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    Testosterone Replacement Helps You Lose More Weight

    Posted: November 9, 2022

    Losing weight can have many positive impacts on your health and life. Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce your risks for many serious conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. However, if you have low testosterone, you might be more likely to gain extra weight and it may be much harder to lose it. Therefore, it’s important to get your testosterone levels checked to see if there are underlying causes for your weight loss struggles. Fortunately, there is evidence that testosterone replacement therapy for men with low T can help you lose the extra weight. In this article, we’ll discuss the many ways that testosterone replacement aids in weight loss for men.

    Man running after starting testosterone replacement therapy

    Testosterone replacement can make it easier to lose weight by treating your low testosterone levels.

    How Low Testosterone Can Cause Weight Gain

    Low testosterone is a condition where you have testosterone levels that are lower than average. This can cause a lot of symptoms and increase your risk for many health problems. One risk of low testosterone is weight gain.

    If you have low testosterone levels, it can be easier for you to gain weight and it might be a lot harder for you to lose it, even through a healthy diet and exercise program.

    There are several reasons low testosterone can lead to weight gain, such as:

    • More Body Fat: If your testosterone levels are low, your body may store more fat, which can lead to extra weight gain.
    • Less Muscle Mass: Muscle burns more calories than fat, but low T can make you lose your muscle mass. This can make it easier for you to overeat calories and gain weight.
    • More Estrogen: Body fat has high levels of an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone into estrogen. This can exacerbate weight problems from low testosterone.
    • Low Mood: Low mood or depressive symptoms are a common symptom of low testosterone. It can also make it easier to gain weight by encouraging overeating and zapping your motivation to workout.
    • Low Energy: Similarly, many men with low T experience fatigue. Once again, this makes you more likely to reach for calorie dense foods and avoid the exercise needed to burn those extra calories.

    It’s also important to note that weight gain and low testosterone can cause a vicious cycle. Obesity tends to lower testosterone levels, yet low testosterone can cause excess weight gain. This can easily lead to a serious problem where you gain more and more weight and have even less testosterone in your body. Instead, make sure you take control of your health by talking to our providers.

    Testosterone Replacement Helps You Lose More Weight

    Testosterone replacement therapy may make it easier to lose weight by decreasing fat mass, increasing muscle mass, increasing weight loss with diet and exercise, and also by improving your motivation to diet and exercise for weight loss.

    If you have low testosterone, know that there is hope for an easier weight loss journey. Many studies show evidence that testosterone replacement can help you lose weight if you have low T. If you think you have low testosterone and it’s holding you back from losing weight, our health care professionals are here for you. We can provide diagnosis, customized treatment, and ongoing monitoring so you can start living a healthier life.

    Testosterone Replacement Therapy Is Linked with Weight Loss

    There are many studies that show that testosterone can increase weight loss for men with low testosterone. Because low T can cause weight gain, treating your deficient testosterone levels with testosterone replacement therapy can reverse many of these weight issues.

    For instance, one study looked at 100 obese men with low testosterone for 56 weeks. The men were on a reduced-calorie diet and one group did not take testosterone while the other group received testosterone injections. Those in the testosterone replacement group lost an average of 6.4 more pounds than the untreated group.

    Therefore, there’s a lot of evidence that shows that testosterone replacement can help men lose more weight compared to diet and exercise alone. If you’re struggling to lose weight, testosterone may help you shed the extra pounds and keep them off.

    Testosterone Replacement Encourages Losing Fat

    One reason testosterone replacement may help with weight loss is that it encourages your body to get rid of extra fat. Low testosterone makes it easier for your body to store fat, which can cause a lot of health problems even if your weight itself is considered healthy. Testosterone replacement can help you lose extra fat so you can maintain a healthier body composition and a better weight.

    Studies show that testosterone replacement therapy helps many men lose the extra fat. This is important, as middle aged men with obesity tend to lose both fat and muscle when they diet for weight loss. However, taking testosterone can help you lose fat without losing muscle.

    One study of men with low testosterone started on a strict reduced-calorie diet for 56 weeks. One group was treated with testosterone replacement therapy and the other was not. Both groups lost an average of 24 pounds. However, the testosterone group lost almost exclusively fat, while the other group lost fat and muscle.

    Testosterone Replacement Helps You Gain and Keep Muscle Mass

    Similarly, testosterone replacement therapy can help you gain and maintain muscle mass in your body, which also aids weight loss. Having more muscle increases your metabolism, as muscle burns more calories than fat. As such, you’re burning more calories by simply having more lean muscle mass in your body.

    If you have normal testosterone levels in your body, it’s easier to build muscle and also keep it around. Therefore, men with low T may need testosterone replacement to be able to get a healthy amount of lean muscle mass in their bodies, which also aids with losing weight over time.

    One Study Shows Testosterone Injections Are About As Effective as Weight Loss Surgery

    One recent study actually found that testosterone might be a good alternative to weight loss surgery for obese men. The study looked at over 11 years of data for obese men. They found that long-term testosterone replacement helped obese men lower their body weight by an average of 20% while men who didn’t receive testosterone actually gained approximately 13 pounds. Additionally, the testosterone group reduced their BMI by an average of 7.6 points and reduced their waist circumference by about five inches. The non-testosterone group increased their BMI by an average of two points and actually increased their waist circumference by over 2 inches.

    These results are similar to the average results from bariatric surgery. Therefore, the researchers concluded that testosterone replacement therapy could be as effective as surgery for losing weight, but with fewer risks for serious complications associated with surgery.

    Testosterone Can Relieve Your Symptoms to Help You Stay Motivated

    Of course, let’s not forget that low testosterone can cause many symptoms that make it hard to live a healthy lifestyle. Often, symptoms hold men back from doing what they need to do to lose weight, like eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting exercise to burn extra calories.

    For instance, low mood and low energy levels are common issues that men with low T face. These can also make it difficult or even impossible to stay motivated to eat healthier and workout. For instance, your body may crave high calorie, sugary foods to try to get a boost of energy. You might also find yourself skipping the gym more often with these symptoms. However, testosterone therapy can boost your mood and energy so you can work toward your weight loss goals.

    Get Treatment Solutions for Low Testosterone at Low T Center

    If you’re struggling with low testosterone, our team at Low T Center can help. Our team can diagnose your low testosterone levels and provide treatment solutions customized to you and your lifestyle. We offer both in-office and at-home testosterone injections to help you feel your best and treat low T your way. Get in touch today to schedule an appointment and learn how our providers can help you become a healthier version of yourself.

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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.