soutov
333 IQ Werewolf
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2026
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My girlfriend told me about this today and I had never heard of it, so I looked into it and thought it was pretty interesting.
SHI stands for Irritable Male Syndrome. It's a term used to describe a state associated with hormonal changes, particularly changes in testosterone, that can involve irritability, anger, nervousness, fatigue, low mood and increased emotional sensitivity.
Because of these symptoms, SHI is sometimes compared to PMS and called “male PMS”. However, this doesn't mean men literally have a menstrual cycle like women do. There is no established monthly hormonal cycle in men that is equivalent to PMS.
Testosterone levels naturally fluctuate in men, and significant hormonal changes can affect mood, energy and behavior. However, that doesn't mean every mood swing or bad day is caused by testosterone.
The term became particularly associated with research by Gerald Lincoln, who studied behavioral changes related to testosterone withdrawal. However, the evidence for SHI as a distinct, recurring condition in human males is still limited, and SHI is not an officially recognized medical diagnosis.
So “male PMS” is more of a simplified comparison than a scientifically established equivalent of PMS.
I genuinely had never heard about this before, so I thought it was worth sharing. Maybe some of you hadn't either.
Sources
Gerald A. Lincoln — The Irritable Male Syndrome (2001)
Care of Patients with Male Hypogonadism (2026)
SHI stands for Irritable Male Syndrome. It's a term used to describe a state associated with hormonal changes, particularly changes in testosterone, that can involve irritability, anger, nervousness, fatigue, low mood and increased emotional sensitivity.
Because of these symptoms, SHI is sometimes compared to PMS and called “male PMS”. However, this doesn't mean men literally have a menstrual cycle like women do. There is no established monthly hormonal cycle in men that is equivalent to PMS.
Testosterone levels naturally fluctuate in men, and significant hormonal changes can affect mood, energy and behavior. However, that doesn't mean every mood swing or bad day is caused by testosterone.
The term became particularly associated with research by Gerald Lincoln, who studied behavioral changes related to testosterone withdrawal. However, the evidence for SHI as a distinct, recurring condition in human males is still limited, and SHI is not an officially recognized medical diagnosis.
So “male PMS” is more of a simplified comparison than a scientifically established equivalent of PMS.
I genuinely had never heard about this before, so I thought it was worth sharing. Maybe some of you hadn't either.
Sources
Gerald A. Lincoln — The Irritable Male Syndrome (2001)
Care of Patients with Male Hypogonadism (2026)
