A jab that rejuvenates a man’s love life … and may help prevent type 2 diabetes

Testosterone is known to be the key to libido and reproduction, but scientists say testosterone can provide another unlikely benefit to some men.

A new study shows that taking testosterone jab every three months is at risk for this condition and can prevent the condition from developing in overweight men with low testosterone levels.

Healthy levels of hormones are above 12 mmol / l. However, levels naturally decline with age — almost 40% of men over the age of 45, who are already below this level. It can also decline as a result of injury or infection.

Low testosterone can cause symptoms such as decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, malaise, and muscle wasting.

If the level is less than 8 mmol / l (known as hypogonadism), this can be treated with a gel or injection containing hormones. But now, this treatment is also thought to help men with low testosterone reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes.

Almost 40% of men over the age of 45 have already low testosterone levels. (Stock photo)

There is a theory that testosterone can actually turn some fat cells into muscle. Excess fat, especially around the abdomen, is one of the major risk factors for type 2 diabetes because it interferes with insulin’s ability to control blood sugar levels.

The suggestion that testosterone jab given to people with low hormone levels can prevent type 2 diabetes was made more than 10 years ago, primarily from reports that people with hypogonadism saw this additional benefit. Appeared first.

However, many of the studies have proven to be inconclusive, or the studies have been too small to draw firm conclusions.

The latest research by Australian scientists is one of the most rigorous researches to date.

Approximately 1,000 overweight men, each with a waistline of at least 37 inches, had low testosterone levels and were classified as prediabetes (ie, blood glucose levels were higher than normal, but still type 2). Have not reached the level considered to be) Signed up for a healthy lifestyle program to improve their diet and exercise routines.

Men given testosterone also reported increased muscle mass, increased strength, and improved libido (stock photo).

For more than two years, half of men received testosterone jab (on the buttocks) every three months, and the rest received dummy jab containing saline. Researchers have found that testosterone jab has a far greater impact than simply following a healthy lifestyle, with only 12% of the testosterone group developing type 2 diabetes compared to 21% of the placebo group. I found. Endocrinology.

Men who received testosterone also reported increased muscle mass, increased strength, and improved libido.

The researchers said: ‘Our study found that testosterone therapy significantly reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by more than 40% after two years.

“In addition to lifestyle programs, testosterone treatment can prevent or even reverse diabetes in overweight men.”

Dr. Jeff Hackett, a urologist at Good Hope Hospital in Birmingham and a former chairman of the British Society of Sexual Medicine, said there are 4 million men with prediabetes in the UK. Those 4 million men will also have low testosterone for their age.

He goes on:’If these men were treated with testosterone injections, it could stop many of them from developing type 2 diabetes.

‘people [in the most recent Australian study] The quality of life has improved significantly across the board. “

However, questions remain about the safety of testosterone therapy. A 2019 study at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, found that nearly 15,000 men participated and received testosterone replacement therapy (given for hypogonadism). We found that they were 21% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those who did not.

For unknown reasons, testosterone is thought to have the potential to damage cardiomyocytes and lower levels of so-called “good” cholesterol, HDL, which is thought to protect against heart disease.

Hormone injections are unlikely to actually cause prostate cancer, but most prostate cancer cells rely on testosterone growth. This has previously led to concerns that jabs could harm men who may have undiagnosed prostate tumors.

However, an Australian study did not show an increased risk of heart problems or prostate cancer.

However, nearly one in four men taking testosterone jab detected an increase in hematocrit. This is a measure of how much of the body’s blood is made up of red blood cells. If it is too high, it can cause shortness of breath, dizziness, joint pain, itching and headaches.

Eddie Johnston of the charity Diabetes UK said: ‘The combination of testosterone injections and lifestyle changes has been beneficial to some men. However, there are important unanswered questions about the safety of this treatment.