Middle-age dread

The ‘manopause’, or testosterone syndrome, is real but often responded to with flat denial and shame, says Dave Kenny.

ROBBIE Williams has it all: money, a beautiful wife, adoring female fans. He has fast cars, hair, biceps. He is on the precipice of 40 and looks 25. He is a sex symbol who has defied ageing.

But Robbie has one thing shared by a tiny group of middle-aged men. He has the sex drive of a 100-year-old. The former Take That singer — who plays Dublin tonight — has no testosterone. The 39-year-old began injecting the male sex hormone two years ago, after being diagnosed with early onset male ‘menopause’ or testosterone-deficiency syndrome (TDS). His revelation fuelled the debate over whether ‘manopause’ exists or not.