High triglyceride-glucose index and changes in triglyceride-glucose index are associated with an increased risk of hypogonadism in middle-aged Taiwanese men: a retrospective longitudinal study.

Plain-language summary

This study looked at whether a man's TyG index tracks with his risk of low testosterone as he ages. The TyG index is a simple score figured from fasting blood sugar and triglycerides that flags insulin resistance, the early metabolic problem behind type 2 diabetes, so a higher score means a worse metabolic picture. Researchers followed 4,269 Taiwanese men aged 45 to 65 through repeated checkups from 2011 to 2022, tracking how each man's index moved and whether he developed low testosterone. Men with a higher index, and men whose index climbed over time, had a higher risk of low testosterone.

Key findings

• Higher TyG index linked to increased hypogonadism risk (OR = 1.90)
• Increases in TyG index by ≥0.5 raised hypogonadism risk up to 2.38-fold
• High triglycerides with high fasting glucose group had highest risk (OR = 2.55)