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Being overweight may now be a matter of life and death

 

 

Whilst age still remains the strongest risk factor for covid-19, being male or having specific medical conditions are also major factors, but as we cannot change age, weight may be the one risk factor we can neutralize.

 

The reason why obesity is a particular risk factor isn’t fully understood and more research is needed. But cardiologist David Kass, who works at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and co-led a study that linked higher BMI (body mass index) to more severe cases of Covid-19, has a few theories.

 

One of them is to do with inflammation, caused by fat itself. Fat cells release signals, which the immune system responds to, and this produces a “low level of background inflammation,” he said. We already know Covid-19 can cause the immune system to go into overdrive and attack itself – known as a cytokine storm – so this may be even worse for someone who is obese.

 

Dr Karen Coulman, a dietitian and research fellow at the University of Bristol, agrees that the risk of complications “may be due to increased inflammation and changes to the normal immune response in the bodies of people carrying excess weight”.

 

The largest descriptive study yet of hospitalized U.S. COVID-19 patients, posted as a preprint last month by Genentech researchers, found that 77% of nearly 17,000 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were overweight (29%) or obese (48%)!  That is a scary statistic if you are overweight right now.

 

New evidence suggests Testosterone may play a major part in weight loss for men.

 

Testosterone  injections can trigger drastic long-term weight loss in obese men, a German study has just found. 

Men with an average weight of 18 stone (114kg) saw their weight drop by 4st and 3lbs (27kg) over a decade while having the jabs every three months as part of a study.

 

Their body mass index (BMI) went from the 'severely obese' category, of 36.8, to 'overweight', at 28.8, just four points off the healthy weight range.

 

 

The researchers said their findings should help push testosterone injections as an alternative to weight loss surgery. 

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is prescribed to men with abnormally low testosterone which can impact their energy levels, mood and sex drive. 

 

WHAT IS TRT?

 

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may be prescribed if a man is diagnosed with an abnormally low testosterone.

Testosterone levels decline naturally in men as they age, but certain conditions can lead to an abnormally low level. 

 

TRT is traditionally used to treat hypogonadism, which occurs when your testes don’t produce enough testosterone. 

LOW Testosterone symptoms include, erectile dysfunction, depression and loss of hair. 

 

When taking TRT, men notice a difference in their energy, sex drive, and muscle mass.  

 

Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone.

 

One of its main functions is to increase the growth of muscle mass, and it forces the body to burn fat in the process, helping people to lose weight.

 

Therefore men with a deficit of the hormone may gain weight more easily because the balance between muscle gain and fat loss is disrupted.

 

In a vicious cycle, being obese actually reduces levels of testosterone, meaning men who are already fat are likely to get bigger as their hormones change.

 

On the flipside, losing weight increases testosterone levels, which may then make it easier to lose more weight in future.  

One study by The University of Manchester found that on average, obese men have 30 per cent lower testosterone levels than men of a normal weight. 

 

Testosterone, which also gives the male characteristics of deep voice and hair growth, naturally declines as a man ages.

The men in this study all had low testosterone without a known 'organic cause', such as a deficit in their body's ability to produce the hormone, either from the brain or the testes.

 

The researchers collected data from the 773 German men, around 60 years old, who were on the 2004 register of a urological practice based in Bremerhaven.  

 

Some 471 men, almost two-thirds (61 per cent), had obesity, and of those, 276 received testosterone therapy (TRT).

They were given a 1000mg injection every three months for up to 11 years for their condition. 

 

The other 195 men opted against the therapy.

 

Researchers analysed how their measurements changed over time, including weight, waist circumference, blood pressure and more.   

 

The men on TRT saw their weight drop by an average of 27kg (4st 3lbs) after adjusting for other cofounders, from 18st (114kg) to 13.7st (87kg).

 

They lost some 13cm around their waist and their body mass index (BMI) fell by 7.6 points, from 36.8 to 28.8 - putting them from 'severely obese' to 'overweight'. 

 

The men not on TRT had more fat on their organs than those who had testosterone jabs. Called visceral fat, too much of it can lead to more health problems.  

 

Some 63 men in the non TRT group died compared to 21 in the TRT group, the most common causes being heart attack and stroke - of which obesity is a risk factor for both.

 

All the deaths in the TRT group were related to traffic and sport accidents and post-surgical infections.

 

Astonishingly, almost every patient in the control group had type 2 diabetes by the end of the follow-up period.

 

 

At the start, 63.6 per cent had the condition, which is often caused by obesity and is therefore rising in prevalence globally.

As time wore on, a further 22.1 per cent of the men developed the condition - taking the total to 85.7 per cent.

 

By comparison, 56.6 per cent of those taking TRT had diabetes at the start of the study, and no more developed it over the decade. 

 

A rather startling finding and one which would indicate getting on A TRT routine from men in the 50’s and 60’s may during this time of COVID-19 be a lifesaver! 

 

 

HE Clinic is now offering 1000mg 3-month testosterone shots to patients who are finding it difficult to lose weight.

 

Other than testosterone or gastric bypass surgery (and assuming diet and exercise has not worked) are there any other way of losing weight that actually work?

 

Yes? An FDA approved drug called Liraglutide, can suppress the appetite and cause weight loss of up to 4 kg a month. 

The drug is a self-administered daily injection by pen which suppresses appetite. The treatment is quite expensive but has been very effective at helping patients where other options have failed. 

 

Coolsculpting (cryolipolysis) is a way to remove fat by freezing.  This FDA approved method is completely safe and can remove up to 30% of fat cells at one treatment.  The treatment works best for patients who are not more than 10-15 kgs overweight but can be using in conjunction with other treatments such as weight loss injections and TRT. 

 

The HE clinic is now offering the following weight busting package: 

3-month Testosterone shot 21,000 THB NOW 12,000 THB!
Includes full Blood test and monitoring.

Package treatment:

 3 x month Testosterone Treatment

3 x  month Liraglutide Treatment (weight loss injection)

Fat Freezing 4 points (coolsculpting) 

Package Value 113,000 THB  NOW 54,999 THB!

 

Find out more and see a full list of questions and answers here:
https://heclinics.com/weight-loss/

Book a free consultation:  https://heclinics.com/appointments