Can Type 1 Diabetics Take Testosterone Boosters

Raising Testosterone In Men Can Improve Diabetes

Overweight men typically have below normal blood levels of testosterone. Diabetic men are often even more testosterone deficient. Research has shown that giving diabetic men supplemental testosterone helps to improve their diabetes. Testosterone is a sex hormone produced by the testes in men and by the ovaries in women. Men produce far greater quantities of this hormone than women. Testosterone has a number of health benefits for men; these include: Improved bone density. Testosterone helps to strengthen bones and this is one reason that men are far less likely to suffer from osteoporosis than women. Increased muscle mass and increased muscle strength. Testosterone triggers muscle growth and development, and men naturally have a lot more muscle on their bodies than women. This is one reason why men almost always lose weight faster than women and they are less likely to feel the cold weather than women. More muscle on their body means men usually have a faster metabolic rate than women. Sexual function. Testosterone increases libido and it strengthens erections. Men with a high blood testosterone level generally experience greater sexual satisfaction. Mood and mental function. Testosterone has a very profound effect on a mans mental and emotional state. This hormone increases motivation, determination, drive and competitiveness. Men with low testosterone often experience depression and loss of motivation. Testosterone levels naturally fall as men age; however they fall a lot more rapidly in overweight men. As men age, their liver produces higher levels of a protein that binds with testosterone in the bloodstream and inactivates the testosterone. This means that there is less free and active testosterone in the blood. Fat cells contain an enzyme called aromatase, which c Continue reading >>

Steroid Use For Type 1 Diabetics??? Help

Just wondering if someone can relate to steroid usage? Is this a bad way to go or can it be okay as long as you monitor your blood sugar levels frequently? I hav only been type 1 now for 2 years and I cannot gain anymore weight. I wok out hard and am constantly active thorughout each and everyday. I was considering using a steroid called SUSTENNON, but I really need more advise and understanding beofre i do anything of the sort. Please help .... D.D. Family T1 since 1977 - using Novolog in an Animas pump. Steroids will increase your blood sugar and make control more difficult. So using them is especially not good for diabetics. If you want to build muscle, a better approach is to use more insulin during workouts. Insulin is after all the anabolic hormone. Be sure to consume enough carbs so that you don't go low, though. This is important. I have also had difficulty building muscle. I found that increasing insulin levels during and after workouts (that 60 minute window) sorted it out. Mark is right, I was given steroids for an allergic reaction and my BG was 350 constant until the drug was out of my system. I agree also. I think that roids will make your BGs much more difficult to control. If you look at the bodybuilding and diabetes forum on the exercise section, you will find that a number of us here are using insulin instead to build muscle. The bottom line is that insulin is one of the most powerful anabolic hormones out there. So, what many of us do is to take some insulin (with food of course) right after a workout. So, for example, after a workout, I'll take enough insulin to cover 30 g of carbs but will eat 45 g of carbs (since the insulin will work harder right after a workout). I can understand the appeal of roids, but I'd avoid them, especially because of you Continue reading >>

Diabetes, Type 1

What is type 1 diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that accounts for five to 10 percent of all cases of diabetes. It initially develops most often in children and young adults. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces little or no insulin, the hormone needed to transport glucose into cells where it can be converted into energy. For this reason, if you have type 1 diabetes you will need to take insulin daily throughout your life. This form of diabetes has also been called juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes. What are the symptoms? Some of the symptoms of diabetes, such as persistent thirst or irritability, can seem relatively benign, which is one of the reasons why diagnosis may be delayed. With type 1 diabetes, however, symptoms may come on suddenly. Early detection and treatment can decrease the odds of developing the acute complications that can stem from type 1 diabetes. Common symptoms of diabetes include: Frequent urination Excessive thirst Extreme hunger Unusual weight loss Increased fatigue Irritability Blurry vision If high blood sugar levels are not brought quickly under control via treatment, acute complications of type 1 diabetes include severe dehydration and development of diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a metabolic state characterized by high concentrations of ketone bodies, which are byproducts of fatty acid breakdown, and can render the body’s tissues dangerously acidic. Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, which in turn can lead to shock, coma, and even death. Longer term complications of type 1 diabetes – which are also common to those with type 2 diabetes – include: Eye damage: People with diabetes have a 40 percent higher than normal risk of developing glaucoma, increased pressure w Continue reading >>

Could Testosterone Therapy Benefit Men With Type 2 Diabetes?

Could testosterone therapy benefit men with type 2 diabetes? Men with type 2 diabetes and low testosterone levels can benefit significantly from testosterone treatment, according to a study published in Diabetes Care. With testosterone treatment, fat turned to muscle in men with diabetes. Senior author Dr. Paresh Dandona, of the Department of Medicine in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo (UB), NY, and his coauthors already knew that low testosterone levels coincide with significantly decreased insulin sensitivity. In 2004, they demonstrated a link between low testosterone levels and type 2 diabetes . Six years later, they extended this to obesity . In a study of more than 2,000 men, they observed that 33% of participants with type 2 diabetes, whether obese or not, had low testosterone levels, as did 25% of non-diabetic, obese males. In 2012, the team found that teenage boys with obesity have 50% less testosterone than their lean peers. The researchers had also associated obesity with oxidative and inflammation . Inflammatory mediators are known to interfere with insulin signaling. Testosterone: anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing? In the present study, the team hypothesized that testosterone may be an anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing agent, since it has been known for some time that testosterone reduces adiposity and increases skeletal muscle. The participants were 94 men with type 2 diabetes, of whom 44 had low testosterone levels. Before treatment, those with low testosterone levels expressed significantly lower levels of insulin-signaling genes and diminished insulin sensitivity. The men with low testosterone were randomized to receive a testosterone injection or a placebo every week for 24 weeks. Testo Continue reading >>

6 Of The Best Dietary Supplements For A Diabetic Diet—and 3 You Should Avoid

Should I take supplements? From cinnamon and magnesium to herbal formulas claiming to smack down high blood sugar, “diabetes-friendly” supplements are popping up in health food stores and drugstores and in the medicine cabinets of more and more people with diabetes. More than 50 percent of people with diabetes say they’ve used dietary supplements, according to one 2011 study—and at least one in four has given herbal remedies a try. The big question: Should you? “People with diabetes may be looking for something that seems less potent than a medication or something that will treat other health issues beyond blood sugar control, such as high cholesterol,” notes Laura Shane-McWhorter, PharmD, a University of Utah professor of pharmacotherapy and author of The American Diabetes Association Guide to Herbs & Nutritional Supplements: What You Need to Know from Aloe to Zinc. But experts are reluctant to recommend supplements to people with diabetes for two important health reasons. First, there’s virtually no research on long-term safety. Second, no supplement controls blood sugar as effectively as diabetes drugs (in combination with a healthy lifestyle). “There are no miracle treatments for diabetes,” Shane-McWhorter says. “The most important thing to know if you have diabetes is that no supplement will take care of it for you. Diabetes is a condition that can be well-controlled with a healthy lifestyle plus medication if needed. A supplement can’t replace those.” And new science is changing the supplement landscape. In consulting the latest research as well as supplement experts for this report on the best-studied and most widely used supplements, we found that some popular pills—chromium, we’re talking about you—aren’t living up to their reput Continue reading >>

Sex And Type 1 Diabetes

When a person is diagnosed with diabetes, their doctor will typically walk them through the steps of how to deal with this medical issue in the following years; however, sex is rarely addressed, often leaving the patient feeling left in the dark. The journal Diabetes Care found that only half of all men and 19 percent of women with diabetes had broached the topic of sex with their doctors.1 It is crucial that individuals with Type I Diabetes become aware of the sexual problems associated with this health condition because certain symptoms can be assumed an effect of Type 1 diabetes, but be caused from an unrelated medical condition. For people that already have diabetes, sexual problems can indicate nerve damage, blocked arteries, and irregular hormone patterns.2 People who keep their diabetes under control can lower their risk of developing these sexual and urologic problems in the future. Talk to Your Partner Establishing a strong system of communication with your partner is a crucial component of every relationship. Along with discussing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and contraception usage, Type 1 diabetics should express how diabetes affects their sex life. Many Type 1 diabetics may feel self conscious about their condition and try to hide it from their partners. If you do this, however, you may not feel comfortable asking your partner for a break from sex in the case of a low blood sugar and put yourself in a dangerous situation. Sex is an intense physical activity and as any Type 1 diabetic knows, this can cause a fast drop in blood glucose level. Make sure your partner knows how to care for you in case you experience a severe low blood sugar level and are unable to care for yourself. It is your responsibility as a diabetic to protect yourself and give t Continue reading >>

"testosterone Booster": Diabetes Community - Support Group

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Taking Testosterone For Better Control.

Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please,join our community todayto contribute and support the site. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. I decided to give tesosterone a shot, so I'm taking 140mg a week. That's a low dose and not close to what bodybuilders take. I read that some people with diabetes took this and got better control and all that stuff. Now, I'm feeling a lot better (more energy and better focus) and my BG control is so much better. I shouldn't be complaining, since my last hba1c was 4.9%, but now I don't get big spikes anymore. I can also eat a bit more sloppy without being punished for it, so overall I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders, I feel a lot more like what I did before I got the diabetes. The jury is still out on whether testosterone supplementation is safe. One of the concerns is that it increases the risk of prostate cancer, but this could only apply to a re-occurrence in men who have already had prostate cancer.Here is an article about it Study: Testosterone Supplements Can Be Safe : NPR A two year old article in the Harvard Health Bulletin (or some such name) found concerns about replacement therapy vastly overstated. I researched it because recent tests found my levels to be very low - I was concerned about lack of energy, I wasn't aware it might help with BS control. I have an appointment next week to discuss possible side effects with the doc before starting. I decided to give tesosterone a shot, so I'm taking 140mg a week. That's a low dose and not close to what bodybuilders take. I read that some people with diabetes took this and got better control and all that stuff. Now, I'm feeling a lot better (more energy and better focus) and my BG control is so much better. I shouldn' Continue reading >>

Testosterone Deficiency, Diabetes And Metabolic Syndrome

Testosterone Deficiency, Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome Testosterone is the key male hormone . It regulates a mans libido (sex drive) and the development of secondary male sex characteristics, such as facial and body hair, the testes and thepenis. Testosterone also protects the health of bone and muscle tissues. Testosterone deficiency is associated with many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes mellitus and other metabolic disorders. Testosterone deficiency has been estimated to affect about 1 in 200 Australian men, although this may under-represent the true number due to not all cases being diagnosed. In men from Boston, USA, testosterone deficiency was found to affect about 1 in 18 men aged 3079 years, but in men aged 6079 this increased to about 1 in 8. Significantly, there is also a strong association between testosterone deficiency and diabetes . A study in the United Kingdom found that 42% of men with type 2 diabetes also had low or borderline levels of testosterone. For more information about testosterone deficiency, see Male Hypogonadism (Primary Hypogonadism and Secondary/Hypogonadotrophic Hypogonadism) . Testosterone deficiency, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome The association between low levels of testosterone (a condition known as hypogonadism) and type 2 diabetes mellitus are well recognised, but it also appears that testosterone deficiency is common in men with diabetes regardless of type. Metabolic syndrome is a condition characterised by several co-occurring metabolic imbalances (e.g. impaired insulin metabolism, obesity , high blood pressure );it often precedes type 2 diabetes mellitus, and is also associated with testosterone deficiency. There is considerable evidence that men with metabolic syndrome are more likely to develop hyp Continue reading >>

Diabetes And Sex – Everything You Need To Know

Not tonight, honey! You love your partner, you’re feeling romantic, and the dim lights push you along to get intimate. Except that you can’t. You feel desire, but you aren’t aroused. The libido has gone for a long walk, and you don’t know if it’s ever coming back. Your partner will wonder what’s wrong with you and whether you still have feelings for them. You want to scream that yes, of course you do, but something’s come in the way of you expressing it. That something could be your diabetes. Shocking fact: Research shows that for men, there’s a more than 50 per cent probability that low libido is a result of high blood sugar. A poor sex life is a very good reason to meet your doctor, even if you aren’t comfortable with talking about sex. Let’s look at why diabetes and sex have such a serious impact on your marital life and how we can do the right things, to make a real difference. Diabetic Neuropathy Too much sugar in the blood damages nerves all over the body, a complication of diabetes called diabetic neuropathy. As if the damage from the sugar wasn’t enough, diabetes drugs join the party and deplete vital nutrients from your body. In the case of nerves, the affected vitamin is Vitamin B12. This vitamin is a critical component of nerve sheath in the human body. Think of it as the “insulation” in electrical wires. Poor insulating sheath means damaged nerves. It can cause tingling or numbness in hands and feet and even damage delicate nerves. The pleasure zones of the body are no exception to this affliction. Poor sensation in the sexual organs can be a real downer for arousal. If you can’t feel it, you don’t want it. Vascular Damage Another long term effect of diabetes is the damage to blood vessels. Damaged blood vessels mean, among othe Continue reading >>

Testosterone’s Overlooked Role In The Treatment Of Diabetes In Men

Testosterone Helps Avert Dangers of Diabetes Treatment When “Charles,” an insulin-requiring diabetic on 100 units per day, came for a follow-up visit, I was surprised to see his finger-stick glucose at the low value of 37 mg/dL. When questioned, he told me that his internist had called him the night before, alarmed at the low glucose reading from a blood sample sent to a national laboratory. Charles had no symptoms, though he knew the symptoms of hypoglycemia and impending coma. I instructed him to reduce his insulin by another 10 units per day, and he agreed to do so. But why didn’t his blood sugar levels crash? According to the medical literature, including a report by Tiblin,3 testosterone sensitizes men’s cells to more readily admit glucose. In other words, it decreases insulin resistance in men. Therefore, whatever insulin is available in men works much more efficiently in the presence of testosterone. Of note, the female hormone estradiol works counterproductively for men, worsening insulin resistance.2,4 My continuing studies may help explain why the men I have treated with testosterone seem to be protected against developing hypoglycemia and its complications. It is possible that the secondary role of testosterone could be to accelerate not only the conversion of glucose to stored cellular glycogen in the blood, but also to reverse the process when needed, thus accelerating the conversion of stored tissue glycogen to serum glucose.5 This could explain my observation that diabetic men on testosterone injections seem to be protected from hypoglycemia-related coma and death. The Diabetes Explosion Diabetes is fast becoming a global pandemic of nearly unimaginable proportions. Its incidence is approaching 25% of the general population over 60. With the devel Continue reading >>

Low Testosterone Levels And Type 2 Diabetes

Low Testosterone Levels and Type 2 Diabetes A new study has found that a significant number of men who have Type 2 diabetes may have low testosterone levels, a condition that can trigger erectile dysfunction but can be treated with testosterone replacement therapy. The study, published in the April 2007 issue of the journal Diabetes Care, looked at 355 men over the age of 30 who had Type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that 17% of these men had low testosterone levels, and an additional 25% had borderline low levels of the male sex hormone. Obesity, as measured by body-mass index and waist circumference, was strongly associated with low testosterone levels in men. Of the men in the study who were found to have low testosterone levels, 70% reported erectile dysfunction and 63% reported low sex drive. The major symptoms of low testosterone levels tend to be low sex drive, reduced erection strength, reduced physical strength, fatigue, and changes in mood. As we revealed in the previous blog entry Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction: Two New Studies, erectile dysfunction is reported by about half of men with diabetes, with increasing age being an important factor. Testosterone levels also decline in men with age. Other factors that may play a role in causing erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes are impaired circulation from blood vessel damage and neuropathy , or nerve damage. A combination of factors is often responsible for erectile dysfunction. Other studies have shown that men with erectile dysfunction who do not improve with use of sildenafil (brand name Viagra) are often found to have low testosterone levels. Whats more, 60% of these men do see improvement when testosterone replacement therapy is added to the sildenafil treatment. Testosterone replacement therap Continue reading >>

Type 2 Sex & Diabetes: Is Testosterone The Wonder Drug?

Dear Diabetes Health, I am 57 years old. About five years ago, I saw my doctor because I was feeling tired. My waist size was up, and I was not interested in sex. I almost never got an erection. The doctor diagnosed type 2 diabetes and put me on metformin. He also prescribed Viagra, which helped sometimes, but not all the time. My last A1c was 7.3%, but my sex drive is still missing in action. The Viagra isn’t working anymore. It’s difficult for my wife, and I don’t like it either. I don’t want to have injections in my penis or stuff like that, but I’m feeling really down about this. Do you have any advice for me? – Jim in Michigan Dear Jim, We’re not doctors, but you have the classic symptoms of low testosterone. Feeling tired and sad, gaining fat, and losing interest in sex all point to problems with testosterone, or “T,” as it’s often called. You should get tested because there are medical and self-care things that you can do to increase your T levels. The good news is that these things are very good for diabetes, too. Men with diabetes are more than twice as likely as other men to have low T levels. In fact, more than 50 percent of men with diabetes have low T levels. According to Professor Evan David Rosen, M.D., Ph.D., this is not simply due to aging testicles. There is a connection between type 2 (possibly type 1 as well) and low T. According to urology professor Abraham Morgentaler, “Normal T is helpful for diabetes control. T therapy increases muscle mass and lowers body fat, and both of these changes are helpful with blood sugar control. This supports the idea that normalizing T may be helpful for diabetes.” Studies show that raising T levels lowers insulin resistance, improves cholesterol levels, and reduces abdominal fat in men with t Continue reading >>

Is It Safe To Take Supplements If You Have Diabetes?

You will find supplements for anything and everything these days. Even when you do not suffer from an ailment, supplements are suggested to keep you healthy and ailment-free. According to CDC, use of supplements is common among US adult population – over 50% adults used supplements during 2003-2006, with multivitamins/multiminerals being the most commonly used. So when you are a diabetic, especially if you have prediabetes and type-2 diabetes, you may find yourself confronting a large number of options for supplements that claim to support, reduce and even cure your diabetes. Diabetes is quite a frustrating disorder and you may find yourself tempted to try out these supplements one after another. But is it really safe to take supplements when you are a diabetic? Let us find out. But before that you need to understand what exactly supplements are. Defining Supplements As the name suggests, a supplement is anything that adds on to something. A dietary supplement is therefore something that one takes in addition to one’s diet to get proper nutrition. US Congress in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act defines dietary supplements as having the following characteristics: It is a product that is intended to supplement the diet; It contains one or more dietary ingredients (including vitamins, minerals, herbs and other botanicals, amino acids, and other substances) or their constituents; It is intended to be taken by mouth as a pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid; It is not represented for use as a conventional food or as sole item of a mean or a diet; and, It is labeled on the front panel as being a dietary supplement. Now let us look at some general benefits and risks of taking supplements. We will discuss these in context of diabetes later in the article. Benefit Continue reading >>

The Effect Of Testosterone Supplement On Insulin Sensitivity, Glucose Effectiveness, And Acute Insulin Response After Glucose Load In Male Type 2 Diabetics.

Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. Our understanding of the effect of androgens on insulin action and glucose metabolism is incomplete. Several different models and methods have been used to study androgen effects, with some studies indicating that higher testosterone levels are associated with increased insulin resistance. In polycystic ovary syndrome, where high testosterone levels are frequently found, affected patients have a higher risk of diabetes. In contrast, increased insulin resistance was found in both hypergonadotropic and hypogonadotropic men with hypoandrogenism, patients with Klinefelter's syndrome and men with idiopathic gonadotropin deficiency. Insulin resistance is considered to be one of the cornerstones in the state that ultimately leads to clinically established type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, men with type 2 diabetes have relative hypogonadism. Therefore, supplementation with testosterone might play a role in improving both insulin resistance and hypogonadism. The study population consisted of 11 male patients with type 2 diabetes. Their mean age was 57.7 +/- 3.41 years, the body mass index (BMI) was 24.4 +/- 1.02 kg/m2, and the waist-to-hip ratio (W/H) was 0.91 +/- 0.05. The patients were all treated with oral hypoglycemic agents. The men received androgen injections every 3 weeks intramuscularly for 12 weeks. The injections were testosterone depot 100 mg/3 weeks. Insulin sensitivity, glucose effectiveness and area under acute insulin response were calculated from "minimal model" algorithms. There were no significant differences in the value of BMI, W/H ratios, plasma lipid concentrations, testosterone, homeostasis model assessment (HOM Continue reading >>