Get suddenly impatient with something he usually deals with every day with no complaint (like traffic, waiting in line at the bank, etc.)?

Get slightly "blue" for no real reason and not be able to put his finger on the cause?

Become less likely to initiate sex than usual?

Become generally irritable with no apparent cause?

Believe it or not, he may be suffering from the male equivalent of PMS!

Men have hormonal changes every month or so, just as women do, but since there is no flow of blood his symptoms are less obvious than ours. Also, because he does not get the dehydration-related ailments or the food cravings associated with monthly blood loss, his physical complaints will differ from yours. Because women lose blood we often crave foods rich in potassium (like salty foods) or magnesium (like chocolate!) or iron (like red meat). Giving in to cravings is sometimes worse than the shortage because it can lead to headaches or indigestion in women with sensitivities to certain foods. Since men do not tend to get these sorts of specific cravings their symptoms will be more difficult to pinpoint.

But his hormonal changes are not only very real, they occur more often than yours! Men's cycles are on average a total of 23 days, while women's are more like 28 days. Like you, his sense of smell might get more sensitive than usual, or certain odors may be unpleasant to him that usually aren't (like yeast or ginger). Like you, his libido may fluctuate based on hormonal activity. And like you, his moods will be affected, too.

Sometimes men’s hormone levels will drop very suddenly producing an emotional response, and this is now known as “irritable male syndrome” (or IMS) according to a recent news story from the BBC. There is one theory that men of middle age go through the equivalent of “menopausal” hormone drops, but scientists have also found that stress can trigger these sudden drops as well. Stressful occurrences such as divorce, the sudden death of a loved one or a serious illness can all lead to a drop in hormone balances. In one study conducted with male sheep, it was found that drops in testosterone were consistent with the rams becoming nervous and withdrawn, as well as displaying irritable or irrational behavior.

Recent research has shown that some men do not produce enough testosterone, and the treatment for this has been hormone supplements. Men who are not producing enough testosterone may feel low energy, low sexual drive and mild depression. (Of course, there are a number of other conditions that can cause these symptoms so it is always best to check with a doctor).Low doses of testosterone can balance out this shortage and make your man feel more like himself. But it is also possible to produce too much testosterone, or for a supplement to push the levels too high.

Just as with women, hormone replacement therapy is seen as a reasonable solution to this problem, but patients need to be carefully monitored when such therapy is discontinued, so that they return to normal gradually. If you think your man is experiencing a stress-related testosterone deficiency, he should see his doctor. It is also possible he may be deficient in some other hormone, such as estriadol. This can also be treated with a topical gel.

IMS symptoms include: exhaustion, unexplained weight changes, frequent urination, gallbladder or gut problems, hypoglycemia, snoring, incontinence, high cholesterol, bone loss, hair loss (besides male pattern), impaired thyroid function, loss of muscle or stamina, skin problems, softer erections -- and irritability. It is also true that this conditon is more common in men who are overweight, because fat holds onto the hormone estrogen (found in much higher level in women) which, in increased levels, leads to an imbalance of male hormones.

An overabundance of meat or dairy products in the diet can also lead to hormone imbalances sine many of these foods contain residue or hormones fed to animals. Your doctor may or may not ask about this but it is important to know the connection diet has to so many ailments. Try to find organic, hormone-free sources of these foods.

Your man might not like the idea of having a hormone imbalance, but once he finds out his problems can be easily treated he should become more enthusiastic. He might even enjoy having a “syndrome” to blame his moods on! But watch out when he tried to steal your chocolate…