Testosterone therapy reduces hepatic steatosis in men with type 2 diabetes and low serum testosterone concentrations
Ross Apostolov, Emily Gianatti, Darren Wong, Numan Kutaiba, Paul Gow, Mathis Grossmann, Marie Sinclair
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly prevalent in people with diabetes with no available treatment. AIM: To explore the effect of testosterone treatment on liver. Testosterone therapy improves insulin resistance and reduces total body fat, but its impact on the liver remains poorly studied. METHODS: This secondary analysis of a 40 wk, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of intramuscular testosterone undecanoate in men with type 2 diabetes and lowered serum testosterone concentrations evaluated the change in hepatic steatosis as measured by liver fat fraction on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RESULTS: 0.001). CONCLUSION: Testosterone therapy was associated with a reduction in hepatic steatosis in men with diabetes and low serum testosterone. Future randomised studies of testosterone therapy in men with NAFLD focusing on liver-related endpoints are therefore justified.