Weight-loss Drugs Can Boost Testosterone Levels In Men, New Research Suggests

Popular weight nonaccomplishment medications for illustration Ozempic tin thief reverse low testosterone levels successful men with obesity aliases Type 2 diabetes, according to new research.

Building connected erstwhile studies that show weight nonaccomplishment room aliases manner changes tin increase testosterone levels successful nan body, researchers astatine SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital analyzed nan physics wellness records of 110 men pinch obesity aliases Type 2 glucosuria to show changes successful nan hormone while taking GLP-1 receptor agonists, specified arsenic semgalutide and tirzepatide.

They measured testosterone levels earlier taking nan medications and for 18 months aft starting nan treatment. Roughly half of nan men had debased to low-normal testosterone astatine nan commencement of nan study and astir reached normal levels aft treatment.

“The increases we observed were much humble than what you would typically spot pinch testosterone replacement therapy,” said lead writer Dr. Shellsea Portillo Canales, endocrinologist astatine SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital, via email. “However, they occurred naturally, without testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), and apt bespeak nan assemblage recovering its normal hormone accumulation arsenic weight and insulin guidance improved.”

The study highlights nan request for men already connected testosterone therapies to intimately show their levels aft starting weight nonaccomplishment medications, Portillo said.

In immoderate cases, men whitethorn request to person their testosterone supplement doses lowered aliases discontinued, particularly if their testosterone normalizes while connected weight nonaccomplishment medications.

There are limitations to nan caller study. The findings don’t beryllium nan summation successful testosterone levels was caused by nan narcotics semaglutide aliases tirzepatide. It was a retrospective study, meaning nan researchers analyzed existing aesculapian records complete time, alternatively than conducting a randomized objective trial. And they didn’t cheque testosterone levels aft nan men stopped nan drugs.

“If weight is regained, testosterone levels could perchance driblet again,” Portillo said.

The study findings were presented this Monday astatine ENDO 2025, nan Endocrine Society’s yearly gathering successful San Francisco. The researchers are readying to taxable it to a aesculapian diary for adjacent review.

Dr. Susan Spratt, professor of medicine astatine Duke University School of Medicine, said galore men are overtreated pinch testosterone therapy erstwhile they person levels connected nan little normal side. “It would beryllium amended to dainty obesity aliases glucosuria and people summation testosterone than to prescribe testosterone — which has known risks,” said Spratt, who was not portion of nan study.

Some risks of testosterone therapy see worsening slumber apnea, acne, enlarging nan prostate aliases breasts, expanding maturation of prostate cancer, reducing sperm counts, causing nan testicles to shrink and expanding nan consequence of clots, according to Mayo Clinic.

The study shows nan dual use of weight nonaccomplishment medications successful men, said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, obesity medicine expert intelligence astatine Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

“The findings from this study item an important intersection betwixt metabolic wellness and hormonal balance,” Stanford said. “This dual use underscores nan imaginable of these medications to heighten wide wellness outcomes, including reproductive health, successful this population.”

Normal testosterone levels are betwixt 300 to 1,000 nanograms per deciliter.

Testosterone tends to diminution gradually pinch age, starting astir nan precocious 30s to early 40s. By property 75, nan mean antheral testosterone level drops to astir 65% of nan mean level seen successful young adults, Portillo said.

“Improving testosterone tin heighten value of life and perchance trim wellness risks associated pinch debased levels,” Portillo said.

Spratt said it’s important to separate betwixt normal testosterone levels that summation but stay successful nan normal range, versus debased testosterone levels that summation to normal.

Testosterone levels that are genuinely debased are astir concerning because debased testosterone tin little bony density (which increases nan consequence of fracture), trim musculus mass, little hemoglobin (red humor cells) levels and alteration libido, experts say.

“However, treating debased normal testosterone without a known origin is arguable and has accrued successful nan past decade apt owed to direct-to-consumer marketing,” Spratt said.

The researchers only included men successful nan study, because they didn’t expect weight nonaccomplishment narcotics to raise testosterone levels successful women.

“In general, we don’t routinely measurement testosterone successful women, unless location are signs of a hormonal imbalance, for illustration excess facial hairsbreadth (hirsutism), irregular periods, infertility aliases signs of masculinization,” Portillo said.

In those cases, testosterone testing tin thief diagnose conditions for illustration polycystic ovary syndrome, aliases PCOS, adrenal disorders aliases uncommon tumors.

Some studies successful women pinch PCOS, a information which raises testosterone levels, propose GLP-1 therapies whitethorn thief somewhat little testosterone by improving metabolism and reducing insulin resistance.

Certain conditions are good known to alteration testosterone successful men, including excess fat, particularly astir nan abdomen, which interferes pinch hormone signals from nan encephalon to nan testicle, experts say.

“Fortunately, weight loss, whether done manner changes aliases medications, tin reverse it successful galore cases,” Portillo said.