Mixed
Transdermal TRT has a minimal or inconsistent effect on reducing fat mass (FM) in men with spinal cord injury, unlike its consistent effect on increasing lean body mass.
While testosterone therapy will likely help you build muscle, don't expect it to automatically melt away fat if you have a spinal cord injury. Your reduced mobility and lower energy expenditure make fat loss harder to achieve through hormones alone. You may need to focus more on dietary adjustments and any possible physical activity to see changes in fat mass, even as your muscle mass improves.
In individuals with SCI, TRT treatment had no beneficial impact on FM (0.3 kg). However, relative to the control group, participants on average gained 1.2 kg less FM over the course of 12 months.
Why this rating
Based on pooled data from able-bodied men showing FM reduction, but one small SCI trial showing no significant FM change.
Source
Body composition changes with testosterone replacement therapy following spinal cord injury and aging: A mini review
Tom E. Nightingale et al. · Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine · 2017
DOI 10.1080/10790268.2017.1357917
More from this paper
- Transdermal testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) increases lean body mass (LBM) in men with spinal cord injury (SCI) and hypogonadism, with effects comparable to or greater than those seen in able-bodied elderly men.Moderate
- Transdermal TRT improves metabolic markers, including resting energy expenditure (REE) and HDL cholesterol, in men with spinal cord injury, potentially reducing cardiovascular disease risk.Moderate
Related findings · Mixed
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- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
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