Researchers examined men who inject heroin in Mombasa County, Kenya. They wanted to see how drug habits and body fat around the waist relate to testosterone levels.

The team used blood samples from participants who had a history of drug use. Men who were HIV positive or had missing data were left out. Testosterone was measured with a chemiluminescence immunoassay. Information on age, other drugs used, and waist size was taken from records. Data were analyzed with descriptive stats, non‑parametric tests, Spearman correlations and multivariable linear regression.

Results showed that lower testosterone was common among the heroin users. Men with lower hormone levels tended to have more central adiposity. The study also noted that using additional substances could further lower testosterone. The findings suggest that heroin injection disrupts the hypothalamic‑pituitary axis, leading to hormonal imbalance and increased belly fat.

Kenyan Study Links Heroin Use to Low Testosterone and Belly Fat

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