Researchers are on the hunt for men to participate in a trial that aims to help them lose weight and prevent diabetes - by giving them testosterone.

Scientists from Adelaide University are hoping the world-first study will put them on the right track to prevent diabetes in older men.

The $4.8 million dollar trial will see participants injected with testosterone to see if it will help them fight the fat, and prevent type 2 diabetes in men who have higher than normal blood glucose levels.

Professor Gary Wittert from Adelaide University’s School of Medicine said the trial aims to prevent at-risk men from developing the disease.

“What this trial is all about is trying to prevent the development of diabetes in those men who are at the highest risk of the disease… those who aged 50 and over, who have a waist circumference that is big, and who have a family history of diabetes,” he said.

“What we are doing is targeting the men with a low testosterone level… giving them testosterone, to see whether we can get a much better outcome.

“We think what is occurring is that you get obesity, that’s what is causing the risk of diabetes, but the low testosterone causes a feed-forward effect.”

Scientists already know that when men put on weight, they lose testosterone - and the motivation to exercise.

“People find it difficult to comply with a lifestyle program, and it doesn’t help everyone to the extent that we would like,” Prof Wittert said.

Researchers are now looking for a total of 1500 men in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth to participate in the study.

They need men who:
- are aged 50-74 years.
- live in NSW, Vic, SA or WA
- have a waist circumference of 95cm or more (about size 38 pants)
- have no history of prostate cancer
- have no stroke or TIA (transient ischemic attack) in the past 3 years
- have had no major cardiovascular event in the past 6 months

- have a blood pressure lower than 160/100 at rest.

To participate or for more information about the study, visit the Testosterone 4 the prevention of Diabetes Mellitus website.