Study Shows Testosterone is Insulin Sensitizer and Metabolic Hormone

[Nelson Vergel]

The University at Buffalo researchers found that low testosterone levels were associated with significantly decreased insulin sensitivity. This was demonstrated by a 36 percent decrease in the rate at which glucose is taken up by tissues when patients with low testosterone were infused with insulin to maintain a set concentration of insulin.

The study included 94 men with Type 2 diabetes. Prior to being treated, the 44 men in the study with low testosterone levels expressed significantly lower levels of insulin signaling genes in adipose tissue reflected in diminished insulin sensitivity. These men were randomized to receive a testosterone injection or a placebo every week for 24 weeks.

“We saw a dramatic increase in insulin sensitivity, demonstrated by a 32 percent increase in the uptake of glucose by tissues in response to insulin,” says Dandona. At the same time, there was a similar increase in the expression of the major genes that mediate insulin signaling.While there was no change in body weight, testosterone treatment produced a reduction in total body fat of 3 kilograms while increasing muscle mass by the same amount.-

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