When we are talking about weight loss, real weight loss, we are talking about long term permanent weight loss. There are many diet therapies that lead to rapid weight loss in the beginning, but have a difficulty in maintaining the loss over time, particularly over the first year. But testosterone therapy is capable of helping with weight loss and maintaining it even years after the therapy started. I have seen this with many patients as a hormone replacement expert for the past decade, but a recent study came out that followed obese men over eight years confirming exactly that. Here’s what they found…
Testosterone therapy for up to 8 years results in progressive, continuous and sustained reduction in body weight, waist circumference and BMI, regardless of obesity grade and age.
My Comment:
The key to any successful HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) program is consistency. Keeping the levels consistent and keeping the patient consistent will yield the best results, not just with weight loss, but with mood, energy, libido, physical enhancements, and motivation. There are specific ways to keep the levels of testosterone consistent, if the physician knows how to do it. At The Hormone Zone, we specialize in maintaining consistent and optimal levels of hormone.
Improvements in obesity parameters are accompanied by significant improvements in glycemic control (fasting glucose and HbA1c), lipids (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol:HDL ratio), liver transaminases, inflammation, blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) and quality of life, regardless of obesity grade and age.
My Comment:
These simple blood tests are routinely performed at The Hormone Zone medical practice in Scottsdale, Arizona. These “metabolic markers” help to show how any therapy is working. Testosterone therapy helps improve how sugar (glucose) is being utilized in your body, aiding in weight loss.
Treating obese hypogonadal men with testosterone for 8 years is safe. Elevations in PSA and hematocrit stayed within normal ranges, and the incidence of prostate cancer is lower than expected from the prostate cancer incidence reported in the general population of men not treated with testosterone.
My comment:
We have heard a lot of noise in the media in late 2014 and early 2015 about the safety of testosterone therapy in men. This false narrative has been refuted by thorough analysis and commentary on the copious literature that shows that testosterone therapy is safe and very effective at aiding in weight loss, improving cardiovascular outcomes, and lowering the risk for diabetes and insulin resistance. More specifically, it is safe to make that statement that testosterone therapy in men does NOT increase the risk for prostate cancer. Finally, the levels of testosterone that were achieved in this study were on average around 550 ng/dl, a very modest amount of testosterone. Optimal levels for most patients on Testosterone Replacement Therapy are over 700-800 ng/dl. So even relatively moderate levels of testosterone had a profound long-term effect on weight loss.
Using testosterone therapy as a mode of obesity treatment may result in greater beneficial effects on body composition than diet and/or drug induced weight loss.
My Comment:
The study specifically compared the weight loss results of a separate nationwide weight loss study called “Look AHEAD Trial” which used standard weight loss strategies and no testosterone treatment. As you can see by the chart above, there was more long-term weight loss over the eight year period with the testosterone use. Long term testosterone therapy is safe and effective for permanent weight loss. The real advantage with it is the underlying improvements that are happening the longer you use it. To stay in your Hormone Zone, you just need to…stay in your Hormone Zone with consistent ongoing medical care. And along the way you will steadily reap the benefits of a well balanced and comprehensive hormone replacement strategy.
The Hormone Zone Bottom Line
At The Hormone Zone, our goal towards optimal health for our patients encompasses multiple parameters including diet and lifestyle recommendations coupled with not just optimal testosterone replacement therapy, but a comprehensive approach to sex hormone balance that includes superior thyroid treatment, optimal adrenal and stress management, perfect insulin regulation, cutting-edge growth hormone optimization, all with an age management perspective for optimal performance and living.
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