Diabetes Influences Testosterone Levels

Low testosterone is a frequent problem for men with diabetes. The most common symptom experienced by this group is sexual dysfunction. The findings are based on a multicenter study involving 2162 men in 26 states. The data showed that 836 (38.7%) of the participants had low testosterone and 495 (23%) had a history of diabetes.

Of the 836 men with low testosterone, 756 were not getting testosterone treatment. Of the 474 participants who had a history of diabetes and were not receiving testosterone treatment, 237 (50%) had low levels of the hormone. Using the figures, the researchers calculated that men aged 45 and older with diabetes face a twice greater risk of low testosterone, compared with men without diabetes.