title: Relevance of low testosterone to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition where there is excess accumulation of triglycerides in the liver in the absence of excess alcohol consumption. It ranges from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). NAFLD, one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease in Western populations, is the hepatic component of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and is associated with increased visceral adipose tissue (VAT), insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. Studies have also shown that testosterone deficiency is associated with increased VAT and insulin resistance in males while hyperandrogenemia has been associated with increased risk of insulin resistance and VAT in females. Thus, the aims of this review are to discuss the available experimental and epidemiological data evaluating the association between testosterone and NAFLD, to discuss the potential clinical relevance of these data, and to identify gaps in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine ; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MEDVAMC) and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX ; Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases (CTRID), MEDVAMC, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Avni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mody
authors.affiliation: Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases (CTRID), MEDVAMC, Houston, TX ; Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, MEDVAMC and BCM, Houston, TX ; Clinical Epidemiology and Comparative Effectiveness Program, Houston VA Health Services Research Center of Innovation (IQuESt), MEDVAMC, Houston, TX ; Texas Medical Center Digestive Disease Center, Houston, TX ; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, BCM, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, MEDVAMC and BCM, Houston, TX ; Clinical Epidemiology and Comparative Effectiveness Program, Houston VA Health Services Research Center of Innovation (IQuESt), MEDVAMC, Houston, TX ; Texas Medical Center Digestive Disease Center, Houston, TX ; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, BCM, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Fasiha
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kanwal
authors.affiliation: Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MEDVAMC) and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX ; Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases (CTRID), MEDVAMC, Houston, TX ; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, BCM, Houston, TX ; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, BCM, Houston, TX ; Huffington Center on Aging, BCM, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Garcia
keywords: Liver diseases; endocrinology; hepatology; obesity; sex hormone-binding globulin