Low testosterone levels could cause diabetesMay 6th, 2012 - 5:27
pm ICT by IANS London, May 6 (IANS) Low testosterone levels in
males could elevate their risk of developing diabetes, says a
new study. The findings from the University of Edinburgh could
also help explain why older men are more at risk of developing
diabetes, because testosterone levels fall in men as they age.
Kerry McInnes, from the Edinburgh’s endocrinology unit, said:
“This study shows that low testosterone is a risk factor for
diabetes no matter how much a person weighs,” according to an
university statement. The study showed that mice, which did not
have androgen receptors in fat tissue for testosterone to attach
to, were more likely to show signs of insulin resistance than
other mice and also became fatter than other mice and developed
full insulin resistance when fed a high-fat diet. Researchers
found that levels of RBP4, a protein which plays a crucial role
in regulating insulin resistance, were higher in mice in which
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