Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Two widely reported studies showed a link between low
testosterone and heart attacks in diabetics. This does not mean
that low testosterone was the cause of the heart attacks
(International Journal of Impotence Research, July 2006). It is
more likely that diabetes damages arteries to cause heart attacks
and it also damages the testicles to cause a low testosterone.
Men with low testosterone are far more likely to store fat
primarily in their bellies, which means they also store fat in their
livers. This interferes with the liver's ability to remove insulin
from the bloodstream after it has done its job of driving insulin
from the bloodstream into cells. These people develop high
blood sugar levels which causes sugar to attach to the surface of
cell membranes, in this case on the testicles, and damage them
to cause low levels of testosterone.
If you are a man who stores fat primarily in your belly,
check with your doctor to get blood tests for cholesterol and
diabetes (HBA1C), and check for high blood pressure. If your
HBA1C is high, you are diabetic and should immediately start a
diet that is low in refined carbohydrates, lose weight and see if it
is safe for you to start an exercise program. More
September 15, 2006