Testosterone may protect overweight or obese men under 65 from developing type 2 diabetes, but this protective effect doesn't seem to apply to men over 65, according to research presented at ENDO 2024, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Boston, Mass.
“A low blood testosterone concentration is an independent risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, and high levels of testosterone appear protective against the development of type 2 diabetes,” said lead researcher Mahesh Umapathysivam, M.B.B.S., from the University of Adelaide, South Australia. “We wanted to better understand the relationship between testosterone and type 2 diabetes risk across the range of testosterone levels, and to examine interactions between testosterone and different diabetes risk factors in middle-aged and older men.”
The study analyzed data from the MAILES Cohort, involving 1,315 men aged 35 to 85 living in urban Adelaide. None of the participants had diabetes, cancer, or were receiving testosterone treatment at the study's start. After five years, 110 men (8.4%) had developed type 2 diabetes.
After adjusting for factors affecting diabetes risk, such as age, waist circumference, blood sugar levels, family history of diabetes, smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, and medication use, researchers found that testosterone levels were linked to diabetes risk. In men under 65, higher testosterone levels were associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
“This implies that higher testosterone blood concentrations are associated with reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” Umapathysivam said. "In contrast, there were no detectable effects of blood testosterone levels on diabetes risk in men over age 65.”
Umapathysivam added, “Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and avoiding alcohol helps maintain normal testosterone levels in most men and also helps prevent type 2 diabetes.”
