Association between T2DM and the lowering of testosterone levels among Kashmiri males.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to study association between testosterone and diabetes in Kashmiri males. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A total of 300 males with Type 2 diabetes visited an outpatient and inpatient clinic at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital, Srinagar, JK the mean fasting plasma glucose (p = 0.0019) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c; p = 0.0449) levels were significantly higher in the testosterone deficient group than in the control group. To elucidate the relationship between the serum total testosterone level and fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c values, Pearson's correlation test was performed. Fasting plasma glucose levels (r = -0.252, p = 0.001) and HbA1c values (r = -0.697, p = 0.001) showed a significant negative correlation with serum testosterone levels among diabetic males. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that diabetes causes low testosterone levels among males, and lower testosterone levels can act as a marker for diabetes. Thus, with timely intervention, mortality and co-morbidity associated with diabetes can be prevented.