Can Low Testosterone Cause Belly Fat? (From A Doctor)

The primary function of testosterone is to produce masculine features such as a deeper voice, improved lean muscle mass, stronger bones, and body and facial hair growth.

People start producing testosterone as early as eight weeks after birth.

This hormone's levels rise during adolescence, peak in the late teenage years, and then fall. It is normal for a man's testosterone levels to fall slightly each year after the age of 30 [1].

Testosterone levels have an impact on every aspect of a person's life, from the reproductive tract and libido to muscles and bone mass.

It also influences some behaviors, such as irritability and agility [2].

Symptoms like erectile dysfunction, fatigue, depression, weakness, hair loss, and excess belly fat might indicate lower-than-normal testosterone levels.

If you experience any of these signs, especially when they occur together, low testosterone is most likely the cause.

If that is the case, your doctor may prescribe testosterone replacement therapy to deal with the issue.

With all this in mind, a deficiency not only inhibits muscle development and maintenance but might also increase weight.

Yes, low testosterone is linked to belly fat as fat cells contain an enzyme called aromatase that converts testosterone into estrogen leading to testosterone deficiency.

The hormonal imbalance, in turn, leads to more belly fat.

Around midlife, testosterone levels start to decrease steadily, predisposing you to excess belly fat, especially obesity-related visceral fat present in the intra-abdominal regions.

Several studies have found a substantial link between low T levels and abdominal obesity [3].

According to some research, low testosterone levels predispose certain men to fats, whereas obesity leads this male hormone to decline dramatically in others.

Even though the sequence of events is not entirely apparent, there is a definite connection between the two.

In a study of weight-to-height ratio, the researchers found that a man's waist size is the best indicator of low levels of testosterone [4].

Since testosterone helps develop and maintain muscle mass, low testosterone makes you lose muscles.

When you lose muscle mass, fat replaces it more quickly, making you have a rounder and softer physique.

Adequate amounts of testosterone can counteract muscle mass loss and lead to significant weight loss.

“Lean muscle mass and calorie expenditure are reduced when testosterone levels are low. As a result, a deficit may cause extra weight gain over time.”

- Atli Arnarson, PhD