Comparing effects of low- and high-volume moderate-intensity exercise on sexual function and testosterone in obese men - Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Obesity and inactivity are associated with erectile dysfunction and hypogonadism.

AIM: To compare the effects of low volume (LV) and high volume (HV) of moderate-intensity exercise on sexual function, testosterone, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), endothelial function, and quality of life (QoL) in obese men.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight, waist circumference (WC), body composition, International Index of Erectile Function 5-item (IIEF-5), International Prostate Symptom Scale (IPSS) (for LUTS), and 36-item Short Form Survey version 2 Instrument (SF-36) (for QoL) scores, plasma testosterone, sex-hormone binding globulin, glucose, insulin and lipids, and endothelial function (by Reactive Hyperaemia Index [RHI] using finger plethysmography) were measured at baseline and 24 weeks.

METHODS: Ninety abdominally obese (body mass index > 27.5 kg/m2 , WC > 90 cm), sedentary (exercise ∼80 minutes/week) Asian men (mean age 43.6 years, range 30-60) were prescribed a diet to reduce daily intake by ∼400 kcal below calculated requirement and randomized to perform moderate-intensity exercise of LV (< 150 minutes/week) or HV (200-300 minutes/week) (n = 45 each) for 24 weeks. Seventy-five men (83.3%) completed the study.

RESULTS: Weekly exercise volume was significantly greater in the HV (236 ± 9 minutes) than the LV (105 ± 9 minutes) group. The HV group had significantly greater increases in IIEF-5 score (2.6 ± 0.5 points) and testosterone (2.06 ± 0.46 nmol/L) and reductions in weight (-5.9 ± 0.7 kg, -6.2%), WC (-4.9 ± 0.8 cm, -4.9%), and fat mass (-4.7 ± 1.0 kg, -14.5%) than the LV group (-2.9 ± 0.7 kg, -3.0%; -2.7 ± 0.7 cm, -2.5%; -1.1 ± 0.8 kg, -3.2%; 0.79 ± 0.46 nmol/L; and 1.8 ± 0.5 points). Improvements in IPSS and SF-36 scores, and RHI, were similar.

CONCLUSIONS: Moderate-intensity HV aerobic exercise > 200 minutes/week produces greater improvements in sexual function, testosterone, weight, WC, and fat mass than smaller exercise volume.

Written by:
Khoo J, Tian HH, Tan B, Chew K, Ng CS, Leong D, Teo RC, Chen RY.   Are you the author?
Department of Endocrinology, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.

Reference: J Sex Med. 2013 May 1. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1111/jsm.12154


PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23635309

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