Testosterone Replacement Doesn't Improve Glycemia in Men with Prediabetes or Diabetes

Observational evidence suggests that testosterone replacement therapy lowers glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA_1c). In this substudy of the randomized, placebo-controlled TRAVERSE trial (NEJM JW Gen Med Jul 15 2023 and N Engl J Med 2023; 389:107), researchers determined whether testosterone replacement in men (age range, 45–80) with hypogonadism prevents progression from prediabetes to diabetes and induces glycemic remission in diabetes.

Among 1200 participants with prediabetes, risk for progression to diabetes (i.e., HbA_1c level ≥6.5%) was similar in the testosterone-replacement and placebo groups at all follow-up times through 48 months. Among 3900 participants with diabetes, the testosterone replacement and placebo groups had similar rates of g…