Private MD News

Low testosterone may increase the risk of diabetes

Category: Male Specific Tests

Men who have one or more risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes - including high blood pressure, cholesterol and BMI readings - may want to consider a testosterone test. A recent study shows that low testosterone levels may increase the risk of insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes, according to MedPage Today.

However, researchers cautioned against overtreatment with testosterone replacement therapy, as men with higher testosterone levels were more likely to have elevated cholesterol.

Instead, Margaret Cosgrove, the ZRT Laboratories researcher who led the investigation, said that men should be aware of their cholesterol levels and continue to monitor them over time.

"Testosterone supplementation is being increasingly used to help reverse symptoms of metabolic syndrome and improve cardiovascular disease risk in men," she told the news source. "However, data is sparse regarding the direct effects of testosterone levels on cardiometabolic risk markers."

As many as 90 percent of men with clinically low testosterone levels may be undiagnosed, according to the American Diabetes Association. Men with type 2 diabetes are more than twice as likely to suffer from low testosterone.