The Aging Male Conundrum: Focus on Low T or Weight Loss

Testosterone Replacement Therapy vs. Semaglutide, Tirzipatide and other medical weight loss therapies

Weight Loss is key to correcting Low T

Let's think of a scenario that is common among aging men: You reach your late 30s, or mid-40s, and start to put on a little weight here and there--a bit around the midsection, the love handles, the upper thighs. You and your friends joke, "There's more to love." But, down a little deeper below the facade, you might have an inkling to lose some weight, to be more active and healthier. You might be married with kids, but you still care about your health, despite all the "I'm busy" excuses.

Here's the problem: when guys put on weight, especially around the abdominal region, estrogen levels rise, and testosterone levels fall (Low T). This sort of cascade contributes to more and more of the same over time. Numerous other hormones, such as leptin, play a major role as well.

Now you suffer low libido, low energy, poor recovery, and are tired and lethargic --see TFAQs. You discover you have low T, but because it's 300 ng/dL (or considered "normal"), your primary medical provider won't/can't/shan't/fears or doesn't know what to do for you. S/he tells you to lose weight and get more sleep. That would be nice, right?!

You do some Google research and discover that there are clinics dedicated to helping men when other avenues are closed. You see that there's much more to T than Low T. There's an interplay of other hormones, proteins, and feedback loops that must be considered when starting a TRT program. There's more blood work than simply checking a man's testosterone levels.

If a man has Low T, it is ideal to first correct his low T with TRT in order to optimize his T and other hormones. Likely, when a man starts TRT, he will lose weight as a natural consequence of correcting this imbalance.

If the T is corrected to optimal levels--the crossroads of safe levels and feeling relieved of low T symptoms mentioned earlier, then one could consider using medically assisted weight loss therapies, such as semaglutide or the up-and-coming, seemingly more effective tirzipatide. These medications result in significant weight reduction through multiple pathways, including reducing hunger and cravings.

It is the consensus of Vitali-T Men's Health Clinic that men optimize their testosterone levels through TRT treatment and reassess and add adjunct therapies for weight loss--such as semaglutide or tirzipatide--after 3-6 months. This will ensure a steady state is reached first with TRT. Either by itself--TRT--or in combo--with semaglutide or another weight loss adjunct--men will experience weight loss, increased testosterone levels, more energy, increased libido, and feel better. This can take some time, but the reward is worth the commitment.