Elevated Body Mass Index Is Associated with Secondary Hypogonadism Among Men Presenting to a Tertiary Academic Medical Center

The Effects of Long-Term Self-Dosing of Cannabidiol on Drowsiness, Testosterone Levels, and Liver Function

Introduction

Previous research indicated that cannabidiol (CBD) may result in low levels of male total testosterone (TT), elevations in liver tests (LTs), and daytime drowsiness (DD). We investigated the prevalences of TT and LT in a large adult sample self-administering CBD and determined the effect self-dosing of CBD has on the severity of DD.

Methods

Adult participants (18-75 years of age) who self-dose CBD orally for a minimum of 30 days were recruited for this decentralized observational study from companies that offer CBD products. Participants were sent their usual CBD regimen. A clinical study platform was used on a phone app to obtain consent and collect study data. Data included demographic information, reasons for self-dosing, dosage, current medications and dosage, medical history, adverse effects, effects on DD, and efficacy. After 30 days, LT and TT were obtained and follow-up LT was offered to participants who demonstrated elevated values of alanine transaminase (ALT).

Results

A total of 28,121 individuals were contacted, 1,475 met the criteria and were enrolled, and 1,061 (female: 65.2%, male: 34.8%) completed the study. Most of the participants used full-spectrum CBD oil or CBD isolate with the mean ± SD daily dose of CBD for all users of 55.4 ± 37.8 mg. CBD use was associated with a significant decrease in DD and a decrease in the prevalence of low TT in males >40 years of age. The prevalences of elevations in ALT and aspartate aminotransferase were not significantly different from those of the general adult population, and the prevalences of elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin were less than those of a healthy adult population. There was no relationship between LT and CBD dose.

Conclusions

In this large-sample study, self-dosing CBD was not associated with an increased prevalence of elevation of LT or low levels of TT in men. Furthermore, CBD administration decreased DD and was associated with a lower prevalence of low testosterone levels in older men as compared to age-adjusted population norms.

Anti-obesity weight loss medications: Short-term and long-term use

As obesity prevalence increases, more and more drugs that assist with weight loss have been developed. Numerous weight loss drugs had been approved, but many have also been withdrawn based on their lack of efficacy as well as safety concerns. Initial approaches in developing weight loss drugs was by increasing physiological energy expenditure and suppressing the appetite. Subsequently, as more physiological mechanisms for weight gain has been unearthed, drugs targeting newly discovered receptors and/or enzymes have been introduced with improved safety profiles and fewer psychological adverse events. Additionally, drugs targeting hunger or satiety signaling have been actively studied, and have shown increased adoption by physicians. Studies have also evaluated drugs that target metabolic tissues-such as adipose tissue or muscle-to promote weight loss, however to-date nothing has carried on into clinical practice. Starting with a brief history of early obesity treatments, this review evaluates current weight loss pharmaceutical options based on their duration of therapy status.

Low-grade inflammation in survivors of childhood cancer and testicular cancer and its association with hypogonadism and metabolic risk factors

Background

In childhood (CCS) and testicular cancer (TCS) survivors, low-grade inflammation may represent a link between testosterone deficiency (hypogonadism) and risk of metabolic syndrome. We aimed to study levels of inflammatory markers in CCS and TCS and the association with hypogonadism and future cardio-metabolic risk factors.

Methods

Serum levels of inflammatory markers and testosterone were analyzed in CCS (n = 90), and TCS (n = 64, median time from diagnosis: 20 and 2.0 years, respectively), and in controls (n = 44). Differences in levels between patients and controls were calculated using univariate analysis of variance. T-test and logistic regression were applied to compare levels of cardio-metabolic risk factors and odds ratio (OR) of hypogonadism and metabolic syndrome in low and high inflammatory marker groups after 4–12 years of follow up. Adjustment for age, smoking, and active cancer was made.

Results

TCS and CCS, as compared to controls, had 1.44 (95%CI 1.06–1.96) and 1.25 (95 CI 1.02–1.53) times higher levels of IL-8, respectively. High IL-6 levels were associated with hypogonadism at baseline (OR 2.83, 95%CI 1.25–6.43) and the association was stronger for high IL-6 combined with low IL-10 levels (OR 3.10, 95%CI 1.37–7.01). High IL-6 levels were also associated with higher BMI, waist circumference, insulin, and HbA1c at follow up. High TNF-α was associated with higher diastolic blood pressure. No individual inflammatory marker was significantly associated with risk of metabolic syndrome at follow up. High IL-6 combined with low IL-10 levels were associated with risk of metabolic syndrome (OR 3.83, 95%CI 1.07–13.75), however not statistically significantly after adjustment.

Conclusion

TCS and CCS present with low-grade inflammation. High IL-6 levels were associated with hypogonadism and cardio-metabolic risk factors. Low IL-10 levels might reinforce the IL-6 mediated risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09253-5.

U-shaped association between prevalence of secondary hypogonadism and body mass index: a retrospective analysis of men with testosterone deficiency

The prevalence of both obesity and hypogonadism in the United States has increased over the past two decades. While prior studies have shown an association between obesity and secondary hypogonadism-low testosterone and luteinizing hormone-few have used a large enough sample size to determine prevalence at each body mass index class. We aimed to compare rates of secondary hypogonadism among body mass index classes by constructing a retrospective database with men who had their body mass index, morning testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels measured during a visit to a urology clinic at a tertiary academic medical center between 2011-2020. Men previously on testosterone replacement therapy, Clomiphene, or Anastrozole were excluded. Chi-squared analysis was conducted in "R". We found that among the 7211 men studied, 45.7%, 22.6%, and 4.4% were classified as having diagnosis of secondary, primary, and compensated hypogonadism, respectively. We found that obese men and underweight men had increased prevalence of secondary hypogonadism as compared to men with normal body mass index. These findings support the need for routine screening criteria and personalized advice to patients dealing with secondary hypogonadism.

Advances in stem cell research for the treatment of primary hypogonadism

In Leydig cell dysfunction, cells respond weakly to stimulation by pituitary luteinizing hormone, and, therefore, produce less testosterone, leading to primary hypogonadism. The most widely used treatment for primary hypogonadism is testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). However, TRT causes infertility and has been associated with other adverse effects, such as causing erythrocytosis and gynaecomastia, worsening obstructive sleep apnoea and increasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality risks. Stem-cell-based therapy that re-establishes testosterone-producing cell lineages in the body has, therefore, become a promising prospect for treating primary hypogonadism. Over the past two decades, substantial advances have been made in the identification of Leydig cell sources for use in transplantation surgery, including the artificial induction of Leydig-like cells from different types of stem cells, for example, stem Leydig cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). PSC-derived Leydig-like cells have already provided a powerful in vitro model to study the molecular mechanisms underlying Leydig cell differentiation and could be used to treat men with primary hypogonadism in a more specific and personalized approach.

Prevalence of late-onset hypogonadism among middle-aged and elderly males in China: results from a national survey

This study aimed to propose an operational definition of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) that incorporates both clinical symptoms and serum testosterone measurements to evaluate the prevalence of LOH in aging males in China. A population-based sample of 6296 men aged 40 years-79 years old was enrolled from six representative provinces in China. Serum total testosterone (TT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured and free testosterone (cFT) was calculated. The Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale was used to evaluate the LOH symptoms. Finally, 5078 men were included in this analysis. The TT levels did not decrease with age (P = 0.59), and had no relationship with AMS symptoms (P = 0.87 for AMS total score, P = 0.74 for ≥ 3 sexual symptoms). The cFT levels decreased significantly with age (P < 0.01) and showed a negative association with the presence of ≥ 3 sexual symptoms (P = 0.03). The overall estimated prevalence of LOH was 7.8% (395/5078) if a cFT level <210 pmol l^-1 combined with the presence of ≥ 3 sexual symptoms was used as the criterion of LOH. Among them, 26.1% (103/395) and 73.9% (292/395) had primary and secondary hypogonadism, respectively. After adjustment for confounding factors, primary and secondary hypogonadism was positively related to age and comorbidities. Body mass index was an independent risk factor for secondary hypogonadism. The results suggest that the AMS total score is not an appropriate indicator for decreased testosterone, and that the cFT level is more reliable than TT for LOH diagnosis. Secondary hypogonadism is the most common form of LOH.

Anti-Obesity Drugs: Long-Term Efficacy and Safety: An Updated Review

As a chronic and relapsing disease, obesity negatively impacts the health of men to a greater extent than that of women, with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Since lifestyle modifications alone are often challenging and limited for the maintenance of weight reduction, pharmacotherapy should be considered in a timely manner for obese men or overweight patients with weight-related comorbidities. Recent advances in anti-obesity drugs have enabled the potential of achieving clinically significant weight loss. Increasing evidence has shown that behavior-based interventions with one of these medications can result in greater weight loss than that elicited by usual care conditions. Data from most recent meta-analyses showed that the overall placebo-subtracted weight reduction (%) with the use of anti-obesity drugs for at least 12 months ranges from 2.9% to 6.8%; phentermine/topiramate (−6.8%) liraglutide (−5.4%), naltrexone/bupropion (−4.0%), lorcaserin (−3.1%), and orlistat (−2.9%). However, they have a high cost and may cause adverse outcomes depending on the individual. Very recently, on February 13, 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration requested withdrawal of lorcaserin from the market because a safety clinical trial showed an increased occurrence of cancer. Therefore the decision to initiate drug therapy in obese individuals should be made after the benefits and risks are considered. Thereafter, treatment should be tailored to specific patient subpopulations depending on their chronic conditions, comorbidities, and preferences. Herein, we provide an overview of the latest developments in weight loss medications, which may serve as one of the strategies for long-term obesity control.

Association of low testosterone with changes in non-cardiovascular biomarkers in adult men

Testosterone has effects on many organs and systems. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that low testosterone is associated with changes in various non-cardiovascular biomarkers in men older than 40 who were tested for possible hypogonadism. We extracted data from 9939 outpatient men who were over 40 years old (median age 56) and who also had concurrent laboratory measurements of total testosterone and one or more biomarkers of interest: estradiol, uric acid, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone, creatinine, bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), creatine kinase, hemoglobin A1c, and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D, and body mass index (BMI). In a smaller exploratory study of 19 otherwise healthy men presenting for evaluation of possible hypogonadism, pre-albumin (a.k.a.transthyretin, a marker of anabolism) and testosterone were measured. Men with lower levels of testosterone had significantly (p < 0.001) lower mean levels of PSA, SHBG, luteinizing hormone, and estradiol. Overall, men with low levels of testosterone also had significantly (p < 0.001) higher mean levels of LDH and BAP, but these associations varied between men who were younger or older than 56 years. There was a moderate but statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.63, p < 0.05) between testosterone levels and pre-albumin. These results confirm our hypothesis that testosterone deficiency is associated with a broad range of systemic changes demonstrable in hormonal and non-hormonal serum assays in men over 40 years old being tested for possible hypogonadism.

Comparison of Anthropometric Measures for Evaluating the Association Between Hypogonadism and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Hormones in a Taiwanese Population

To investigate the degree of association between levels of sex hormones and anthropometric indices in male population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between July 2014 and July, 2016, in a men's health polyclinic in Taiwan. Body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and conicity index were tested. Serum total testosterone, free testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) were measured. Decreased testosterone levels were correlated with the four indices (r = -0.09 to -0.27, p < 0.01). In hypogonadism group, DHEA-S deficiency was associated with older age, higher anthropometric indices, and chronic illness. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of hypogonadism and DHEA-S deficiency by the four anthropometric indices ranged from 52.5% to 65.9%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that obesity, defined by the four indices, was associated with increased risk of hypogonadism. Moreover, obesity was also associated with increased risk and DHEA-S deficiency. Anthropometric indices analyzed are associated with lower testosterone and DEAH-S deficiency. A WHtR of 0.5 is suggested to be a simple and reliable indicator of hypogonadism and DHEA-S deficiency.