Testosterone supplementation and tummy fat

[Thegreatgiginthesky]

I have been trialling testosterone for 10 days as part of HRT. I feel great on it, more energy and it has even sorted out my acid reflux. I think becuase high oestrogen relaxes the lower oesophagual splincter but testosterone helps to strenghten it.

However since starting I have gained over 1kg and it seems to gave been around my belly. A quick google showed that testosterone is linked to insulin resistance and belly fat in women and I was wondering if anyone else who supplements has found the same issue?

It is hard to reduce the dose as I am doing the smallest pea sized blob possible. I also tried skipping a day and my reflux came back.

I am unsure what to do now as I don't want to mess up my blood sugar control, I am already fairly low carb and don't want to make things worse. Any ideas? Has anyone found the same? Does weight gain stabilise after a while?

I’m about a month in and I feel podgier around my tummy as well. I’m not eating any more.

In fact, I feel just ‘bigger’ all over. I don’t like it. I’m tempted to stop but I think I have felt a bit better brain-wise over the last few weeks.

I didn’t know that about insulin resistance.

Hmm interesting it is not just me. I am still not sure what to do, I am feeling better on it but dislike the belly fat gain. My weight seems to have stabilised, it is more that it seems to being redistributed. I think I will give it a few more weeks as I have hormonal bloods coming up and it will be interesting to see what they show.

Do you think you will stop? I have gone quite low carb in an effort to slow the belly fat but not sure if it is working.

Hi I realise this is an old post but wondered how you are getting on ? I’ve been on HRT for a few years now oestrogen patches at first then testosterone gel. Patches are now 200mg but I started off very low. I found a big improvement in libido with testosterone but have had a few side effects like coarser hair on legs and suddenly hair on tummy even though I don’t apply it there. Also hair on face which is more like “bum fluff” lol. I had always had slightly higher levels of free testosterone before menopause because my SHBG that binds to it is low. I have really struggled with the dosing of testosterone gel especially now the little tubes are no longer available and it’s sachets you have to make last 8 days. So tricky to judge this. I’ve also found I have put on weight on tummy, the rest of me is slim so it looks worse. I had thought this was due to low oestrogen levels but like you I’ve read that testosterone can do this. I eat very carefully I have salad every single day for lunch and have managed to lose a bit of weight but it goes back on so easily and always at tummy. Problem is if I reduce the testosterone gel I feel shit and libido is out of the window. Last time I had blood tests it was slightly higher than normal range but I felt good. None of it is helped by the fact that I can’t exercise due to illness.

I am now 6 months in and still taking the testosterone. Belly fat gain seems to have stopped, I am wondering if it was just water weight initially. I am pretty low carb and also do strength training which helps with belly fat.

I make a sachet last a long while (about 18 days) and apply to foot so no obvious hair growth. I think it does help me with energy and motivation to exercise. Libido seems to be all over the place which I guess is an improvement on zero. I am about to have my 6 month bloods so will be interested to see what my levels are doing. My 3 month ones were on the high side of normal.