14 May 2009

Does Low Testosterone Influence Type 2 Diabetes?

Hemolysis. *(left: without hemolysis) red bloo...Image via Wikipedia

by Anju Mathur, MD

When comparing men's testosterone levels, it has been discovered that those men having a lower-than-optimal level of testosterone have a greater risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes than those with healthier levels.

A report in the Journal of Diabetes Care, authored by scientific researchers, states that when men have low to normal testosterone levels they will have a higher tendency to develop diabetes than men with higher testosterone levels, regardless of their level of obesity. Dr. Elizabeth Selvin, a doctor from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, commented that research studies are increasingly showing lower testosterone levels could be an indicator of the future onset of diabetes; she also noted that men suffering from diabetes usually have low testosterone levels.

The condition of lower testosterone levels in men is known as Hypogonadism, and currently is estimated to be present in 13 million men in America. Unfortunately, the decreasing testosterone levels so predominant in US males are usually accompanied by several health conditions known among aging men. These include lessened libido ability, lower libido, the loss of facial and body hair, weaker bones, muscular atrophy, and most importantly, diabetes.

Over the course of a man's adult life, his levels of testosterone, one of the most important male hormones also known as androgens, will be greatly diminished. Men experience something similar to a woman when going through menopause, and this is called Andropause. It is estimated that low testosterone levels can be found in as many as one-third of all men aged 45 and up.

Every man with Type 2 Diabetes should inquire into his testosterone levels, for research has shown that about one-third of men having this condition are also affected by low testosterone.

A recent study indicates that overall lower testosterone levels can be found in mature or aging men that already suffer from obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, and that they are two times more likely to experience lower levels of testosterone.

Also, it has been discovered that men experiencing chronic health conditions have a higher risk of lowered testosterone levels, as do roughly one-third of all men 45 years of age or more.

Testosterone is an extremely beneficial hormone, and this can be often overlooked by a large percentage of men, including cutting-edge doctors. Testosterone is not expensive to acquire and is safe to use as a method of naturally reducing symptoms that come as a result of aging. In fact, testosterone therapy is so effective that if it were to become more popular, all competing drug sales would go down causing drug profits to fall drastically.

It is a wise choice for any man over 35 to get his testosterone level checked and analyzed. Additionally, he should get his blood lipids, prostate antigen and glucose levels tested. Once he has this information he can determine what his current state of health is, and if testosterone replacement would be a beneficial treatment for him.

When one receives his lab results, the total amount of testosterone will be shown as measured between the range of 251 and 1000 ng/dL; in addition, his amount of circulating and thus bioavailable testosterone is also measured and can be examined.

Physicians do have a shortfall when it comes to the proper medical analysis of a man concerned with his health. This is apparent in that they do not often think of measuring one's glucose tolerance and insulin levels. Metabolic syndrome can be indicated when one's glucose tolerance is not at an optimal level, and this can also point to insulin resistance or even pre-diabetes as well. High levels of blood sugar trigger glucose, in its molecular form, to connect to hemoglobin. This forms the glycated form of hemoglobin, known as glycosylated hemoglobin, present in one's red blood cells; the scientific term is hemoglobin A1c written as HbA1c. When HbA1c levels go over six percent in an individual, there is a condition of higher blood sugar levels that continues for a longer duration. This points to a greater risk of diabetes and its associated difficulties.

It is suggested that male diabetics, those with an adult-onset condition, can gain positive results from reversing low testosterone using hormone replacement therapy; in fact the results are even greater when those who start supplementing testosterone have already been treating their symptoms with a nutritional diet and suggested medications. After some time, a number of men have been able to reduce or eliminate their need for hypoglycemic medications as well as notice a healthier level of HbA1c. Testosterone supplementation can even cut the need for insulin in half for some men that must rely on insulin to treat their condition. Other benefits include a slimmer waist and profile, more vigorous and rewarding exercise routines, as well as an overall greater sense of well being.

Regaining the level of testosterone present in one's youth can have great positive effects on a man's life. Not only can it reduce the risk of developing diabetes, but it can also aid those who are already diabetic by lowering their need for medications. With an optimal level of testosterone, a man can look forward to once again looking young and energetic. As a result of clinical studies, it is shown that he can also benefit with an improvement of his blood sugar levels, libido ability and function, and ability to recover from wounds.

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