While dieting is largely viewed a female endeavor, men have good reason to consider eating healthier. Sure, living a longer, healthier life is a pretty good reason. But, there’s also the news that obese men tend to have lower levels of testosterone.
According to a new study, obese men are more likely than their healthy counterparts to have low levels of the all-important sex hormone. Forty percent of the study’s participants who were obese had low levels of testosterone, and if they were also diabetic, that number reached to 50 percent.
There have been past health studies linking obesity to lower testosterone and sexual prowess. But, this is the largest one to date to connect the two.
Diabetes is particularly effective in lowering testosterone levels. Even men who are not obese, but are diabetic, showed signs of lower testosterone.
“The effect of diabetes on lowering testosterone levels was similar to that of a weight gain of approximately 20 pounds,” said lead author Dr. Sandeep Dhindsa, an endocrinology specialist at the University of Buffalo, Department of Medicine.
(via: MSNBC)