Getting older does not have to mean getting heavier – although, for many adults, that is entirely what happens. Testosterone and other hormone levels decline, and the numbers on the scale keep creeping higher with each passing month and year. Is hormone deficiency the cause of weight gain, and if so, is there a benefit of testosterone therapy for body fat reduction?

Both answers are yes; testosterone deficiency can be the cause of weight gain and treatment with pharmaceutical testosterone can help to rid your body of that unwanted fat.

Why are you gaining weight?

Weight gain is attributed to varied reasons, including:

• Hormonal changes
• Overeating
• Stress
• Lack of exercise
• Medications
• Illness or injury

We focus our efforts on hormonal weight gain and the role of testosterone for losing body fat.

If you are overweight, the chance is increased that you also have low testosterone levels. In fact, testosterone levels further decline when the markers of metabolic syndrome are present:

• Obesity
• Insulin resistance
• Hypertension
• High cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Cardiovascular disease

Testosterone is a hormone that plays a role in these areas as it supports metabolism, glucose uptake, and cardiovascular functions. That is why the use of supplemental testosterone for fat loss provides excellent results. It helps all of these areas function properly once again.

Why Low Testosterone Leads to Increased Body Fat

Testosterone is one of the regulating hormones for metabolism, along with growth hormone. One of the reasons why we see positive outcomes of testosterone for weight loss is that the signals it provides to the hypothalamus help to stimulate the production of pituitary hormones – including GH. That process helps provide a double benefit for metabolism, as testosterone and GH regulate the metabolism of lipids (fats), proteins, and carbohydrates.

When testosterone levels decline, the metabolism does not process food properly, and instead of energy, you have an increase in body fat – predominantly in the abdomen where belly fat begins to crowd the internal organs.

How does testosterone work for weight loss?

Testosterone therapy for body fat begins to normalize lipid oxidation and glucose utilization. As the body begins to metabolize food more efficiently, an increase in energy will also help you move more, burning additional calories and weight loss will begin. Testosterone deficiency results in a dysfunction of visceral adipose tissue metabolism. [1]

Since obesity contributes to premature cardiac aging, the benefits of testosterone for weight loss include improved cardiac capacity and output.

While studies of testosterone replacement for weight loss in healthy, young hypogonadal men have shown that a decrease in fat mass accompanies testosterone supplementation, this is not the case for those who were recruited for the study in a lean rather than overweight state. Changes in fat mass occur only when a greater than normal fat mass is present. [2]

Can Testosterone Therapy Help You Lose Weight?

Losing body fat results in better health throughout the body. In a randomized study of obese men who received either testosterone or a placebo while dieting, the placebo group lost body fat and lean mass while those who received testosterone lost mostly body fat. [3]

Although much of the research on belly fat and Low T has been on men, you can also use testosterone for weight loss in females. Although less common in the US, testosterone replacement therapy has been used in women in Australia and England for more than 60 years. The many benefits of testosterone use in females include glucose metabolism, better lipid profiles, improved lean body mass and decreased fat mass, and better cardiac capacity and functions. Testosterone use has been shown to be cardiac protective and may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. [4]

The precise testosterone dosage for weight loss is determined by the level of deficiency, weight, age, height, and overall health of the individual. A hormone specialist will run diagnostic blood tests to assess this determination.

Being overweight increases the risk of many other health issues, and the use of testosterone therapy for body fat reduction can improve overall well-being. Concerns over cardiac health and prostate disease with testosterone use have been put to rest as studies have not found any concerns in these areas.

For information about how to increase testosterone for weight loss, or any of the other benefits of testosterone replacement therapy, please contact Kingsberg HRT Clinic for a free consultation with a clinical advisor.