Obese teenagers have half as much testosterone as their leaner peers, which threatens infertility and impotence in adulthood, US scientists say in Clinical Endocrinology.
Researchers from the American University at Buffalo have shown that young boys who are very overweight have up to 50 percent. less testosterone in the body than their counterparts with normal body weight. It should be emphasized that low testosterone levels are associated with an increased risk of infertility or impotence in adulthood, and also contribute to the deposition of belly fat and reduced muscles, which may lead to insulin resistance in the future.
These results show that obesity has serious consequences, even for adolescents, and that the lifestyles and diets practiced from childhood work at all stages of life, says Paresh Dandona, one of the researchers.
The same group of scientists has proved in their previous studies that the phenomenon of low testosterone (hypogonadism) is characteristic of obese men, both in those with type 2 diabetes and those not affected by this condition. However, it was the first time that such tests were carried out on such a young group of people aged 14 to 20.
We were surprised to see a 50% reduction in testosterone in this pediatric study because the boys were young and had no diabetes, comments Dandon.
The researcher also emphasizes that, fortunately, the level of testosterone in obese men can return to normal thanks to the so-called surgery. gastric bypass or perhaps through a lifestyle change, but this has to be confirmed in larger studies, adds Dandon. (PAP)
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