Happy Mondays lead singer Shayn Ryder says he was left “unable to speak” after experiencing what he describes as the male menopause.
The Manchester-born star, 61, recalled how he had been “miserable” after finding himself unable able to leave the house due to being so tired all of the time. He then went for a routine blood test which showed his “testosterone levels were at zero”.
Ryder eventually turned to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), which he hailed as life-saving after “trying every drug around”.
He now uses testosterone gel to boost his libido and energy levels and says if he misses any of his medication that he goes “absolutely mental”.
Speaking to The Sun, the one-time I’m A Celebrity contestant explained: “I was tired all the time, could barely be bothered leaving the house. My libido was gone and I was miserable. A routine blood test showed my testosterone levels were at zero.”
The Step On singer then went on to detail what happens if he forgets to take his gel, saying: “I forgot to put on my testosterone gel, and as any woman who’s gone through the menopause will know, if you forget your stuff you go absolutely mental. If I haven’t got my testosterone gel, I can’t speak. I can’t leave the house, I can’t make eye contact.”
While male menopause is not the medical term, it is used to describe when men’s hormones decrease which can cause symptoms such as erectile dysfunction, depression, anxiety and rapid weight gain.
The condition is actually known as andropause which tends to be a more gradual change whereas menopause tends to be more sudden.
