A local study has found that nearly 11.6 percent of men over 50 suffer from a late-onset hypogonadism (LOH), a condition characterized by diminished testosterone and sex drive, local media reported Tuesday.

It was the first large-scale study in China to examine the condition in men, according to a report in the Wenhui Daily. Researchers studied 3,000 men in Shanghai and estimated that nearly 1 million men in the city suffer from the condition.

The International Society for the Study of the Aging Male defines LOH as a clinical and biochemical syndrome associated with advancing age.

It occurs when the serum testosterone levels in men begin to decline after age 40, which leads to a diminished sex drive and leaves men more prone to feeling tired and depressed, according to Sun Yinhao, the study's chief researcher, who also serves as chief of urology at Changhai Hospital in Yangpu district. "It may contribute to health problems such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and mental illness," Sun told the Wenhui Daily.

In China, 150 million to 200 million men above 50 years old suffer from problems related to LOH, the report said.

Sun advised men over 50 to take a professional questionnaire to determine if they suffer from LOH. If so, there are drugs available that can help them maintain their testosterone at a normal level.