to their libidos. However, there are recorded medical instances where men have been stricken with a drop in their testosterone levels following a vasectomy. Furthermore, these drops may be precipitous enough to cause a health malady referred to as andropause.

A Look at Andropause

Andropause occurs when a man experiences a significant decrease in their bodily production of and blood concentrations of testosterone. In many men, testosterone levels tend to gradually decline once they reach age 40. Not all men experience andropause, however, which is sometimes also categorized as “male menopause.” A variety of medical and environmental conditions might precipitate the condition. Even so, the scientific community seems to express mixed views over whether vas deferens surgery is among such causes.

Some medical professionals opine that forcing sperm to continually remain inside the testes might cause the body to eventually perceive the organisms as foreign agents that pose a threat to the immune system. This process could trigger an autoimmune response that might impair the testes’ ability to produce and secrete testosterone. Proponents of this theory, however, admit this will not happen in every man or even a significant percentage of men who have undergone vas deferens alteration, and it does not always indicate or precipitate the onset of andropause.

Treatment Measures That Impacted Men Can Employ

The particular treatment protocols men can employ will depend upon the severity of their testosterone depletion. In mild to moderate instances, some doctors might recommend trying to boost low hormonal levels by making lifestyle and dietary changes or using natural substances known to increase testosterone production. Should the condition be more severe, however, men might be advised to consider undergoing hormone replacement therapy.