Testosterone is one of the most important and used hormones within the male body. Almost everything you see on yourself is from your testosterone and just as easily as it changes your body for the better, it can change your body for the worse. Keeping your body healthy is important for more reasons than one. By keeping yourself healthy, it can stop a domino effect from happening within your system and cause more issues than necessary.
Diabetes and low testosterone are linked from both angles and have a lot to do with each other when it comes to the existence of them in your body. By keeping your body fit and your diet and exercise up to par, the option of diabetes may not be in your future. However, no matter what, the two are closely linked and should be acknowledged.
How Does Testosterone Show Itself
Every man will have a certain level of testosterone inside of them for most of their life. You may see it appear in the form of body hair, muscles, strength, voice development, and fertility. In the end, testosterone is a very important hormone within the male body. Outside of physical appearance, testosterone also has a part in where the fat is stored within your body, bone density, muscle mass, and libido levels.
For the most part, the levels of testosterone in men stay consistent and there are no major highs or lows. However, if there are other medical concerns going on such as being over or underweight, excessive drinking or smoking, or certain medications are being taken, then your testosterone levels may change. Forever male, testosterone levels will slowly start to decrease with age, however, if there are other factors going on, the levels may change sooner.
How Diabetes and Testosterone Link
Testosterone levels and diabetes go hand in hand. A man with diabetes is more likely to have low testosterone and a man with low testosterone may also have diabetes. It just depends on the man to see what caused what.
Since testosterone levels can change where fat is stored within the body, it can have a large impact on health. If the testosterone is distributing fat more through the visceral fat, fat stored in the abdominal organs, then it is more likely that type 2 diabetes can occur.
Men with low testosterone may also be more insulin resistant than others. This means that they will need to create more insulin to deal with the extra blood sugar. However, if they can not, diabetes may appear.
How to Help Against Low Testosterone
While diabetes may be something many men see, there are ways to help keep your levels of testosterone at normal stages.
Exercise such as strength training has been known to increase testosterone levels. This type of exercise can also help against any fat gain and keep your body healthy.
Raising the amount of vitamin D in your life can also help raise testosterone levels. Adding certain fish, cheese, and egg yolks could help raise vitamin D.
Lastly, a huge contributor to lower testosterone is stress levels. If you are able to lower your stress and work on your mental health, you may see a rise in your testosterone levels. Exercising, journaling, spending time with friends and family, and doing hobbies are just a few ways to help reduce stress.
While diabetes and low testosterone are linked, there is no reason to put your health on the back burner. There are more reasons than one to keep your physical and mental health the priority in your life.
