Male menopause found to be real but very rare

However, it is rare. Only two per cent of ageing men have symptoms meeting the criteria.

The condition, technically known as late-onset hypogonadism, is often linked to poor health and obesity.

Scientists led by a team from the University of Manchester measured the testosterone levels of 3,369 men aged 40 to 79 from eight European centres.

The men, whose average age was 60, were asked for intimate details about their sexual, physical and psychological health.

Only nine of 32 candidate male menopause symptoms were associated in any way with low testosterone levels.

Of these, the most important were three sexual symptoms: fewer morning erections, fewer sexual thoughts – reflecting a reduced sex drive – and impotence.

For a true diagnosis of late-onset hypogonadism, all three sexual symptoms had to be present together with testosterone readings below 11 nanomoles per litre of blood.

The findings are published in the New England Journal Of Medicine.