New Research Suggests Testosterone Replacement Can Lower a Man’s Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
According to a new study recently published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, treatment with testosterone over a two-year period was associated with a reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes.
This is the first-known large-scale typical double-blind, randomized trial designed to assess whether testosterone therapy is a viable way to prevent or reverse type 2 diabetes in overweight or obese men.
“We aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of testosterone treatment to prevent progression of impaired glucose tolerance to type two diabetes or to reverse newly diagnosed type two diabetes beyond the effects of a lifestyle intervention,” wrote the authors, who were led by Gary Wittert, MD, of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute in Australia.
All of the patients were enrolled in a lifestyle program that was designed to prevent type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise. Half of the patients were given testosterone replacement injections and half placebo. A significantly lower proportion of patients in the testosterone group had type 2 diabetes at two years compared with patients in the placebo group.
Given the results of the study, the researchers concluded that “testosterone treatment for two years reduced the proportion of participants with type 2 diabetes beyond the effects of lifestyle [changes alone.]”
What is the Link Between Low Testosterone and Diabetes?
This is not the first study to link low testosterone with an increased risk of developing diabetes. Most of the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes are related to obesity. Men with low testosterone tend to be overweight. In particular, they have an excess of belly fat. This puts them at a very high risk of developing diabetes.
The reverse is also true. Studies have also shown that men with diabetes almost always also have low testosterone. There have been several studies that indicate that low testosterone can predict the development of diabetes and other conditions of “metabolic syndrome.”
The most common factor among such patients is obesity – especially abdominal obesity. Experts say that diabetes and metabolic syndrome are becoming more common because of rising obesity rates. Lack of lean muscle, and a decreased ability to burn fat, are two of the main symptoms of men with low testosterone.
Therefore, it stands to reason that low testosterone can and does increase a man’s risk of developing diabetes. However, this Australian study was one of the first that indicated that treatment with testosterone therapy might indeed lower the risk of developing diabetes in obese men.
What Every Man Needs to Know Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Doctors now know that hormone imbalances like low testosterone can lead to an increased risk of several diseases, not only diabetes.
Men with low testosterone are at greater risk of being obese, to develop cardiovascular disease and cognitive difficulties such as Alzheimer’s dementia.
It is an unfortunate fact of life that a man’s testosterone level drops as he ages. Once you are over 35, you can expect to lose testosterone at a rate of 1% to 2% yearly. This is why it is so important for men to understand the many benefits of testosterone replacement therapy.
Prescription testosterone replacement therapy for men is available via injection, topical creams or gels, skin patches, subdermal pellets, or oral medication. We specialize in bioidentical pellet therapies. Testosterone replacement therapy is only available with a doctor’s prescription.
You cannot buy testosterone online or anywhere without a doctor’s prescription. While any doctor can write you a prescription for testosterone replacement therapy, you should work with a clinic like Dallas Anti-Aging and Wellness that specializes in age optimization services and age-related hormone decline.
The Dallas Anti-Aging and Wellness is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Our commitment is to help our patients feel young, youthful, and energized. We offer bioidentical hormone therapy treatments as well as highly specialized procedures designed to meet the personal needs of our patients and to reverse the effects of aging and energy loss caused by menopause or andropause.
Working with our highly trained and professional staff, you’ll be able to achieve a renewed outlook and regain the vitality of your youth. Our medical director is Dr. Escobar, a Texas licensed physician, has been practicing internal medicine for the last 25 years.
At Dallas Anti-Aging & Wellness, Dr. Escobar has experience with treating erectile dysfunction, balancing hormones with hormone pellet therapy, and has been trained in aesthetic procedures with Botox® and facial fillers.
Dr. Escobar has a warm bedside manner and spends time with his patients listening to their symptoms and is bi-lingual. He is also a member of the Texas Medical Association and the American Academy of Anti-Aging (A4M), where his training specifically focused on endocrinology.
“I was tired. I was overweight. My sex life was literally down in the dumps. However, since I started on testosterone therapy with the doctors and staff at Dallas Anti-Aging and Wellness, my life has completely turned around. I am a new man, and if you do not believe me, just ask my wife!”
Rodney R, Dallas, TX
If you want to learn a little bit more about the many life-changing benefits of testosterone replacement therapy, please click here to contact us or call us at (214) 646-1523.
