There Is a Relationship Between Testosterone and Obesity and Metabolism
Most men know how important testosterone can be to their strength, physical abilities, and sexual performance. But did you know that testosterone is also critical to metabolism and how your body burns or stores fat?
Studies have shown that men diagnosed with low testosterone are far more likely to be obese than men with more normal testosterone levels. Two key studies, one in 2004 and another in 2007, found a definitive relationship between men with low testosterone and BMI (body mass index) in the obese range, and the researchers also noted that larger waist circumference, as well as BMI, seemed to be tied to lower testosterone levels in men aged 24 to 84.
The measure of waist circumference, rather than BMI, is perhaps more significant since it is a “pear-shaped” body, or men with large waists and excessive belly fat, at the highest risk of obesity and obesity-related health risks such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
What Is the Link Between Low Testosterone and Obesity?
The link between testosterone levels and obesity and weight gain is all about metabolism. Simply put, metabolism is how well your body burns the calories in the foods you eat for energy or stores them as fat. You may have heard of people with a “high” or a “low” metabolism and understand that it is those with a “low” metabolism that tend to be overweight.
This is because, in those with a slow or low metabolism, more fat is stored than is burned. Metabolic rate is based on many things; however, testosterone plays a vital role in metabolism. Testosterone is critical to your body’s ability to build muscle.
Lean muscle is vital to having an efficient or “higher” metabolism because muscles crave energy and, even at rest, boost your metabolic rate. The relationship between testosterone and obesity is a two-way street. Men with low testosterone tend to be obese, and it seems that being overweight can also cause testosterone levels to drop.
This becomes kind of a vicious cycle, so it is challenging for men with low testosterone to lose weight. Being overweight can cause your testosterone levels to drop in several ways. As your body stores more fat, the increased level of fat cells turns testosterone into estrogen, which lowers your overall testosterone level.
Also, fat cells lower testosterone by decreasing the levels of a binding protein responsible for carrying testosterone in the bloodstream. Studies have found that men over 40 with a BMI in the obese range are two and a half times more likely to suffer from hypogonadism or low testosterone than men with BMIs in the healthy/normal ranges.
It is an unfortunate fact of life that testosterone levels in men drop as they get older. By the time any man is over 40, they are likely to feel any or even all of the impacts of low testosterone. Low testosterone brings many debilitating conditions, not the least of which is an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
Learn more here: How Testosterone Therapy for Men Improves Low-T in Atlanta GA
Metabolic syndrome is a confluence of conditions, including high blood pressure, BMI in the obese or overweight range, high “bad” cholesterol, and high triglycerides. Together, metabolic syndrome conditions put men at greater risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Studies have found that men with low testosterone are at a significantly increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome. These same studies have also found that testosterone replacement therapy lowers this risk.
Is Testosterone Replacement Therapy Used for Weight Loss?
Testosterone therapy in and of itself is not prescribed to treat obesity; however, if you are a man over 45, are struggling with weight, and have also been diagnosed with low testosterone, testosterone therapy for men will likely be part of your medical weight loss program.
For men who have been diagnosed with low testosterone and are also overweight, testosterone replacement therapy has been found to:
- Provide sustained weight loss
- Decreased fat mass
- Increased lean muscle mass
- Better overall body composition and reduced waist circumference
- Lowered “bad” cholesterol levels
- Decreased insulin resistance
- Better management of type 2 diabetes
In fact, a 2014 study found that only bariatric surgery produced sustained and long-lasting weight loss anywhere near testosterone therapy.
What Is the Best Way to Treat Low Testosterone?
If you are feeling anxiety, depression, or any other debilitating symptoms of low testosterone, the safest and most effective treatment is testosterone replacement therapy. Bubolo Medical has the best testosterone doctors in Ackworth.
Our team offers medically supervised testosterone therapy tailored to your individual needs. Our unique testosterone therapy approach is designed to help you lose weight, improve your sex life, and increase your muscle mass, strength, and energy.
Testosterone replacement therapy for men is the key to getting back what time and nature take away. Bubolo Medical has been successfully treating all the symptoms of low testosterone with our customized approach to testosterone replacement therapy for many years.
Testosterone therapy will reduce or even eliminate the issues you may face due to age-related testosterone decline, from emotional issues to sexual health. Once you have completed your program, you will be the man you once were — or always wanted to be!
We have 20 years of unwavering dedication to satisfying our patients. If you want to learn a little more about the many life-changing benefits of testosterone replacement therapy, contact Bubolo Medical at 770-975-1299 for a free consultation to learn how our testosterone doctors can help you!