Does Testosterone Therapy Help With Weight Loss In Men?
Men who want to lose weight could actually start taking testosterone to help them do it. According to a new study, obese men who started getting testosterone shots saw a decrease in their weight. However, doctors are on the fence as to whether or not testosterone shots is a good way to drop weight.
During a time period of five years, obese men using hormone replacement therapy saw an average of 35 pounds apiece lost. They also had a body mass index drop of 34 to 29 – no longer classifying them as obese but overweight. They also saw a drop in their blood pressure level and improvement in both their triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
While the results are exciting, doctors think the time is now to order testosterone shots for men classified as obese. A preliminary study sponsored by Bayer and was discussed at the European Congress on Obesity has not even been published yet. Bayer has developed testosterone supplements.
Most men between 40 and 50 years of age see a drop in their testosterone levels, which can lead to problems such as fatigue, erectile dysfunction and no energy. Low testosterone levels also cause obesity.
Doctors will often prescribe testosterone replacement therapy to address these problems.
Study participants were given testosterone shots because their hormone levels were low. However, researchers noticed the men also lost weight but whether the weight loss was due to the hormone therapy. With a normalization of the testosterone levels, men saw an increase in their energy levels, which increased their physical activity and weight loss.
The great thing about the testosterone study was that the therapy didn’t cause a rise in prostate cancer. Still, more study is needed to determine if testosterone therapy will actually help with weight loss.
