Testosterone Injections Helped Obese Men Lose Weight

Introduction: Abdominal adipose tissue suppresses testosterone production by various mechanisms affecting the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. Hypogonadism leads to further accumulation of fat mass thus creating a vicious circle. This study analysed the effects of restoring testosterone in obese hypogonadal men.

Methods: Cumulative, prospective, registry study of 181 men (mean age: 59.11±6.06 years) with testosterone levels below 12.1 nmol/l and a BMI of ≥30 kg/m². All men received parenteral testosterone undecanoate 1000 mg/12 weeks following an initial 6-week interval. 89 men were treated 5 years, 114 4 years, 133 3 years, 159 2 years, 181 1 year. The changing numbers do not reflect drop-out rates but are a result of the design as new patients are added once they have received at least 1 year of treatment.

Results: At the end of the observation period, mean weight (kg) decreased from 114.71±11.59 (minimum 87.0, maximum 139.00) to 93.24±8.49 (min 80.0; max 115.0). This decrease was statistically significant vs baseline .

Waist circumference (cm) as a measure of abdominal fat decreased from 111.2±7.54 (min 89.00; max 129.00) to 100.47±7.11 (min 84.00; max 117.00), BMI from 36.72±3.72 (min 30.10; max 46.51) to 30.22±2.6 (min 25.66; max 36.71).

Fasting glucose decreased from 5.84±0.84 to 5.41±0.12 mmol/l, total cholesterol from 7.63±0.95 to 4.9±0.28, LDL from 4.47±1.03 to 2.94±0.93, triglycerides from 3.31±0.56 to 2.17±0.13 mmol/l. Systolic blood pressure decreased from 159.17±15.9 to 139.08±10.99 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure from 96.5±11.01 to 80.39±7.51 mmHg (P<00001 p="">

Conclusion: Normalising testosterone produced loss of weight/waist circumference and improved metabolic profile. These improvements were progressive over 5 years.

http://www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0032/ea0032p740.htm

Study:Testosterone Helps Obese Men Trim Waistline

Obese hypogonadal men lost an average of 36 pounds during long-term testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), results of a prospective cohort study showed.

The men also shed 3.5 inches from their waistline as they lost fat mass and added lean body mass to their body composition. Overall, 95% of the 255 men lost weight during TRT for as long as 5 years, and 97% had reduction in waist circumference.

So far as investigators know, the men improved their physical status without really trying, as reported here at the ENDO 2012 meeting.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ENDO/33443

Testosterone Therapy Helps Obese Men Lose Weight

Results of a study were presented at the 2012 European Congress on Obesity in Lyon , France  by Dr Bradley Anawalt, M.D. from The Endocrine Society and the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle that followed 251 obese men aged 38 to 83 with low testosterone levels. Among these men, 214 were followed for two years and 115 were followed for five years.

The men were given 1,000 milligrams of testosterone by injection when the study started, again at six weeks and then every 12 weeks until the end of the trial. The product used was Nebido (possible upcoming name in the US: Aveed)

The men who were followed for five years lost an average of 35 pounds. Their average body-mass index — a measurement that takes height and weight into account — dropped from 34 to 29, moving them from the obese category into the overweight category. In addition, they also saw improvements in their cholesterol and triglyceride levels, along with their blood pressure.

In addition, there was no increase in the risk of prostate cancer, researchers noted.

Prior studies in conditions like HIV have shown testosterone replacement to decrease fat mass and increase lean body mass.

Testosterone replacement also increases energy levels, so men can exercise more frequently.