An area in which the company sees an opportunity is using ingredients traditionally used to increase testosterone levels and improve sports performance to relieve andropause symptoms.

Speaking to NutraIngredients at Hi Japan 2026, Hiroyuki Tanaka, CEO of Octroll, highlighted that andropause—colloquially known as male menopause—is a health category with new market opportunities for health supplement companies in Japan.

This is mainly because the Japanese government has flagged andropause as a “social issue” that could result in an economic loss of JPY 2 trillion (US$12.7 billion) annually.

“One of the main reasons behind increased consumer awareness of male menopause is that the Japanese government has officially announced it as a key social issue,” Tanaka said.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said in the “3rd Meeting on Promoting Health and Productivity Management” last year that as of February 2024, economic loss—including losses in labor productivity—resulting from leaving health issues specific to men unaddressed could amount to approximately JPY 1.2 trillion annually.

“This is an area that warrants attention within the workplace; by addressing the specific health challenges faced by both men and women—tailored to their respective gender-related differences—organizations can implement higher-quality health and productivity management,” the ministry said in the presentation.

Another document released in May by METI this year also highlighted that health challenges in men, such as symptoms associated with andropause, are often driven not only by age, but also by environmental and social stressors, which can impact an individual’s ability to work.

To address these health challenges, the ministry has urged local medical institutions to identify and manage male menopausal symptoms early.

“Therefore, it is important to advance discussions—in collaboration with relevant academic societies—on establishing appropriate clinical approaches for managing the health challenges faced by middle-aged and older men,” said the ministry in the document.

“Special positioning” for testosterone

Against the backdrop of greater public awareness of andropause, Tanaka believes there are now more opportunities to formulate nutraceutical products targeted at aging men.

One way to do so is by addressing declining testosterone levels with the use of functional ingredients like fenugreek.

“Testosterone, as a male sex hormone, is responsible for multiple activities, such as male sexual function, muscle mass strength and psychological well-being…A decline in testosterone levels is also a key symptom in male menopause,” he said. “Therefore, we have identified a special positioning for testosterone in Japan— not just for sports, but also for alleviating symptoms of male menopause.”

According to studies, serum testosterone levels in men begin to decline gradually from age 35. In men aged 40 to 70, total serum testosterone decreases 0.4%, while free testosterone could drop by 1.3% annually.

A measurable deficiency in serum testosterone levels could result in late-onset hypogonadism (LOH), which is a condition that affects an estimated 10% of men aged 50 years and above, and up to 20% of men over 60 years old. LOH is sometimes referred to as testosterone deficiency, or androgen deficiency in the ageing male (ADAM).

Octroll has been distributing Testosurge — a proprietary substance extracted from Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenun greacum) seeds supplied by India-based Indus Biotech since 2020.

The ingredient is mostly used in sports nutrition or fertility supplements, including protein products for the former and combined with synergistic ingredients such as Tongkat Ali, maca and arginine for the latter.

However, since the ingredient could significantly increase total and biologically active free testosterone based on clinical findings, coupled with rising awareness of andropause, Tanaka said that there were opportunities to create products containing the ingredient for men experiencing andropause.

An eight-week study reported that 500mg of Testosurge supplementation daily could significantly increase total testosterone and bioavailable testosterone levels in men undergoing resistance training.

Marketing considerations

On the other hand, companies should be careful about the benefits and marketing claims their products make when selling supplements for relieving andropause symptoms.

“The big question is whether or not consumers would want to buy products claiming to relieve symptoms of men menopause,” said Tanaka, noting potential concerns around stereotypes.

One way to address this concern is to highlight how the supplements could support testosterone levels, energy levels and men’s health in general.

“These claims could indirectly imply that a product is good for relieving male menopause symptoms,” he said.

A pioneer for the andropause category?

With growing attention on andropause, Tanaka believes Japan could become a pioneer of nutrition and supplements in this category.

One reason is that Japan already has a larger proportion of an aging population than other countries, and insights from the Japanese aging market can be applied to other Asian markets that are also experiencing an aging population.

Japan is classified as a “super‐aged society”, with almost one in three (29.6%) of the population aged 65 and above, based on government estimates.

A “super‐aged society” is when over 21% of the population are 65 and above.

Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, Singapore has also reached the “super‐aged society” category, with 21.4% of the citizen population aged 65 and above in June 2026.