Hypogonadism more likely in men with diabetes

Men age 45 years and older with diabetes may be more than twice as likely as non-diabetic men to have low testosterone levels, and sexual dysfunction is the most common symptom experienced by men with diabetes and hypogonadism, according to a subset analysis of the Hypogonadism in Males study.

In the study, 2,162 men were screened for diabetes and hypogonadism. Investigators found that 38.7% of the men had low testosterone, and 23% had a history of diabetes. Of the men with low testosterone, 756 were not receiving testosterone treatment. In patients with a history of diabetes not receiving testosterone, 50% had hypogonadism.

Using these figures, the team determined that men aged 45 years and older with diabetes have 2.09 times higher odds of having hypogonadism compared with non-diabetic men. Furthermore, 55.8% of men with diabetes and low testosterone self-reported a decreased ability/frequency to perform sexually.

"Men with diabetes who have signs or symptoms of low testosterone should have their testosterone levels checked with a simple blood test. If you're diagnosed with low [testosterone], the good news is that the condition very often is treatable," said co-investigator Sherwyn L. Schwartz, MD, of the Diabetes & Glandular Disease Clinic in San Antonio.

The study was presented at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting in San Diego.