title: Testosterone therapy decreases subcutaneous fat and adiponectin in aging men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Testosterone therapy increases lean body mass and decreases total fat mass in aging men with low normal testosterone levels. The major challenge is, however, to determine whether the metabolic consequences of testosterone therapy are overall positive. We have previously reported that 6-month testosterone therapy did not improve insulin sensitivity. We investigated the effect of testosterone therapy on regional body fat distribution and on the levels of the insulin-sensitizing adipokine, adiponectin, in aging men with low normal bioavailable testosterone levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study on 6-month testosterone treatment (gel) in 38 men, aged 60-78 years, with bioavailable testosterone <7.3 nmol/l, and a waist circumference >94 cm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Central fat mass (CFM) and lower extremity fat mass (LEFM) were measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry. Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and thigh subcutaneous fat area (TFA) were measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Adiponectin levels were measured using an in-house immunofluorometric assay. Coefficients (b) represent the placebo-controlled mean effect of intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LEFM was decreased (b = -0.47 kg, P = 0.07) while CFM did not change significantly (b = -0.66 kg, P = 0.10) during testosterone therapy. SAT (b = -3.0%, P = 0.018) and TFA (b = -3.0%, P < 0.001) decreased, while VAT (b = 1.0%, P = 0.54) remained unchanged. Adiponectin levels decreased during testosterone therapy (b = -1.3 mg/l, P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testosterone therapy decreased subcutaneous fat on the abdomen and lower extremities, but visceral fat was unchanged. Moreover, adiponectin levels were significantly decreased during testosterone therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense C, Denmark. louise.frederiksen@ouh.regionsyddanmark.dk
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frederiksen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Højlund
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hougaard
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Mosbech
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flyvbjerg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frystyk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brixen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015200:Fluoroimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D013739:Testosterone