End Fatigue

Male Adult Diabetics Have Low Testosterone Levels

This study showed that about a third of men between the ages of 18 and 35 who have type 2 diabetes have low testosterone (because the pituitary hormonal control center in the brain is not stimulating the testes).

The potential implications for men, in terms of their sexual and reproductive function during prime reproductive years, are "profound," note Dr. Paresh Dandona and colleagues from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

The researchers measured serum concentrations of total and free testosterone in 24 adult onset diabetic men (type 2 diabetics—average age 28 years) and 38 childhood onset diabetic men (type 1 diabetics—average age of 26 years).

Based on usual normal ranges of free testosterone, 33% of type 2 diabetics (8 of 24) were low (in the lowest 2% of the population — including 80 year old men), compared with 8% of type 1 diabetics (3 of 38). Using an age-based reference range, 14 of 24 type 2 diabetics (58%) had low testosterone.

As testosterone treatment using bioidentical testosterone with levels kept in ~ the 70% of the normal range (medically you're "fine" if not in the lowest 2%, which is absurd) are safe and healthy, this is the level I keep my MALE diabetics at. It helps markedly.

References

Diabetes Care 2008;31:2013-2017.

Article in Medscape online (free registration required).