[The aging man from the andrologic viewpoint].

In view of demographic trends, andrology will increasingly be concerned with problems of the aging male. These will involve aspects of fertility and general quality of life rather than specific clinical pictures. While there is considerable interindividual variation, fertility in men usually persists well into old age. However, increased occurrence of spontaneous mutations means a higher genetic risk for children of older fathers. Diminished androgen levels in old age lead to diminished sexual activity and changes in muscles and bones, which raise the question of hormone substitution.