Interleukin-1 antagonist boosts testosterone in obese men

CHICAGO – An anti-inflammatory treatment targeting interleukin-1 receptors eased symptoms in hypogonadal men with obesity and metabolic syndrome,according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.

The treatment helps patients by targeting testosterone deficiency associated with metabolic syndrome as well as inflammation associated with hypogonadism.

“Antagonism of the interleukin inflammatory pathway led to improved endogenous testosterone production,” said presenter Fahim Ebrahimi, MD, of the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland. “Even with a clinical period so short, only 4 weeks, we have seen reduced blood pressure and increased grip strength.”

A total of 70 men with metabolic syndrome and hypergonadism from the University Hospital in Basel and Kantonsspital Aarau, Switzerland, were included in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.