Popular weight loss medications like Ozempic can help reverse low testosterone levels in men with obesity or Type 2 diabetes, according to new research.
Building on previous studies that show weight loss surgery or lifestyle changes can increase testosterone levels in the body, researchers at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital analyzed the electronic health records of 110 men with obesity or Type 2 diabetes to monitor changes in the hormone while taking GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semgalutide and tirzepatide.
They measured testosterone levels before taking the medications and for 18 months after starting the treatment. Roughly half of the men had low to low-normal testosterone at the start of the study and most reached normal levels after treatment. The mean age of the participants was 54.
“The increases we observed were more modest than what you would typically see with testosterone replacement therapy,” said lead author Dr. Shellsea Portillo Canales, endocrinologist at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital, via email. “However, they occurred naturally, without testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), and likely reflect the body recovering its normal hormone production as weight and insulin resistance improved.”
The study highlights the need for men already on testosterone therapies to closely monitor their levels after starting weight loss medications, Portillo said.
