Influence of Work on Andropause and Menopause: A Systematic Review.

Margherita Martelli,Lory Santarelli,Gianmaria Salvio,Massimo Bracci,Laura Zingaretti

doi:10.3390/ijerph181910074

Abstract

Aging is associated with gender-specific hormonal changes that progressively lead to gonadal insufficiency, a condition which characterizes a minority of men and all women. Work-related factors, such as stress and pollutant exposure, affect gonadal function and can interfere with reproduction in both genders. A systematic review of the PubMed, SCOPUS and EMBASE databases was conducted, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement to investigate the effect of occupational factors on andropause and menopause. A total of 26 studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria: 9 studies evaluated the effects of work on andropause symptoms, 8 studies examined its effects on age at menopause onset, and 9 studies addressed its effects on menopausal symptoms. Work-related factors, such as psychological stress, physical effort, and sleep disorders, showed a significant correlation with andropause manifestations, whereas age at menopause and severity of menopausal symptoms were both influenced by factors such as pesticide exposure, high job strain, and repetitive work. Since work accompanies men and women for most of their lives, it is essential to identify and prevent the risk factors that may affect reproductive health.

Highlights

Axis, which in females lead to menopause and in a variable proportion of males lead to a clinical entity called andropause or, according to more recent terminology, late-onset hypogonadism (LOH)
This systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA statement [9]
All eligible studies examined the relationship among work, aging, and gonadal status and occupational status

Summary

Introduction

Received: 12 July 2021Accepted: 22 September 2021Published: 25 September 2021Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).Aging is associated with modifications of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG)axis, which in females lead to menopause and in a variable proportion of males lead to a clinical entity called andropause or, according to more recent terminology, late-onset hypogonadism (LOH).The physiological age of menopause is on average 46 years; the diagnosis is made retrospectively after at least 12 months of amenorrhea [1]. The Stages of Reproductive Aging

Results

Discussion

Conclusion