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. <\/p>\n
Speaking to NutraIngredients at Hi Japan 2026, Hiroyuki Tanaka, CEO of Octroll, highlighted that andropause\u2014colloquially known as male menopause\u2014is a health category with new market opportunities for health supplement companies in Japan. <\/p>\n
This is mainly because the Japanese government has flagged andropause as a \u201csocial issue\u201d that could result in an economic loss of JPY 2 trillion (US$12.7 billion) annually. <\/p>\n
\u201cOne 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,\u201d Tanaka said. <\/p>\n
Japan\u2019s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said in the \u201c3rd Meeting on Promoting Health and Productivity Management\u201d <\/a>last year that as of February 2024, economic loss\u2014including losses in labor productivity\u2014resulting from leaving health issues specific to men unaddressed could amount to approximately JPY 1.2 trillion annually. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is an area that warrants attention within the workplace; by addressing the specific health challenges faced by both men and women\u2014tailored to their respective gender-related differences\u2014organizations can implement higher-quality health and productivity management,\u201d the ministry said in the presentation. <\/p>\n Another document released in May by METI this year <\/a>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\u2019s ability to work.<\/p>\n To address these health challenges, the ministry has urged local medical institutions to identify and manage male menopausal symptoms early. <\/p>\n \u201cTherefore, it is important to advance discussions\u2014in collaboration with relevant academic societies\u2014on establishing appropriate clinical approaches for managing the health challenges faced by middle-aged and older men,\u201d said the ministry in the document. <\/p>\n \u201cSpecial positioning\u201d for testosterone <\/p>\n Against the backdrop of greater public awareness of andropause, Tanaka believes there are now more opportunities to formulate nutraceutical products targeted at aging men. <\/p>\n One way to do so is by addressing declining testosterone levels with the use of functional ingredients like fenugreek. <\/p>\n \u201cTestosterone, 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,\u201d he said. \u201cTherefore, we have identified a special positioning for testosterone in Japan\u2014 not just for sports, but also for alleviating symptoms of male menopause.\u201d<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n A measurable deficiency in serum testosterone levels could result in late-onset hypogonadism (LOH), <\/a>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).<\/p>\n Octroll has been distributing Testosurge \u2014 a proprietary substance extracted from Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenun greacum) seeds supplied by India-based Indus Biotech since 2020. <\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n