Andropause and Metabolic Syndrome or Something New About Testosterone

The connection between andropause and metabolic syndrome is not well known by the general population.

During andropause (usually affecting men in their fifties) the levels of testosterone steadily decline. Recent data show that the decline of testosterone contributes to the accumulation of belly fat. This is important because belly fat is producing chemicals that lead to heart disease and various other conditions.

The research data show that men with the lowest free testosterone levels had the biggest bellies but were otherwise skinny. Men with waistline below 37 inches (94 cm) had the highest testosterone level. These are very important findings because many people who are not generally overweight think that they are protected against heart disease and metabolic syndrome. Click here to learn more about metabolic syndrome,

Belly fat (waistline measurement above 40 inches (102 cm) or BMI above 30)is only one of the metabolic syndrome symptoms. The other symptoms are: raised blood pressure (systolic blood pressure above 130 and diastolic blood pressure above 85); triglycerides above 150 mg/dL; HDL below 40 for men and fasting blood sugar above 100 mg/dL.

A study of 1,565 men age 55 and older (conducted in Sweden, Tromso and at UCSD in La Jolla) found that high testosterone levels were associated with lower triglycerides levels. The surprising part was the fluctuation of triglycerides during the day only in men with low levels of testosterone. Their levels of testosterone went up during the day. In addition, men with high testosterone levels had higher HDL (popular name “good cholesterol”) levels.

The Tromso study is not the only one that shows a connection between andropause and metabolic syndrome. Many studies have confirmed that men with diabetes have the lowest levels of free testosterone. Low testosterone has been linked to insulin resistance and glucose level.

The Rotterdam study actually showed that if a man after the age of 40 has one or two (or more) of the metabolic risk factors he has a trend in lowering his testosterone levels. The Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor study established that the risk of developing heart disease doubled for men who were in the lower testosterone levels.

Men over 40 should be aware of the connection between andropause and metabolic syndrome and that higher testosterone levels are potentially preventive for metabolic syndrome and protect your heart.

The message here is that if your waistline is above 40 inches (102 cm) you better check your blood pressure, blood sugar and triglycerides to make sure you don’t have metabolic syndrome. The bigger the belly, the lower the testosterone levels, the higher the risk for heart disease is.

To make things even worse the excess cortisol related to chronic stress lowers testosterone even further. This is good to know in case your testosterone is low but you are not a fan of testosterone replacement therapy. You can benefit from stress relief techniques, exercise and proper diet for men. Start by measuring your waistline and take the free stress level test to find out where you stand.

Copyright Dr. Nelly Stoyanova

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Author's bio: Dr. Nelly Stoyanova is a physician, medical researcher and health behavior expert. She studies the effects of stress on heart disease, type 2 diabetes and sleep. Her website: Belly Fat, Stress and Baby Boomers (http://www.stress-fat-heart-solutions-for-boomers.com) evaluates sources of stress for people over 50 and provides great tips to balance your day-to-day stress and stay healthy.

Turn your life around and benefit from her expertise. For individual guidance sessions or to schedule a public speaking event use the Contact page or email at drnstoyanova@gmail.com

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