Male Menopause in the Spotlight: Celebrities Discuss Low Testosterone

In recent years, an increasing number of men have begun to speak openly about declining testosterone levels, fatigue, reduced libido, mood changes, and the feeling that their bodies no longer function as they once did. This phenomenon has been dubbed male menopause or andropause, though experts emphasize it is not an exact equivalent to female menopause.

Unlike the relatively sharp drop in hormone production experienced by women, testosterone levels in men typically decline gradually, at a rate of about one percent per year starting from the ages of 30 to 40. Furthermore, not every man will experience significant symptoms as a result of this natural decline.

The Misconception of Male Menopause

In fact, the very term male menopause can be misleading. Fatigue, low libido, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, and mood changes may stem from low testosterone, but they can equally result from stress, depression, anxiety, alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, obesity, or chronic illnesses. Therefore, diagnosis cannot rely on feelings alone and requires proper medical evaluation and blood tests.

Robbie Williams

Robbie Williams was only 38 when he revealed that his body had almost stopped producing testosterone. The singer began receiving a weekly injection of the hormone, a treatment that helped him cope with the deficiency, though he later decided to stop. "I was on testosterone for a while, but because I’m an addict, that had to stop," he shared in a 2023 interview. According to Williams, the treatment caused his shoulders to grow to the point where he started looking like a nightclub bouncer, a side effect he did not particularly enjoy.

However, Williams admitted that he missed the effect the treatment had on his libido. In another interview, he addressed the situation with his characteristic humor: "The hair is thinning, the testosterone has left the building, serotonin isn't really here and dopamine said goodbye a long time ago. I used all the good natural materials. I have male menopause."

Shaun Ryder

Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder discovered in his late 40s that he was suffering from hypothyroidism, which also affected his body's testosterone production. Initially, he was prescribed oral testosterone, but he was forced to stop the treatment after it caused further complications related to his thyroid.

"Stopping the treatment was hard. I was tired all the time and could barely manage to leave the house," he recalled. "My libido disappeared and I was miserable." According to Ryder, shortly after stopping the treatment, he also lost his hair. Ryder later switched to a testosterone gel, which he said brought significant relief to his symptoms, describing his dependency on the treatment in stark terms: "If I don't have my testosterone gel, I can't speak. I can't leave the house or make eye contact."

Josh Duhamel

Actor Josh Duhamel said he had previously heard about hormone replacement therapy, but almost none of the men in his circle were willing to discuss the subject. Only after tests showed his testosterone levels were low did he seriously begin to consider treatment.

"I did a sort of soul-searching and checked how I felt," he said. "I knew I wasn't in the same place I was five or ten years ago." Duhamel began receiving testosterone injections and noted a significant change: his drive returned, his energy levels increased, and he was able to better cope with long shooting days and keep up with his young son. Duhamel also shared that the treatment allowed him to feel younger and more vibrant alongside his wife, Audra Mari. For him, the change went beyond physical capacity, restoring some of the enthusiasm lost over the years.

Frank Grillo

Actor Frank Grillo, known for his roles in Peacemaker and Marvel films, dedicated a significant part of his life to boxing and intense training. In his early 50s, he noticed something had changed: his speed had dropped, workouts that he once completed with ease became exhausting, and recovery took much longer.

Alongside the decline in physical ability, Grillo suffered from joint pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and a low mood. Blood tests indicated a testosterone level of 260 nanograms per deciliter, which is considered low. According to Grillo, his doctors were surprised he had managed to continue training at such high intensity.

After starting testosterone replacement therapy, he noticed improvements in his workout capacity, sleep, mood, and libido. Although he faced criticism from people claiming the treatment gave him an unfair advantage, Grillo dismissed it: "I'm an actor. I'm not a football player, an Olympic wrestler, or an NBA player. I'm not cheating at anything, except aging."

Conan O'Brien

Unlike others on the list, Conan O'Brien did not describe a medical diagnosis or treatment for testosterone deficiency. The comedian and host spoke primarily, and in his own amused way, about the changes in personality and urges that come with age.

O'Brien noted that he never thought his testosterone levels were particularly high, but estimated they had dropped by about half over the years. He noticed he was calmer, less intense, and less driven by the need to prove himself compared to his 20s, 30s, and 40s. His mother-in-law, he noted, attributed the change to declining testosterone.

O'Brien does not necessarily view this as a negative thing. "There’s a substance flowing through our bodies, and it’s amazing in some ways, but it also causes us to come up with stupid ideas," he once said about testosterone. When one of his doctors explained that men become calmer as hormone levels drop, he welcomed the news with equanimity.

The stories of these five public figures vary greatly, as do the reasons for their symptoms and how they chose to deal with them. The common thread is the willingness to discuss a topic that many men still feel hesitant to raise, even with those closest to them. However, testosterone treatment is not an automatic fix for fatigue or low libido and should only be considered after a thorough medical diagnosis based on both symptoms and blood tests, while ruling out other underlying factors.