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Does Testosterone Help Fight Obesity?

by Glenn Fitzpatrick
fat man measures waist circumference

For decades now, scientists have recognized the fact that testosterone levels are much lower in obese men compared to men whose weights are normal. Since this scientific fact has been established, various studies have consistently shown that both free and total testosterone levels are inversely related to adiposity in men.

In short, obesity leads to low testosterone levels. But would increasing your testosterone levels help you fight obesity? There is actually evidence that testosterone therapy can help obese men lose weight. Learn more about how testosterone can help you fight obesity.

The Relationship Between Obesity and Testosterone Levels

Did you know that your risks of developing secondary hypogonadism can increase by as much as 8 times if you are obese? When you have secondary hypogonadism, it means that your total testosterone level is less than 10.5 nmol/L.

Secondary hypogonadism is usually accompanied by a low sperm count and low or normal luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. Normal total testosterone level, according to the American Urological Association, should be at least 10.40 nmol/L or 300 ng/dL.

Other studies have shown that older obese men tend to have testosterone levels lower by at least 3 nmol/L compared to lean men. In addition, high BMI has also been linked to diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

obese man holding belly fat

Experts acknowledge that obesity is a powerful predictor of low testosterone levels and that it can also greatly contribute to age-related decline in testosterone levels. On top of that, obesity can also result in hyperinsulinemia or very high levels of insulin in the blood.

Hyperinsulinemia is another problem because it can affect your SHBG or sex hormone-binding globulin levels, which can then lead to low testosterone levels. In addition, among obese and insulin-resistant individuals, fat cells produce and secrete aromatase, which is an enzyme that transforms testosterone into the female sex hormone, estradiol.

Can Testosterone Help You Lose Weight?

Because men who are obese also tend to develop hypogonadism, scientists became curious as to whether testosterone replacement therapy for these men would help them lose weight aside from normalizing their testosterone levels.

Through multiple studies, it has been proven that a significant weight reduction is one of the effects of long-term testosterone therapy for obese men with hypogonadism. In fact, more than 20 studies over the last decade have shown that treatment with testosterone replacement therapy can indeed lead to smaller waistlines and lower body weight.

One explanation for this is that testosterone therapy can lead to improvements in metabolic control, which is why the treatment often results in weight loss. In addition, testosterone therapy increases lean body mass, which then leads to increased resting energy expenditure.

What this means is that when you have high testosterone levels, it can increase the metabolic rate in your lean muscles. This then allows you to burn more calories even when you’re just resting and not doing any physical activities at all. Assuming that you eat the same amount of food, you still get to lose weight because of your higher metabolic rate.

On top of that, testosterone also helps to regulate your body composition. The reason why testosterone deficiency leads to increased fat mass is that you need the hormone in order to inhibit the formation of adipose tissue or fat cells.

In addition, testosterone also helps regulate the metabolism of fat, proteins, and carbohydrates. Studies indicate that testosterone therapy also results in improved carbohydrate metabolism and glucose utilization, as well as increased lipid oxidation or fat burning.

Increase Your Testosterone Levels

Although testosterone can indeed help overweight and obese men lose weight, testosterone replacement therapy is not readily accessible to just anyone who wants to shed pounds.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to increase your testosterone levels naturally. In fact, there are numerous options available for you, both for losing weight and elevating your testicular levels.

Exercise

Just as there are numerous studies telling us that testosterone can help you get rid of some of your excess weight, there are also multiple studies showing that exercise is a viable alternative for increasing your testosterone levels.

If you lack the motivation to work out regularly, just think that you’ll be hitting two birds with one stone. Of course, working out will definitely help you burn some of those excess fats. On top of that, it will also naturally raise your testosterone levels.

If you want to lose weight and raise your testosterone levels quickly, you should go for high-intensity interval training. Studies comparing various training types have shown that high-intensity interval training is an efficient way to improve your cardiometabolic health. Plus, it can lead to significant increases in both your total and free testosterone levels.

Fenugreek

fenugreek seeds in wooden bowl

Among the widely used weight loss herbal supplements, fenugreek is the one that will work best for you if you also need to raise your testosterone levels. Not only does fenugreek help improve your digestion and curb your cravings through its high dietary content, but it can also help put a stop to the testosterone-converting activities of aromatase.

In previous studies, fenugreek has been shown to exert an inhibitory effect on aromatase. What this means for you is that you get to maintain high levels of free testosterone. Even when your fat cells are producing aromatase, you can prevent the enzyme from converting too much of your testosterone into estrogen.

Tribulus Terrestris

Obesity, hypogonadism, and diabetes often occur together. And obesity and diabetes are also risk factors of erectile dysfunction. This is precisely why Tribulus Terrestris is beneficial for you.

For one, the herb is a proven natural booster of testosterone. By enabling you to produce more testosterone, Tribulus Terrestris can help you burn more calories and lose weight. On top of that, Tribulus Terrestris can also help in the management of diabetes.

In fact, treating diabetes is one of the traditional uses of Tribulus Terrestris. In both animal models and human trials, Tribulus Terrestris has been shown to protect against oxidative stress, lower blood glucose levels, as well as reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol levels.

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