Effects of testosterone treatment on body composition in males with testosterone deficiency syndrome

Figures & data

Table 1. Patient baseline characteristics.

Characteristic (mean)	Mean value (SD)
Age, years	59.1 (5.6)
Range, years	50–65
Height, cm	169.4 (6.0)
Weight, kg	83.4 (12.2)
BMI, kg/m^2	29.0 (3.8)
Systolic blood pressure, mmHg	139.0 (14.3)
Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg	78.5 (8.5)
Heart rate, bpm	76.0 (7.9)
Total testosterone, nmol/l	10.2 (3.6)
Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), nmol/l	40.8 (26.3)
Albumin, g/l	22.3 (3.8)
Calculated free testosterone, nmol/l	0.2 (0.1)
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), nmol/l	2.0 (1.8)
Androstenediol gluconate, pg/l	7.4 (4.7)
Cholesterol, mmol/l	5.0 (0.9)
HDL cholesterol, mmol/l	1.4 (0.3)
LDL cholesterol, mmol/l	3.8 (0.6)
Triglycerides, mmol/l	1.6 (0.8)
Glucose, mmol/l	6.7 (2.7)
Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), %	5.5 (1.4)
Glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), ukat/l	0.6 (0.5)
Glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), ukat/l	0.6 (0.5)
γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), ukat/l	1.3 (2.6)
Erythrocytes	4.8 (0.4)
Hemoglobin, g/dl	14.6 (1.2)
Hematocrit, %	44.2 (3.6)
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), ug/l	1.1 (0.8)
International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS)	3.3 (3.8)
Aging Males Symptoms scale (AMS) score	44.0 (6.9)

BMI = body mass index; SD = standard deviation.

Figure 1. Changes in lean mass.

Table 2. Changes in body composition (lean and fat body mass) after treatment with testosterone.

	Baseline	Month 12			Month 24
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	% change	p Value	Mean (SD)	% change	p Value
Total lean mass	51.7 (5.9)	52.9 (6.3)	2.3	<0.001	54.0 (6.6)	4.5	<0.001
% lean mass relative to body mass	65.5 (5.6)	66.1 (5.7)	2.5	<0.001	67.9 (5.8)	5.2	<0.001
Lean mass arms	6.0 (0.8)	6.2 (0.9)	4.6	<0.001	6.4 (1.1)	7.7	<0.001
% lean mass arms relative to body mass	7.5 (0.8)	7.8 (0.8)	4.5	<0.001	8.1 (0.9)	8.1	<0.001
Lean mass legs	16.8 (2.5)	17.2 (2.7)	2.8	0.005	17.6 (3.7)	5.3	<0.001
% lean mass legs relative to body mass	20.8 (2.0)	21.4 (1.9)	2.8	0.001	22.0 (2.1)	5.3	<0.001
Lean mass trunk	25.2 (2.9)	25.6 (3.1)	1.6	0.028	26.1 (2.8)	3.6	<0.001
Total fat	29.1 (7.7)	27.8 (7.8)	−4.2	0.003	26.4 (7.4)	−9.1	<0.001
% total fat relative to body mass	35.5 (5.6)	33.9 (5.7)	−4.4	<0.001	32.2 (5.8)	−9.2	<0.001
Android fat	3.3 (1.0)	3.1 (1.0)	−4.3	0.054	3.0 (1.1)	−9.4	<0.001
Gynecoid fat	4.4 (1.5)	4.2 (1.5)	−4.8	<0.001	3.9 (1.5)	−10.5	<0.001

SD = standard deviation.

Figure 2. Changes in fat mass.

Table 3. Changes in clinical, biochemical and hormonal parameters.

	Baseline	Month 12		Month 24
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	p Value*	Mean (SD)	p Value*
Clinical
AMS	44.0 (6.9)	27.9 (7.9)	<0.001	23.9 (6.0)	<0.001
IPSS	3.3 (3.8)	4.1 (4.8)	0.037	4.7 (5.9)	0.033
Biochemical
Hemoglobin (g/l)	14.6 (1.2)	15.5 (1.3)	<0.001	16.1 (1.5)	<0.001
Hematocrit (%)	44.2 (3.6)	47.1 (3.9)	<0.001	48.4 (4.6)	<0.001
Cholesterol (mmol/l)	5.0 (0.9)	4.9 (0.9)	0.259	4.9 (0.9)	0.424
PSA (ng/ml)	1.1 (0.8)	1.3 (1.3)	0.046	1.5 (1.5)	0.007
Hormonal
Total testosterone (nmol/l)	10.2 (3.6)	19.2 (10.1)	<0.001	19.2 (8.7)	<0.001
Free testosterone (nmol/l)	0.2 (0.1)	0.4 (0.3)	<0.001	0.4 (0.2)	<0.001
SHBG (nmol/l)	40.8 (26.3)	36.3 (23.9)	0.005	37.5 (17.9)	0.085
DHT (nmol/l)	2034.3 (1794.5)	3506.5 (2593.6)	0.037	−	−
Androstenediol gluconate (pg/l)	7.43 (4.7)	12.7 (7.4)	<0.001	−	−

SD = standard deviation, IPSS = International Prostate Symptom Score; AMS = Aging Males Symptoms scale; DHT = dihydrotestosterone.