A University of Connecticut-led clinical trial found that older women recovering from a recent hip fracture who used a topical testosterone gel alongside a structured exercise program did not experience the typical rise in visceral abdominal fat seen during recovery. Researchers followed participants for six months and assessed body composition with imaging scans.
As people age, body fat can shift from just under the skin to deeper deposits in the abdomen known as visceral fat, which has been linked to higher risks of conditions including diabetes and heart disease.
Jacob Earp, an assistant professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut, said sex hormones appear to play a role in this redistribution.
"As men and women age, there's an unhealthy redistribution of fat from the more innocuous regions into the visceral compartment," Earp said, adding, "There is a direct link between sex hormones and fat distribution throughout the body."
Earp and colleagues tested whether adding topical testosterone therapy to rehabilitation could influence fat distribution after hip fracture. The study tracked 66 women aged 65 and older who were recovering from a recent hip fracture. All participants completed a structured exercise program, and one group also received a testosterone gel.
After six months, follow-up body-composition scans found overall body fat levels were similar between groups, but fat distribution differed: women who used the testosterone gel had lower visceral fat levels, while the group that did not receive the hormone showed an increase in visceral fat.
The findings were published in the journal Obesity Pillars. Researchers said the results suggest hormone treatment combined with exercise could be a potential strategy to improve metabolic health during recovery, though broader studies would be needed to confirm benefits and assess risks.
