Young men with lower testosterone may be quietly accumulating cardiometabolic risk factors, according to a new Italian study. Researchers analyzed 659 men aged 18–35 and found that lower levels of total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were consistently linked to higher BMI, larger waist circumference, elevated triglycerides, higher blood pressure, and lower HDL cholesterol — a cluster of warning signs for future heart disease.

The findings were especially notable for men with total testosterone at or below 12 nmol/L: they were nearly three times more likely to have abdominal obesity and almost four times more likely to have generalized obesity compared to men with higher testosterone levels.

By the Numbers:

• 659 men aged 18–35 studied (mean age: 22.7 years)
• Men with testosterone ≤12 nmol/L had 13.86% prevalence of abdominal obesity vs. 4.94% in those with higher levels
• Generalized obesity prevalence: 14.43% vs. 3.68%
• Men with overweight/obesity had lower testosterone (16.5 vs. 18.3 nmol/L)

Why it matters: As metabolic and cardiovascular risks increasingly affect younger populations, this study suggests that assessing testosterone levels in young men — particularly those with obesity — could serve as a valuable early screening step in cardiometabolic risk management.