Testosterone's Protective Role Against Type 2 Diabetes in Younger Overweight Men

Higher testosterone levels protect against type 2 diabetes in overweight men under 65, but not in older men, as revealed by a study.

Testosterone seems to provide protection against developing type 2 diabetes in overweight or obese men under the age of 65, but this protective effect does not extend to men over that age, according to a study presented at ENDO 2024, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, on Saturday ().

Impact of Testosterone Levels on Diabetes Risk by Age Group

“A low blood testosterone concentration is an independent risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, and high levels of testosterone appear protective against the development of type 2 diabetes,” said lead researcher Mahesh Umapathysivam, M.B.B.S., of the University of Adelaide in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. “We wanted to better understand the relationship between testosterone and type 2 diabetes risk across the range of testosterone levels, and to examine interactions between testosterone and different diabetes risk factors in middle aged and older men.”

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‘Higher testosterone reduces diabetes risk in overweight men under 65, but not in older men. #testosterone #diabetesprevention #medindia’

The researchers analyzed data from the MAILES Cohort, a group of men ages 35 to 85 years living in urban Adelaide. The study included 1,315 men, none of whom had diabetes, cancer or testosterone treatment at the beginning of the study. After five years, 110 of the men had developed type 2 diabetes (8.4%).

After correcting for known factors that affect type 2 diabetes risk including age, waist circumference, measures of blood sugar, family history of diabetes, smoking, alcohol intake, self-reported physical activity and medication use, the researchers found that blood testosterone concentration was associated with the risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Age-Dependent Effects of Testosterone on Type 2 Diabetes Risk

They found that in men under age 65, the higher a man’s blood testosterone level, the lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

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“This implies that higher testosterone blood concentrations are associated with reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” Umapathysivam said. "In contrast, there were no detectable effects of blood testosterone levels on diabetes risk in men over age 65.”

Umapathysivam added, “Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and avoiding alcohol helps maintain a normal testosterone level in most men and also helps prevent type 2 diabetes.”

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Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

Reference:

Testosterone level in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus and related metabolic effects: A review of current evidence - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4364844/)

Source-Medindia

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