Type 2 diabetes linked to low testosterone in young men
Young men with type 2 diabetes have low levels of testosterone, leaving them at risk for infertility, atherosclerosis, and other health problems.
A study published in Diabetes Care recently suggests that among diabetic men aged 18 to 35, total testosterone levels were significantly lower in those with type 2 diabets than in those with type 1 diabetes. A third of the affected men had smaller genital organs than men of a similar age who suffered type 1 diabetes.
Low testosterone levels can result in diminished bone mass, loss of skeletal muscle, increased weight gain and greater insulin resistance. This also leads to an elevated risk of atherosclerotic heart disease and heart disease caused by high levels of C-reactive protein, according to researchers.
The type 2 diabetics in the study were significantly more overweight than the men with type 1 diabetes. The researchers said that the findings have clinical importance because low testosterone levels may contribute to diminished libido and erectile dysfunction. Infertility is a possible complication as well because below-normal levels of follicle stimulating hormone may negatively affect the development of seminiferous tubules and spermatogenesis.
