A term coined by the popular media for the mid-life changes experienced by some men between the ages of 35 and 45 years. These middle-aged men report that they feel depressed and lack vitality. They complain that their body fat increases and their physical capacity decreases. A few doctors have linked these changes to a critical period when testosterone levels decrease. They argue that the changes are physiological and equivalent to the female menopause (the viropause is sometimes called the ‘male menopause’). However, most experts believe that viropause is a myth. They believe that the reported changes are more psychological than physiological. Testosterone levels decline gradually with age and there is no critical drop.
