The Link: Testosterone and Diabetes

Do you have Diabetes?  Does diabetes run in your family?  Is your testosterone level low?  Is there a link between the two?

Studies are showing a direct link between low testosterone in men and diabetes.  For those that do not (yet) have diabetes, you should strongly consider keeping your testosterone levels up to par.  For those that have already been diagnosed with diabetes, please consider having your testosterone level evaluated.  Why? Testosterone helps the body's tissues to absorb more blood sugar in response to insulin.  Men with low T are more resistant to insulin and need to produce more in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels.  Here's the results of just one study that I captured on the National Institutes of Health website. 

CONTEXT: Low testosterone levels are common in men with type 2 diabetes and may be associated with insulin resistance.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated prevalence of testosterone deficiency and the relationship between testosterone and insulin resistance in a large cohort of men with type 2 and type 1 diabetes.

DESIGN: The study was a cross-sectional survey of 580 men with type 2 diabetes and 69 men with type 1 diabetes. A subgroup of 262 men with type 2 diabetes was then reassessed after a median of 6 months.

RESULTS: Forty-three percent of men with type 2 diabetes had a reduced total testosterone, and 57% had a reduced calculated free testosterone. Low testosterone levels were independently associated with insulin resistance in men with type 1 diabetes as well as type 2 diabetes. Serial measurements also revealed an inverse relationship between changes in testosterone levels and insulin resistance.

CONCLUSIONS: Testosterone deficiency is common in men with diabetes, regardless of the type. Testosterone levels are partly influenced by insulin resistance, which may represent an important avenue for intervention, whereas the utility of testosterone replacement remains to be established in prospective trials.

I'm suggesting that men at ~age 45 have their testosterone levels checked.  Men go through a natural aging process resulting in Andropause.  The symptoms for men tend to look something like these listed below.   Testing is easy and I can provide an at-home kit to help you determine where you measure up on the T scale.  It's simple and affordable and important in health, wellness, and longevity. What are you waiting for?

BONE LOSS, BACK PAIN  DECREASED MUSCLE STRENGTH  DECREASE ENDURANCE      DECREASE URINE FLOW  DEPRESSION, IRRITABILITY, MOODINESS  DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING       INSOMNIA  WEIGHT GAIN AROUND THE WAIST  ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION  HIGH CHOLESTEROL  HOT FLASHES  LOW LIBIDO  INCREASED RISK FOR Heart Events  INCREASED RISK FOR BREAST CANCER