Hormone-replacement therapy significantly improved symptoms of metabolic syndrome associated with testosterone deficiency in men, a new study from Germany finds.
The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.
Metabolic syndrome comprises a cluster of complications that can increase the risk of heart and blood-vessel disease as well as type 2 diabetes.
These complications include excess body weight, especially around the waist and torso, and abnormal concentrations of fat in the blood, known as lipids.
In particular, patients with metabolic syndrome have high blood levels of the so-called bad fats, or triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins, and insufficient amounts of the healthy fats known as high-density lipoproteins.
Also, they often have high blood pressure and sugar, or glucose, levels.
Previous research has linked metabolic syndrome to testosterone deficiency, which can cause decreased muscle and bone mass, depression, low energy, and reduced sex drive and ability.
Also, testosterone deficiency is also associated with the individual symptoms of metabolic syndrome, even when they are present without the other complications.
"When indicated, testosterone treatment is both essential and safe in elderly patients with symptomatic late-onset hypogonadism or testosterone deficiency," said study lead author Aksam A. Yassin, M.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., chairman of the Institute of Urology & Andrology in Norderstedt-Hamburg, Germany. "Further analysis is needed to confirm if our findings are due to a direct effect of restoring physiologic testosterone levels."
Specifically, investigators found that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome dropped from 56 to 30 percent after 57 months of treatment with testosterone-replacement medication to regulate hormone levels.
Also, triglycerides, and levels of blood sugar and pressure significantly decreased, while the average waist circumference shrank by 11 centimeters.
Beginning in 2004, investigators collected data from 261 patients with late-onset hypogonadism, characterized by both low testosterone levels and sexual dysfunction, at three centers in Germany.
Patients received 1,000 milligrams of a long-acting testosterone drug, called undecanoate, on the first day of the study, at week six, and then every three months.
At each visit, patients underwent testing of hormone levels, blood sugar and lipid concentrations, and blood pressure. Average follow-up was four and a quarter years.
"We hypothesized that long-term testosterone improves metabolic syndrome, and found that this intervention improved all three components of obesity, including waist circumference, weight, and body-mass index; diabetes control; poor lipids profile; and blood pressure," Yassin said.
To determine the presence of metabolic syndrome among study participants, investigators used the definition from the International Diabetes Federation.
Participants were diagnosed with the syndrome if they displayed central-body obesity combined with two other risk factors. These included elevated triglycerides levels, decreased high-density lipoproteins, high blood pressure, and excessive blood-sugar concentrations.
Reference
Testosterone and metabolic syndrome.
- Testosterone Therapy Could Lower Diabetes Risk for Men – The Science is Promising! - February 19th, 2021
- Acidosis: The Hidden Health Destroyer - January 20th, 2021
- Testosterone Linked to Heart Disease -- Testosterone Prescription - November 18th, 2020
- Testosterone Drives Ego, Reduces Cooperation — Testosterone Prescription - November 2nd, 2020
- Hypogonadism and Testosterone - Testosterone Replacement Therapy - June 14th, 2020
- Low-T: Men With Low Testosterone Found More Likely to Die From COVID-19 AKA Coronavirus - June 12th, 2020
- A Disturbing Trend: Testosterone Levels Falling Even Lower in Adolescent Males - May 31st, 2020
- Testosterone, Viagra not a winning combination for erectile dysfunction - Testosterone Prescription - April 30th, 2020
- Testosterone Reduces Group Think, Cooperation, and Less Sheep-Like Mentality - April 25th, 2020
- Five Myths About Low Testosterone And Testosterone Therapy — Testosterone Prescription - April 8th, 2020
- A Great Way to Boost Your Testosterone? Get Married! - April 1st, 2020
- Co-Sleeping with Baby Drops Men’s Testosterone Levels - March 21st, 2020
- Low Testosterone Levels Cause Health Woes -- Testosterone Prescription - March 11th, 2020
- Question: What Makes Men Sexy to Women? Answer: Low Stress, High Testosterone, Strong Immunity - Testosterone Therapy - February 29th, 2020
- Your Life on Testosterone: Overly Sure, Unwilling to Listen to Anyone - June 13th, 2019
- Men with higher testosterone tend to lie less, study suggests - April 1st, 2019
- Increase in testosterone drug use - Testosterone Prescription - April 1st, 2019
- Environment trumps genes in testosterone levels, study finds - Testosterone Prescription - April 1st, 2019
- The top ten testosterone booster supplements: A review - March 28th, 2019
- Testosterone shown to help sexually frustrated women- Testosterone Prescription - March 25th, 2019
- Testosterone therapy — good idea or not? - Testosterone Prescription - March 25th, 2019
- Too much testosterone makes for bad decisions, tests show - Testosterone Prescription - February 27th, 2019
- With testosterone, it's 'my way or the highway': UK study - Testosterone Prescription - February 27th, 2019
Word Count: 444