Menstruation, a significant gender marker for girls, serves as a recurring reminder of our femininity from the moment of our first period. As sex and gender education become more comprehensive, an increasing number of people understand that not all women experience menstruation and that not everyone who menstruates is necessarily a woman (they could be transgender or intersex individuals).

Today, I have another eye-opening message for you—men can also have “periods,” but not in the same way women do:

Male menopause symptoms anger, fluctuating testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction, and hormonal imbalance among others, showing that men can also experience a stage of life characterized by these symptoms.

In some cases, men may produce few or no hormones naturally, leading to symptoms that can be alleviated through hormone replacement therapy.

Beyond the physical manifestations, societal expectations also play a significant role in how men experience and express their “periods.” The stigma surrounding male menopause symptoms anger can often lead to silence and avoidance, preventing men from seeking necessary support and treatment.

So, let’s talk about it.

In various cultures and regions, it’s believed that men have “periods”

Although the idea of men having “periods” might sound odd, it’s documented across different cultures.

Since the dawn of Egyptian civilization, a type of blood-sucking parasite in the Nile River began invading the bodies of Egyptians. These parasites would penetrate human skin, invade the bladder, mate, lay eggs, and settle down, causing acute bladder inflammation and hematuria (blood in urine). 

This condition could potentially lead to disruptions in testosterone levels and contribute to issues such as low testosterone levels or testosterone deficiency in affected individuals. These conditions could manifest as male menopause symptoms anger and hormonal imbalance.

To prevent this, Egyptians made linen penis sheaths for boys frequently in contact with the river, but this method was minimally effective. For boys who frequently entered the water, hematuria still occurred often. 

Due to the similarity between the symptoms of hematuria and the pain and bleeding experienced by women during menstruation, locals described it as "male menstruation" and considered it an essential apart of male age growth, just as the first period symbolizes physiological maturity for girls.

This perception lasted a long time, and Egypt was even referred to as the only country where men had “periods” by a doctor in 1798. It wasn’t until the early 20th century, with the development of public health, that Egyptians abandoned this misconception.

Countries/regions that viewed bleeding as a sign of “male menstruation” were not limited to Egypt.

In medieval Europe, some doctors equated hemorrhoid bleeding with female menstrual bleeding. And in the 18th century, Swiss anatomist Albrecht von Haller even considered regular nosebleeds as a symbol of men having "periods."

This thinking of using bleeding as a symbol of menstruation was related to the medical thought at the time. The medical community believed that the body needed to achieve a balance of bodily fluids, and bloodletting was a treatment method that could help achieve this balance when injured or sick.

Therefore, female menstruation was conceptualized as a natural way to maintain fluid balance and eliminate excess bodily fluids. If men had regular/nonspecific nosebleeds, it was rationalized as automatic bloodletting, similar to female menstruation, eliminating some pathological, harmful bodily fluids through bleeding.

Besides this “natural” bleeding, some places chose to artificially create bleeding phenomena to help men have “periods.”

European anthropologists have recorded that on an island off the coast of New Guinea, locals believed menstruation was a way for women to cleanse their bodies of pollution, with menstrual blood considered a harmful substance.

Men also need to purify their bodies of pollution, so the islanders planned regular "male menstruation ceremonies" - men faced the sea with erections, then cut themselves with shells to let the blood flow into the sea... Just the description in words can lend one's imagination to the scene's heroism and the determination to cut and bleed. 

Similar rituals include penis piercing and cutting, which in different areas and cultures, were considered a form of artificially created male "period."

Obviously, whether based on natural bleeding or fabricated menstrual rituals, they all contradict modern medical knowledge and have nothing to do with female menstruation. It’s purely a case of misrepresentation.

But in modern medicine, there is indeed a concept of “male menstruation”!

“Male Menstruation” in Modern Medicine

In modern medicine, menstruation refers to the shedding of the uterine lining and bleeding due to ovulation, related to changes in female hormones. Conversely, men experience hormonal fluctuations, including testosterone levels, which can affect various aspects of their health and well-being.

Menstruation for women is not only a sign of physiological maturity but also a series of changes women undergo to nurture life.

Every month, a woman’s ovaries produce an egg, and the uterine lining thickens in preparation for the egg’s implantation. If the egg is not fertilized, the uterine lining will shed and be expelled from the body, which is the menstrual period. Some women may experience the passing of blood clots during menstruation, which is a normal part of the process.

In a parallel scenario, men may encounter fluctuations in hormonal levels, contributing to manifestations such as male menopause symptoms anger and imbalance.

Looking at it this way, if men really had “periods,” they wouldn’t need the step of bleeding at all… Truly, those early men who forced themselves to bleed were pitiable.

If bleeding is considered a sign of menstruation, then men indeed do not have “periods,” but besides menstrual blood, there are other physiological changes during menstruation for women, such as the following.

Physiological symptoms: such as breast tenderness, headaches, abdominal bloating, changes in bowel habits, etc. Behavioral changes: such as poor concentration, fatigue, decreased work efficiency, memory decline, nervousness, excitability, etc. Psychological symptoms: such as irritability, tension, insomnia, anxiety, mood swings, etc.

These are manifestations of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), not every girl will experience this during menstruation, but it indeed occurs in the vast majority of girls. The occurrence of these symptoms is related to changes in female hormones in the body.

Later, it was discovered that men also occasionally exhibit similar PMS conditions, also caused by changes in hormones in the body, leading to male menopause symptoms anger and imbalance.

Female menopause can also lead to hormonal fluctuations and symptoms such as irritability and mood swings. Incorporating breathing exercises and a healthy lifestyle with a healthy diet rich in fat-free dairy products can help alleviate symptoms such as increased body fat and energy difficulty.

It’s essential to monitor personal life factors and seek medical attention if symptoms persist or worsen, as hormonal imbalances can occasionally develop into more severe conditions like breast cancer.

Voucher Cloud released a study consulting 2,412 British people (half men and half women) on whether they periodically feel symptoms common to female PMS, such as irritability, fatigue, cramps, etc.

The survey found that 26% of men believe they experience these feelings. Among these men, more than half reported feeling more irritable, 51% felt more tired than usual, and 15% reported abdominal bloating.

Comparing this to “male menstruation” is indeed somewhat reasonable.

However, it has a more professional term. Researcher Jed Diamond calls it “The Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS).” For ease of understanding, we’ll still refer to it as “male menstruation.”

“Male menstruation” differs from female menstruation in several ways.

• “Male menstruation” does not involve bleeding, which is evident
• Moreover, its manifestations are less apparent and more subtle than those of female menstruation.This subtlety may be due to men generally being less expressive about their emotional states.
• Since “male menstruation” is less known, when men experience such conditions, it is often attributed to them being tired from work or ill.
• while female menstruation typically occurs once a month, “male menstruation” does not have a periodic occurrence. Its occurrence is related to changes in testosterone levels and hormonal balance, fluctuations in stress levels, sleep conditions, and individual personality traits.
• Sometimes, when “male menstruation” occurs, the person may not even be aware of it. It can impacts various physiological and psychological aspects of their health, affecting aspects such as erectile function, muscle mass, mood shifts, and overall health.

If you notice your boyfriend becoming more easily angered, anxious, irritable, or emotionally unstable compared to usual, it’s possible that his “male menstruation” has arrived.

In such cases, encourage him to practice relaxation techniques, seeks support from group networks, drink more warm water (just kidding), rationalize his emotional changes, and avoid “menstrual stigmatization.”

Question of stigmatization: can the stigma of menstruation be eliminated if men experience male menopause symptoms anger and imbalance?

I am skeptical.

Unless gender equality education is implemented for everyone, everywhere, even if men were to menstruate, new forms of “menstrual stigmatization” would emerge in the world, fostering negative feelings.

For example, if men’s menstrual bleeding were abundant, it’s possible that comments like “How dare you call that menstruation with just that amount of blood?” would arise.

In short, in that world where men menstruate, countless people would still be advocating: “We don’t want menstrual glory; we want menstrual equality.”

Bottom line

In this parallel universe where men experience menstruation, they too might face challenges related to male menopause symptoms anger, emotional distress, and hormonal imbalance.