Testosterone, a crucial hormone everyone produces regardless of sex, plays a significant role in muscle growth and may help suppress fat gain. If your testosterone levels fall outside the range recommended by a doctor, lifestyle changes or supplements might be advised. This hormone, responsible for many typical male characteristics, also promotes muscle growth in both genders.
Some men think that testosterone can help them lose fat. While most men have enough testosterone, some don't and might gain too much fat because of it. This article looks at how testosterone might help with weight loss and obesity.
Low testosterone might be the reason if you're working out a lot but not seeing good results. It's more common than you might think; about one in four men over 30 have low testosterone, often without knowing it. Low levels can cause a drop in libido and weight gain. The good news is that you can lose weight and feel better again with the correct diagnosis and treatment.
Testosterone is the most important male sex hormone. It's mainly made by the testicles in men and the ovaries in women. Hormones like testosterone are like messengers in the body. They travel through the blood to different cells, telling them what to do.
Testosterone promotes male traits like a deeper voice, more muscle, stronger bones, and facial and body hair growth. It’s also crucial for making sperm and keeping men fertile. While men have much higher levels of testosterone, women need it, too, for muscle and bone health.
Testosterone helps maintain muscle mass, promote muscle growth, and keep bones strong in both men and women. As you get older, testosterone levels naturally drop, which can lead to muscle and bone loss. Low testosterone can also make it easier to gain weight.
Testosterone affects more than just fertility and bones. It also influences how your body stores fat and builds muscle. Low levels of testosterone can cause many health issues, including weight gain.
At our clinic, we often see men with low testosterone levels, even those who are still young. If you have low levels of testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy might help. This treatment can restore healthy testosterone levels, help you build muscle, and improve overall health.
Testosterone helps build muscle and can prevent fat gain. Men with low testosterone levels often gain fat more quickly than those with normal levels. This happens because muscles burn more calories than fat. Without enough muscle, people are more likely to overeat and store extra calories as fat.
Researchers think having less muscle is a big reason low testosterone leads to weight gain. When testosterone levels are low, it's hard to build and keep muscle. Muscles need more energy to stay strong, so they burn more calories. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, which helps balance how much you eat and burn.
If your testosterone levels drop, you lose muscle, slowing your metabolism. This slow metabolism can cause weight gain and make it challenging to lose fat, even if you eat right and exercise. Keeping your testosterone levels healthy is essential for maintaining muscle, a fast metabolism, and weight management.
On average, obese men have 30% lower testosterone levels than those who are average weight. More than 70% of morbidly obese men suffer from male hypogonadism, a disorder marked by abnormally low testosterone levels. This condition may improve with weight loss.
Scientists are not entirely sure why testosterone levels are lower in obese men, but most studies suggest the following reasons:
Belly fat contains elevated levels of an enzyme known as aromatase, which transforms testosterone into estrogen, the primary female sex hormone. The higher estrogen levels found in obese men can be attributed to this conversion process, in contrast to men of normal weight.
Second, high levels of aromatase and estrogen reduce the production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GRH). A lack of GRH leads to lower levels of luteinising hormone, reducing testosterone production. In simple terms, excessive belly fat appears to suppress testosterone levels.
Fat cells, once thought to be just storage spots, are now known to act like other organs by secreting chemicals, sending signals, and influencing other body parts. Fat cells produce aromatase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen. This imbalance in testosterone and estrogen levels increases body fat and affects where fat is stored. Low testosterone levels lead to more belly fat, which is not only unappealing but also raises the risk of heart disease.
In conclusion, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for balancing testosterone levels, reducing belly fat, and lowering the risk of related health issues.
The term "testosterone supplement" can refer to three different things: illegal anabolic steroids, testosterone replacement therapy, and testosterone boosters.
Anabolic steroids are synthetic drugs similar to testosterone, and the term can also refer to testosterone itself.
Some bodybuilders misuse anabolic steroids to increase their testosterone levels beyond normal and build more muscle. However, using anabolic steroids illegally is against the law in many countries, including the EU.
Healthy men with normal testosterone levels should not use anabolic steroids because long-term misuse can cause serious side effects like sexual problems, aggressive behaviour, liver damage, and heart disease.
It's important to know that not all side effects are caused by testosterone itself but by its synthetic forms. Testosterone can be used legally to treat certain medical conditions. For example, testosterone replacement therapy is prescribed to men with low testosterone levels to bring them back to normal.
While proper testosterone therapy can help obese men lose weight, misusing anabolic steroids is not a good way to lose weight. Building too much muscle with steroids is hard to maintain, and unused muscles can become fat over time.
Summary: Some bodybuilders misuse testosterone or its synthetic forms to build muscle. Long-term misuse can cause serious health problems.
Testosterone is often prescribed legally to treat low testosterone (hypogonadism) and other medical conditions. This treatment is called testosterone replacement therapy and is done under a doctor's supervision. It can be given as a pill, skin patch, cream, or injection.
Studies show that testosterone replacement therapy can help obese men with low testosterone lose weight. For example, one study with 100 obese men on a low-calorie diet found that those who received testosterone injections lost an extra 6.4 pounds (2.9 kg) compared to those who didn’t get the treatment.
Both groups lost muscle and fat, but testosterone helped regain muscle during the weight maintenance. Testosterone promotes muscle growth, which helps burn more calories. It can also reduce fatigue, boost motivation, and increase physical activity, essential for losing weight.
It’s important to know that these studies looked at men with low testosterone under medical care. There is no proof that testosterone replacement therapy helps healthy men with normal testosterone levels lose weight.
Summary: Testosterone replacement therapy can help obese men with low testosterone lose weight by promoting muscle growth, boosting metabolism, and improving fat distribution combined with moderate exercise.
Also called "natural testosterone supplements," testosterone boosters help your body make more of this hormone naturally. These supplements don't contain testosterone and are usually made from plants.
Some boosters, like ashwagandha, D-aspartic acid, and fenugreek seed extract, increase testosterone levels and help muscle growth in men with low levels. However, the evidence can sometimes be more precise.
Many claims about testosterone boosters aren't supported by science. For example, Tribulus terrestris, a standard booster, doesn't seem to raise testosterone levels.
No studies have shown that testosterone boosters cause significant weight loss, although some might help reduce fat.
Testosterone deficiency shows up through several main symptoms, like low interest in sex, trouble getting or keeping an erection, and less intense orgasms. Other symptoms include feeling tired, having a low mood, and losing muscle mass.
If you think you might have low testosterone, a simple blood test can confirm it. While replacement therapy is the most effective treatment, it can be controversial and has both risks and benefits.
Luckily, there are several natural ways to boost your testosterone levels:
These methods can help raise testosterone levels and improve overall health. Combined with other weight-loss strategies, they might even help you lose weight.
Having enough testosterone is a sign of good health.
Testosterone helps keep your muscles strong, burn more calories, and stay motivated to be active, all of which can help prevent weight gain and obesity.
If you think you have low testosterone, talk to your doctor. A simple blood test can check your levels.
Doctors can prescribe testosterone replacement therapy, which is the best way to get your levels back to normal.
You can also try boosting your testosterone naturally by losing belly fat, lifting weights, getting enough sleep, or taking supplements like ashwagandha.
If you need help with testosterone-related issues, you can contact Mobi Doctor. We offer professional guidance and support for managing your health concerns.