Testosterone Gel + Exercise Cut Visceral Fat in Trial
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- Jacob Earp, assistant professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut, led the STEP-HI study published in Obesity Pillars examining whether topical testosterone gel paired with exercise could counter post-hip-fracture fat gain in older women
- The clinical trial followed 66 women over age 65 recovering from a recent hip fracture, with all participants completing a structured exercise program and only one group receiving the testosterone gel
- After six months, women who used the testosterone gel had lower visceral fat, while the non-gel group experienced the typical post-injury increase in visceral fat — a trend the gel group 'bucked,' per Earp
- Overall body fat levels remained similar between both groups, making the reduction selective to the dangerous visceral compartment rather than blanket weight loss that can sacrifice muscle
- Earp noted that traditional weight-loss approaches can cost older adults critical muscle mass, arguing that selectively targeting the visceral compartment is a healthier strategy for aging bodies
- Hip fractures occur nearly three times more often in women than men and are a leading cause of lost independence, making any intervention that improves recovery 'a huge improvement in quality of life' according to Earp
Why it matters: For older women — who sustain hip fractures nearly three times as often as men and rarely make full recoveries — a treatment that selectively trimmed visceral fat without reducing overall body weight could preserve muscle during a critical recovery window. The gel-group result directly contradicts the expected post-injury fat gain, suggesting a targeted alternative to weight-loss strategies that risk muscle loss in aging patients.
