Low Testosterone Treatment May Help You Lose Weight
Posted: November 9, 2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many of us have been thrown off our routines. This includes exercising, eating right, and maintaining a healthy weight. Many have dubbed weight gain during the coronavirus pandemic as the “quarantine 15,” which shows how many are struggling to control weight gain right now. Low testosterone is associated with weight gain and obesity. However, studies suggest that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may help men with low T lose weight.
Low testosterone can make it hard to maintain a healthy weight, but TRT may help you lose some extra pounds.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important at any time. Extra weight can lead to heart problems, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and other serious conditions. In addition, obese and overweight people may have an increased risk for COVID-19 complications. Studies suggest that obesity may worsen COVID-19 incomes and increase your risk for needing mechanical ventilation. Obesity was also a risk factor for COVID-19 hospitalization, a factor second only to age. Severe obesity may also increase your risk of death from the respiratory infection. Researchers suggest that this may be because excess weight can put extra stress on your lungs and airways.
Therefore, it’s even more important than ever to lose weight, despite many of us living a more sedentary lifestyle than we were several months ago at the beginning of the pandemic. Luckily, research suggests TRT may help you lose weight if you have low testosterone levels.
Low Testosterone and Weight Gain
Obesity and low testosterone often coincide with each other. Many men with low T levels also struggle with being overweight or obese. In addition, excess weight can also affect your testosterone levels. Therefore, this can create a cycle that can be difficult to break on your own. While lifestyle changes can help, many men need testosterone replacement to help break this vicious cycle.
Testosterone levels can affect your weight in many ways. In fact, unexplained weight gain is often one of the first symptoms men experience with low testosterone. Testosterone can affect how your body stores fat, which may lead to weight gain around the abdominal area. In addition, there are other symptoms that can increase your risk for weight gain.
Low energy levels are another common symptom men notice with low testosterone. You may feel fatigued or unmotivated. You might even have trouble sleeping or experience symptoms of depression. All these can make it difficult to exercise to help maintain a healthy weight.
Also, many men experience mood changes like depression, anxiety, and irritability. These can all lead to changes in your normal diet. Many people tend to eat more when they experience issues like mood changes or difficulty concentrating. This can also make us reach for those “comfort foods” that we know aren’t good for our weight.
However, testosterone may also play a more direct role in weight gain. Low testosterone levels may lead to muscle mass loss. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat while you’re at rest. This may be one way to explain why you might gain weight with low testosterone. However, several studies show that testosterone replacement may help you lose weight and maintain a more healthy weight over time.
How Testosterone Replacement May Help with those Extra Pounds
Many medical studies have looked at the link between testosterone and body weight. Recent research suggests that testosterone replacement may help men who have low testosterone levels shed extra pounds.
Research Suggests that Testosterone Replacement May Help You Lose Weight and Keep it Off
One long-term study found that long-term testosterone replacement therapy was associated with sustained weight loss. In the study, men with low testosterone were given the option to receive testosterone replacement injections. Those in the TRT group on average lost 20% of their body weight. Those in the group who didn’t receive testosterone gained approximately 4% of their body weight during the ten year follow-up. The results suggest that bringing testosterone levels into healthy ranges may help men with hypogonadism lose weight.
Low Testosterone Treatment May Help You Reduce Waist Circumference and BMI
In the same study, the men who received testosterone replacement injections also noticed other improvements. For example, waist circumference in the TRT group decreased by an average of 4.9 inches, while BMI decreased by about 7.3 points. Waist circumference and BMI are common ways to screen people for obesity and being overweight. By contrast, the group who didn’t receive testosterone replacement noticed an average increase in waist circumference of about 1.8 inches, while BMI increased by 0.9 points during the study. The researchers concluded that testosterone replacement therapy may help men with hypogonadism improve their weight, body size, and body composition.
Increasing Energy Levels May Make it Easier to Pursue a Healthy, Active Lifestyle
Some researchers who have studied the effects of TRT on weight loss suggest that some of the improvements may be due to increased energy levels. Low testosterone may lead to fatigue, low energy, and low motivation in some people. However, many men notice decreased fatigue and improvements in energy levels, and motivation. This may contribute to higher levels of physical activity after beginning a testosterone replacement regimen. Exercise is a common lifestyle change prescribed to help people lose weight, but the symptoms of low testosterone can make it more difficult to get the recommended amount of physical activity. Some researchers have suggested that improvements in symptoms may help make it easier to exercise regularly for patients with low testosterone.
TRT May Help You Lose Fat and Keep Muscle While Dieting
Dieting by reducing the number of calories you eat in a day is another common recommendation for achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight. However, dieting can lead to losing both body fat and muscle mass. Another study looked at the effects of TRT on men who had low testosterone and began reducing their caloric intake. The men in the study were placed into two groups, one group received testosterone injections and the other received a placebo. At the end of the study, the researchers noticed that the testosterone group lost mostly body fat, while maintaining muscle mass. By contrast, the placebo group lost both fat and muscle mass while dieting. Therefore, testosterone replacement therapy may help decrease fat mass while maintaining lean body mass.
As our routines continue to change and we continue to stay home as much as possible to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, many of us are leading a more sedentary lifestyle than ever. Low testosterone levels can make weight gain worse and may make it difficult to lose weight. However, testosterone replacement therapy may help you lose weight to help improve your health.
At Low T Center, we provide customized health care for men. If you believe you may have low testosterone levels, our providers are here to help. We believe health care should fit your lifestyle, which is why we provide convenient, affordable, and simple treatment solutions for low testosterone and other health conditions. Book an appointment today to take the first step toward feeling like yourself again.
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Disclaimer: This article is made available for general, entertainment and educational purposes only. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Low T Center. You should always seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional.