Associations of Obesity, Inflammatory Indicators, and Serum Testosterone in Adult Males: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on NHANES 2011-2016 and 2021-2023.

Plain-language summary

This study set out to explore how obesity and chronic inflammation relate to testosterone levels in men. It analyzed data from over 7,400 adult men in the US, using body measurements like BMI and waist circumference to assess obesity, and blood markers to gauge inflammation. The study found that higher obesity measures were linked to lower testosterone, and that chronic inflammation appeared to partly explain this link, especially in men who were already obese.

Key findings

• Higher obesity (BMI, waist size, BRI) was linked to lower testosterone in men.
• Chronic inflammation (measured by AISI, SII, SIRI) partly explained the obesity-testosterone link.
• The inflammation connection was strongest in men with obesity (BMI ≥30, waist ≥102 cm, BRI ≥4.5).
• The relationship between obesity and testosterone was nonlinear, with steeper drops at higher obesity levels.