Certain Metabolic Syndrome Component Combinations are Linked to Increased Risk of Hypogonadism in Taiwanese Men

This study examined the association between specific combinations of metabolic syndrome (MS) components and the risk of hypogonadism in Taiwanese men.

We retrospectively analyzed 6,986 men who underwent health screening from 2009 to 2017. MS was defined as meeting at least three of five criteria: waist circumference (W), triglycerides (T), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (H), fasting glucose (F), and blood pressure (B). Hypogonadism was defined as total testosterone <300 ng/dL. Differences in MS component prevalence between men with and without hypogonadism were compared. Logistic regression adjusted for age and body mass index was used to assess associations.

Among all participants, 6,221 (89.0%) had hypogonadism. The prevalence of MS components was significantly higher in this group (p < 0.001). The risk of hypogonadism increased with the number of MS compon ents. Notably, the combinations F-H-W, F-H-B-W, and F-T-H-B-W were associated with significantly higher odds of hypogonadism.

Specific MS component combinations are strongly associated with increased hypogonadism risk in Taiwanese men. These findings suggest that MS composition, not just its presence, should be considered in evaluating testosterone deficiency.