Exploring Possible Links Between Testosterone Therapy and Weight Management for Men
Recent studies on the effects of hormone replacement therapy seem to lead to the conclusion that testosterone therapy and weight management for men can be linked. According to a low testosterone therapy study conducted by Bayer, obese men aged 35 to 83 who went through hormone therapy for 5 years lost an average of 35 pounds.
This would seem to conclude that the therapy not only treats sexual dysfunction and andropausal symptoms in men, but also helps in weight reduction.
Some experts not with the study believe that the therapy may have helped the men feel better and stronger, encouraging them to exercise more and eat properly. They also say that it is possible that testosterone helped build lean body mass that increased the amount of energy the body uses, thus resulting in weight loss.
Other studies suggest that levels of testosterone may be linked to cholesterol and body fat in men. In an earlier study conducted in 2008 in Ghent University Hospital, Belgium, researchers concluded that testosterone and body fat may be related to one another because both are partially controlled by the same set of genes.
Evidence of this was shown by the simultaneous occurrence of low testosterone levels and high body fat percentage in their subjects. Other research also suggests that decreasing testosterone levels are correlated with elevating cholesterol levels.
With these findings, some researchers suggest that it is possible that low testosterone not only leads to decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and hot flashes associated with andropause, but also to obesity and cardiovascular-related diseases such as elevated blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol.
Others caution against this conclusion stating that the relationship between body fat and testosterone is still inconclusive. They also suggest that the opposite may be true: obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure might cause the decrease in testosterone, not the other way around.
For now, while more research is needed to fully disclose the link between testosterone level and weight loss, those looking into testosterone therapy and weight management for men might enjoy the benefits the treatment has already been proven to give.
With better levels of energy and vitality, men may already find themselves more motivated to regain a high level of health.
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