There are various complications already associated with type 2 diabetes such as eye, kidney and heart problems, but researchers have found another to add to the list: Low testosterone production or hypogonadism, found in men. In fact, one out of three male patients are affected by this condition.
Symptoms of Hypogonadism
- Lowered sexual drive
- Erectile dysfunction
- Loss of muscle tone
- Increase in abdominal fat
- Loss of bone density
- Affected mood and cognition
Contrary to what many may think, hypogonadism is not caused by a defect in the testes. Instead, it is due to improper functioning of the pituitary gland (which controls production of testosterone) or in the hypothalamus (the region of the brain that controls the pituitary). Previous studies have linked erectile dysfunction and low testosterone levels in diabetic patients to lower levels of pituitary hormones. Also, a small portion of unbound testosterone in the blood, known as free testosterone, largely determines the amount of testosterone that is available in the tissues.
These findings are particularly important, as hypogonadism has not previously been recognized as a complication of type 2 diabetes. Thus, the high prevalence of patients affected (30 percent) was most certainly unexpected.
In the study, which involved over 100 men with type 2 diabetes, researchers aimed to further investigate the testosterone-related concern in male diabetics. None of the subjects tested had been previously diagnosed with low testosterone levels.
Findings Gathered From the Study
- Nearly one-third of the men analyzed had hypogonadism
- The condition was not linked to obesity, as more than 30 percent of lean patients were hypogonadal, and 10 percent to 15 percent of the variation in low free testosterone levels was linked to body mass index
- Most of the men with low testosterone levels also had lower levels of pituitary hormones, compared to men with normal testosterone levels
- The concentration of pituitary hormones in the blood directly correlated with free testosterone levels
Journal Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism November 2004;89(11):5462-8
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