Researchers at the University of Buffalo found that obese boys between 14-20 have 50 percent less testosterone that boys the same age whose weight is normal.
Testosterone levels that low are associated with infertility and impotence, according to lead author Dr. Paresh Dandona. Oh, and there’s more: low levels of testosterone, says Dandona, are associated with increased belly fat, which in turn can lead to diabetes. The study was published in the current journal Clinical Endocrinology.
If your son is obese, there is still hope. When obese men have gastric bypass surgery (which reduces the size of the stomach), testosterone levels return to normal. It’s not quite as clear that losing weight through exercise and diet would restore testosterone levels. Research is underway on that front.
