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. 2023 Jan 24:13:1036243.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1036243. eCollection 2022.

Effects of bariatric surgery on testosterone level and sexual function in men with obesity: A retrospective study

Guoji Chen  1   2   3   4 , Luping Sun  5 , Shuwen Jiang  1   2   3 , Xiaomei Chen  1   2 , Jie Zhu  1   2   3 , Xin Zhao  1   2   3 , Shuqing Yu  1   2 , Zhiyong Dong  1   2   3 , Yuan Chen  1   2   3 , Wen Zhang  6 , Wah Yang  1   2   3 , Cunchuan Wang  1   2   3
Affiliations

Effects of bariatric surgery on testosterone level and sexual function in men with obesity: A retrospective study

Guoji Chen et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Introduction: Bariatric surgeries induce well-documented weight loss and resolve obesity comorbidities. Sexual function is one of the aspects of life quality and may benefit from surgery. Few studies have revealed the impact of bariatric surgeries on sexual function in Chinese men with obesity.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing bariatric surgery [laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB)]. Data were collected between September 2017 and February 2022. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire was used to evaluate erectile function, intercourse satisfaction, orgasmic function, sexual desire, and overall satisfaction. Sex hormones and other blood tests were evaluated before and at least 1 year after the surgery.

Results: Fifty-nine Chinese male patients completed the IIEF questionnaire. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI) was the single independent risk factor of the severity of erectile dysfunction (ED). Preoperative testosterone levels had negative correlations with BMI and waist circumference. Thirty-seven patients completed the postoperative questionnaire with a mean follow-up of 23.2 months.

Conclusion: BMI and waist circumference were negatively correlated with testosterone levels. BMI was an independent risk factor for the severity of ED. LSG and LRYGB led to positive and sustained improvement in sexual function of men with obesity. The two procedures had a comparable effect, more subjects being needed. Sex hormone levels also could be reversible. However, more weight loss did not predict a positive change in sexual function. A greater BMI loss might predict a greater increase in testosterone.

Keywords: bariatric surgery; gastric bypass; obesity; sexual function (male); sleeve gastrectomy (SG).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study flow.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plots of logistic regression analysis of preoperative IIEF and EF scores. BMI was the independent risk factor. BMI, body mass index; HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Heatmap: total scores of sexual function (IIEF scores) improved significantly postoperatively. Deeper color means higher scores.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Heatmap: changes in EF domain based on erectile dysfunction classification. ED is diagnosed if EF scores ≤25. Patients with ED decreased from 27 (73.0%) to 11 (29.7%). EF, erectile function; ED, erectile dysfunction.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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