Does your Testosterone Level vary according to your diet?

YES IT DOES! In fact, diet and testosterone are linked. The foods you eat may reduce — or help increase — your testosterone levels.

According to a 2021 study, men who ate a more pro-inflammatory diet (high in refined carbohydrates and saturated fats) had lower total testosterone levels than those who ate less inflammatory foods. In addition, those with the highest intake of a pro-inflammatory diet had a 29.6% higher chance of testosterone deficiency compared to those with the least inflammatory diets.

Research shows a connection between inflammation and reduced testosterone production. In addition, eating a pro-inflammatory diet is associated with weight gain and increased risk of obesity, which in turn is linked to lower testosterone levels.

Does the keto diet increase Testosterone?

The ketogenic (keto) diet involves eating lots of fats, some protein, and small amounts of carbohydrates. The idea is to prevent your body from using glucose from carbs as an energy source. When you reduce your carb intake enough, your body enters a state called ketosis, where it gets energy from ketones instead, which are produced by fat.


Besides being a popular diet for weight loss, the keto diet may help increase testosterone, according to some research.


One study of 25 college-aged men doing a resistance training program for 11 weeks found that eating a ketogenic diet was associated with significantly increased total testosterone levels compared to eating a traditional Western diet. In both groups, fat body mass decreased while lean body mass, strength, and power increased.

According to another study, people with type 2 diabetes also experienced a significant increase in testosterone — as well as vitamin D levels — after following a ketogenic diet.

Keto tends to increase the intake of cholesterol, which is important for the production of testosterone and may result in the increase seen in studies. The diet’s long-term health effects are still unclear, though, and more research needs to be done.

On the other hand, low-fat diets — the opposite of keto — were associated with slightly lower testosterone levels in a study from 2020. The study controlled for age, body mass index, activity levels, and other factors. However, it concluded that the difference in testosterone levels between low-fat and nonrestrictive diets was small.

Does a carnivore diet increase Testosterone? 

The carnivore diet is a form of keto that removes plant-based foods to cut carbs, focusing almost entirely on consuming animal products.

While the carnivore diet may increase testosterone, more studies are needed, and the impact of the carnivore diet on fertility may be overall negative. Some research indicates that a diet very high in fat and low in carbohydrates (similar to the carnivore diet or keto diet) may increase total testosterone levels.

Another study also found higher testosterone levels in men eating a high-fat, low-fiber diet compared to a low-fat, high-fiber diet.

However, there’s still very little research on the carnivore diet. Even if it increases testosterone, studies indicate that diets high in processed red meat are associated with decreased sperm health, an important factor for fertility.

Eating a lot of processed meat and eliminating nutrients from plants in your diet may also result in other health issues, such as:

-Gastrointestinal disorders from lack of fiber

-An increased risk of colorectal cancer

-A higher chance of coronary heart disease

-Greater risk of type 2 diabetes

Like the ketogenic diet, more research needs to be done on the carnivore diet’s long-term effects on fertility and overall health.

Does a plant-based diet affect Testosterone levels? 

A plant-based diet emphasizes whole, plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, and legumes while limiting meat, dairy, and processed foods. Plant-based diets include vegan diets, but may also include less restrictive vegetarian or “flexitarian” diets that don’t entirely eliminate animal foods.

Research indicates that plant-based and vegan diets have little effect on testosterone. Other studies have also found that a vegan diet doesn’t impact total or free testosterone. While plant-based diets may not increase testosterone, they’re also unlikely to negatively impact testosterone levels.

At the same time, plant-based diets offer other health benefits, such as a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Obesity is associated with lower testosterone, so plant-based diets may help you avoid this condition and its effects on your hormone levels and fertility.

Research also suggests that diets rich in plant-based foods including vegetables, fruits, and nuts are linked to improved sperm quality, which may be helpful if you’re trying to conceive.

Does a Mediterranean diet affect Testosterone levels?

The Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating that emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats.


In general, if you follow a Mediterranean Diet, you’ll eat:

-Lots of vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils and nuts.

-Lots of whole grains, like whole-wheat bread and brown rice.

-Plenty of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as a source of healthy fat.

-A moderate amount of fish, especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

-A moderate amount of cheese and yogurt.

-Little or no meat, choosing poultry instead of red meat.

-Little or no sweets, sugary drinks or butter.

-A moderate amount of wine with meals (but if you don’t already drink, don’t start).

A dietitian can help you modify this diet as needed based on your medical history, underlying conditions, allergies and preferences.

The Mediterranean Diet has many benefits, including:

-Lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease.

-Supporting a body weight that’s healthy for you.

-Supporting healthy blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.

-Lowering your risk of metabolic syndrome.

-Supporting a healthy balance of gut microbiota (bacteria and other microorganisms) in your digestive system.

-Lowering your risk for certain types of cancer.

-Slowing the decline of brain function as you age.

-Helping you live longer.

Cardiologists often recommend the Mediterranean Diet because extensive research supports its heart-healthy benefits. One study (published in 2018) looked at people at high risk of cardiovascular disease over a five-year period. These people were split into two groups. One group followed the Mediterranean Diet, and the other group followed a low-fat diet. The Mediterranean Diet group had a 30% lower relative risk of cardiovascular events compared to the low-fat diet group. Such events included heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular-related death.

Ward Off or Reverse Erectile Dysfunction  

That’s right, the Mediterranean diet can help keep erectile dysfunction (ED) at bay and it all starts with your heart. Heart disease is a common cause of ED because once plaque starts to form and build up in your blood vessels, blood flow is decreased and even blocked in some vessels.

New research presented by researchers at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2021 suggests that those who followed the diet most strictly had better erectile performance, blood flow, exercise capacity, higher testosterone levels, and healthier arteries than those who were less consistent.

The researchers attribute this to enhancing the function of the blood vessels and limiting the fall in testosterone that occurs in midlife. Erectile dysfunction occurs when the small arteries cannot dilate which can prohibit blood flow. Symptoms often begin in middle age when testosterone levels decrease.

Does a Low-Fat Diet Affect Testosterone levels?

A new study conducted at the University of Worcester and published in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has found low fat diets decrease men’s testosterone levels by 10-15%.

Optimal testosterone levels are critical to men’s health. Low testosterone levels are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Healthy testosterone levels are also key for men’s athletic performance, mental health, and sexual health.

Since the 1970s, there has been a decrease in men’s average testosterone levels and rates of hypogonadism (medically low testosterone) have been increasing. Low risk dietary strategies could be a useful treatment for low testosterone.

The study was a systematic review and meta-analysis, which combined the results of 6 well-controlled studies with a total of 206 participants. These studies first put men on a high fat diet (40% fat), and then transferred them to a low fat diet (20% fat), and found their testosterone levels decreased by 10-15% on average. Particularly bad were vegetarian low fat diets causing decreases in testosterone up to 26%.

The authors linked their results to similar studies conducted in humans and mice. These studies found high intakes of monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts may boost testosterone production. However, omega 6 polyunsaturated fats predominantly found in vegetable oils, may damage the cells’ ability to produce testosterone. This is because highly unsaturated fats such as polyunsaturated fats are more prone to oxidation, which causes cell damage.

So Which Diet is Better Overall…?

Unfortunately, there’s no right or wrong answer to this.

Every body type is different and reacts differently to certain diets, not to mention there’s a new one out on the market every day. Dieting and trying what works for your system is a personal journey full of trial and error.

What is true, is that having healthy testosterone levels rely mainly on having a healthy, non-sedentary and educated lifestyle.

Most of the time, we reach a dieting article and read “Fat is your ENEMY” or “BEWARE of Cholesterol” and truth is, these components we’ve been taught to fear are actually detrimental in the production of hormones. With balance on our day to day eating habits, we can eat just about anything while maintaining a happy, healthy, nutritious life.

Visit us back next week and we’ll be exploring just which are those ingredients we can merge in our diets and how much we require to keep the body in top conditions!

No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

Sources:

• Diet and testosterone levels (2021)

• The Association between Dietary Inflammatory Index and Sex Hormones among Men in the United States (2021)

• Endotoxin-initiated inflammation reduces testosterone production in men of reproductive age (2018)

• Inflammatory potential of diet, weight gain, and incidence of overweight/obesity: The SUN cohort (2018)

• Lowered testosterone in male obesity: mechanisms, morbidity and management (2014)
• Effects of Ketogenic Dieting on Body Composition, Strength, Power, and Hormonal Profiles in Resistance Training Men (2020)

• The effect of Ketogenic diet on vitamin D3 and testosterone hormone in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (2020)

• The Association between Popular Diets and Serum Testosterone among Men in the United States

• The effects of very high fat, very low carbohydrate diets on safety, blood lipid profile, and anabolic hormone status (2014)

• Effects of dietary fat and fiber on plasma and urine androgens and estrogens in men: a controlled feeding study (1996)

• Meat intake and reproductive parameters among young men (2014)

• The association between plant-based content in diet and testosterone levels in US adults (2021)

• Testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, calculated free testosterone, and oestradiol in male vegans and omnivores (1990)

• Diet and sperm quality: Nutrients, foods and dietary patterns (2019)

• Mediterranean Diet

• Five Ways the Mediterranean Diet Can Benefit Men's Health (2022)

• Mediterranean diet shows promise in men with erectile dysfunction (2021)

• Study: Low fat diets reduce men’s testosterone levels (2021)

• Low-fat diets and testosterone in men: Systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies(2021)