If you are a man over 40 and have symptoms of low testosterone, such as decreased libido or erectile difficulties, you may have low testosterone.

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Testosterone replacement therapy can not only excel as a form of natural cholesterol control, it can help with numerous cardiovascular risk factors. A number of doctors around the world who specialize in the treatment of testosterone deficiency in men are on a crusade to get the general medical community to start recognizing and treating testosterone deficiency and to understand links between low testosterone symptoms and cardiovascular disease. These crusaders want to spread awareness about the prevalence of testosterone deficiency in aging men and the important connections between low testosterone and cardiovascular risk factors like high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and males’ expanding waistlines.

Study shows testosterone replacement therapy in men with low testosterone can be a safe form of natural cholesterol control

Dr. Michael Zitzmann, a researcher at the Center of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology at the University of Muenster, Germany, reported on data he and fellow researchers collected from 334 men with low testosterone who received testosterone replacement therapy for a maximum of fifteen years. Over the course of their treatment, the men experienced significant reductions in LDL cholesterol from an average of 157mg/dl to 110 mg/dl. Meanwhile, their “good” HDL-Cholesterol improved from 38 mg/dl to 53 mg/dl. And, their triglyceride levels were significantly lower as well, going from an average of 198 mg/dl to 145 mg/dl. These excellent improvements were accompanied by significant improvements in weight, waist circumference, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. Overall, the testosterone replacement therapy was well-tolerated and considered safe. Dr. Zitzmann and the other authors concluded that this testosterone replacement therapy facilitated the decrease in the men’s cardiovascular risk factors.

Additional research confirms testosterone’s role in natural cholesterol control

Despite the fact that testosterone deficiency in aging men is under-recognized and undertreated, this was by no means the first study to report testosterone replacement therapy’s role in natural cholesterol control and the control of other cardiovascular risk factors. The TIMES2 Study (Testosterone Replacement Therapy in Hypogonadal Men With Type 2 Diabetes and/or Metabolic Syndrome) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 220 men with low testosterone and either diabetes or its cousin, metabolic syndrome.[2] After six months of applying testosterone gel daily, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein (a), another exceptionally dangerous form of cholesterol, all decreased compared to baseline and were significantly lower compared to the placebo group’s levels.

In another randomized clinical trial, men with low testosterone levels along with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes were prescribed a supervised diet and exercise either with or without testosterone gel.[3] HDL cholesterol and triglycerides both significantly improved in both groups, as expected, but the men who also received the testosterone replacement therapy experienced greater improvements than the men in the diet and exercise only group.

More than just natural cholesterol control: testosterone also lowers inflammation and blood sugar and improves body composition

After 52 weeks of treatment, all the participants also had significantly lower blood sugar levels and waist sizes. Furthermore, 81% of the patients in the testosterone group no longer had metabolic syndrome, whereas only 31% of the diet and exercise alone participants did. In addition to their improved cholesterol and triglycerides, the testosterone groups’ insulin sensitivity improved and inflammation levels were lower. Clearly, the testosterone replacement therapy not only helped with natural cholesterol control, it made quite a difference in the men’s ability to improve their health and reduce their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Natural cholesterol control for men over 40 involves testosterone and more

If you are a man over 40 and have symptoms of low testosterone, such as decreased libido or erectile difficulties, you may have low testosterone. If this is the case for you, testosterone replacement therapy can literally be a lifesaver. It will be important for you to locate an integrative or naturopathic physician who has experience working with bioidentical hormones, a safer kind of hormone replacement therapy. This type doctor can then test your current hormone levels and if needed, prescribe bioidentical testosterone to bring your levels up into the normal, healthy range. Not only can this work as a form of natural cholesterol control, it can benefit your mood, energy levels, body composition, sexual function, and more.

Combining hormone replacement therapy with other natural therapies for cholesterol and triglycerides in a comprehensive, holistic way can lead to even better results.

Originally published in 2015, this post has been updated.

[1] Endocr Rev. 33(03 Meeting Abstracts):SAT-117.

[2] Diabetes Care. 2011 Apr;34(4):828-37.

[3] J Androl. 2009 Nov-Dec;30(6):726-33.