Obese adolescent boys between the ages of 14-20 years has only half of the level of testosterone than lean adolescents. Not only that, most likely obese teens at risk of infertility in adulthood. According to the research team of U.S. researchers found.
Researchers from the University at Buffalo, New York, reported in early 2004 that low testosterone levels, or hypogonadism, was found in obese men with type 2 diabetes. Findings from the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the university has also been confirmed in 2010, with more than 2,000 obese men, both diabetic and non-diabetic.
"We were surprised to observe a 50 percent reduction in testosterone levels in the pediatric study (latest), because men are young and not obese diabetes," said professor of medicine at the University at Buffalo and head, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, who led research.
The study involved 25 obese men and 25 lean men. Concentrations of total and free testosterone and estradiol, an estrogen hormone, were measured in the morning after fasting blood samples.
"These findings suggest that the effect of obesity is very strong, even in the young. Nutrition and lifestyle began in childhood have a major impact throughout all stages of life", he said.
In addition to the reproductive consequences, the absence or low levels of testosterone were found also will increase the tendency of abdominal fat and reduced muscle, leading to insulin resistance, which contributes to diabetes.
"The good news is we know that testosterone levels will return to normal in obese adult men when undergoing gastric bypass surgery," he said.
"There's also the possibility that testosterone levels will return to normal through weight loss as a result of lifestyle changes, although this still needs to be confirmed by larger studies," he concluded.
