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Metabolic Effects of Testosterone Added to Intensive Lifestyle Intervention in Older Men With Obesity and Hypogonadism

Gonzalez-Gil AM, Barnouin Y, Celli A, Viola V, Villarreal MD, Duremdes Nava ML, Sciuk A, Qualls C et al.

The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 2025

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Whether testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) conveys additional cardiometabolic benefit to an intensive lifestyle therapy (LT) in older men with obesity and hypogonadism remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether TRT augments the effect of LT on metabolic outcomes in older men with obesity and hypogonadism.

DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

SETTING: Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-three older (age ≥ 65 years) men with obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2) and persistently low Am testosterone (< 10.4 nmol/L) associated with frailty.

INTERVENTIONS: LT (weight management and exercise training) plus either testosterone (LT + TRT) or placebo (LT + Pbo) for 6 months.

OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Secondary outcomes included changes in other glucometabolic and lipid profile components, liver enzymes, inflammatory markers, and adipokines; subcutaneous, visceral, intramuscular, and hepatic fat; blood pressure; and metabolic syndrome score.

RESULTS: HbA1c decreased similarly in LT + TRT and LT + Pbo groups (-0.5 ± 0.1 vs -0.6 ± 0.1%, respectively; P = 0.35). While TRT showed no synergistic effect with LT on ameliorating secondary outcomes, it eliminated the augmentative effect of LT on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration (5.4 ± 1.0 mg/dL in the LT + Pbo group vs 0.2 ± 1.1 mg/dL in the LT + TRT group, P = .01) and adiponectin…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.

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