- 4 min read
Year to date, the global data indicates higher COVID-19 cases among men than women. In Malaysia, nearly 7 out of 10 Covid-19 victims are men, and male patients have almost three times the odds of requiring intensive treatment unit admission and higher odds of death compared to females. The risk of mortality is higher if at the same time, you are over the age of 50.
Men with Low Testosterone level has a higher risk of getting severe COVID-19 complication!
Recently published research has highlighted the potential role of testosterone in the severity of illness in male patients infected with SARS-CoV-2.[1] The male patients who died had significantly lower mean testosterone levels than the patients who were alive. This points to the important role of testosterone is associated with the immune system of respiratory organs, and low levels of testosterone might increase the risk of respiratory infections. [1]
Testosterone is a hormone that plays a crucial role in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. It has been known that testosterone has a significant influence on body fat composition and muscle mass in men. Men with low levels of testosterone are more likely to get chronic illnesses that are often associated with hospitalisation and mortality in ICU patients. A low level of total and free testosterone is linked with the increased risk of obesity, coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), where these Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) are the risk factors leading to high mortality rate in Covid-19 patients.
In Malaysia, 80% of covid-19 death reported having at least one underlying health condition, which diabetes mellitus is the most common risk factor among them. Multiple studies show low testosterone increases the risk of T2DM by 3-4 fold. [2,3]
Look out for signs & symptoms of Low Testosterone.
Men need to have a healthy testosterone level to maintain an optimal health level. Signs and symptoms of low testosterone include:
Sleep disturbance - frequently wakes up at night (insomnia)
Reduced sex drive (low libido)
Sexual dysfunction
Infertility
Emotional changes
Decreased muscle strength
Weight gain with expanding waistline
Feeling tired all the time (fatigue)
How to Optimise Your Testosterone Level
Having optimal testosterone level not only reduce covid-19 complication, but can also improve your mood and energy, boost your libido, and help with muscle mass and bone density.
To optimise testosterone levels, other than taking a supplement; one also needs to:
Get enough sleep - Lack of sleep causes numerous health issues. Notably, it decreases testosterone production [4,5,6] and facilitates fat gain. [7]
Exercise regularly - Resistance training can raise testosterone levels for 15–30 minutes post-exercise. [8,9] More importantly, it can benefit testosterone production in the long run by improving body composition and reducing insulin resistance.[8]
Good weight management - Weight gain and the associated chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes,[10,11] are strongly linked to decreases in testosterone, particularly in middle-aged and older men. If you gain weight (as fat), your testosterone production drops. Fortunately, if you lose weight, your testosterone production can climb back up.
Activates Testosterone & Boost Up the Protection with Testofen®
Testofen®, made from the extraction of a special Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) seed, helps to reduce the symptoms of Low Testosterone by increasing the level of the body’s active testosterone.
Testofen® is not a hormone, and it works naturally by releasing the body's protein-bounded testosterone (non-active) so that more active testosterone can start to work effectively in the body. Only active testosterone can benefit your body and make you feel more alert and energized, without the undesirable side effects.
In just 8 weeks, taking Testofen® together with regular resistance exercise were reported to help increase active testosterone levels, which provide direct benefits of optimal testosterone level such as improved men’s vitality, energy and better health condition.
Activates testosterone with AndroGuard! Available in LAZADA and your nearby pharmacy stores.
Want to know about the science behind AndroGuard? Click HERE
References:
https://wchh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tre.773 Testosterone deficiency in men infected with COVID-19Geoffrey Hackett, Consultant in Sexual Medicine;1 Michael Kirby, Editor21. University Hospitals, Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust; 2. Trends in Urology and Men’s Health
Bakker LEH, Sleddering MA, Schoones JW, et al. Pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes in South Asians. Eur J Endocrinol 2013;169(5): R99‐R114. doi.10.1530/EJE‐13‐0307.Google Scholar
Heald AH, Patel J, Anderson SG, et al. Migration is associated with lower total, but not free testosterone levels in South Asian men. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2007;67(5):651‐5. doi.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365‐2265.2007.02856.x.
Cote KA, et al. Sleep deprivation lowers reactive aggression and testosterone in men. Biol Psychol (2013)
Penev PD. Association between sleep and morning testosterone levels in older men. Sleep (2007)
González-Santos MR, et al. Sleep deprivation and adaptive hormonal responses of healthy men. Arch Androl (1989)
Nedeltcheva AV, et al. Insufficient sleep undermines dietary efforts to reduce adiposity. Ann Intern Med (2010)
O'Leary CB, Hackney AC. Acute and chronic effects of resistance exercise on the testosterone and cortisol responses in obese males: a systematic review. Physiol Res (2014)
Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA. Hormonal responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training. Sports Med (2005)
Grossmann M. Low testosterone in men with type 2 diabetes: significance and treatment. J Clin Endocrinol Metab (2011)
Tajar A, et al. Characteristics of secondary, primary, and compensated hypogonadism in ageing men: evidence from the European Male Ageing Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab (2010)
