A low fat diet lowers testosterone levels in men

Published in Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, This meta-analysis reviewed the results of six studies involving a total of 206 people, as well as tests performed on mice. Research has shown that high intake of monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados and nuts stimulates Testosterone production.

However, this does not happen in the case of omega 6 polyunsaturated fats, mainly in other vegetable oils (especially sunflower oil) which affect the ability of cells to produce testosterone. According to the results suggested in these studies, omega 6 polyunsaturated fats are actually oxidized and can damage these cells.

Increased risk of diabetes or Alzheimer’s

These different studies first placed men on a high-fat diet (40%), then switched them to a low-fat diet (20%) and found that their testosterone levels dropped by an average of 10 to 15%. Researchers have also found it Vegetarian diet Low fat content leads to up to 26% of testosterone drops.

Beyond improving men’s physical and sexual health, testosterone levels play an important role in men’s mental health: it’s especially helpful Avoid the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, But also heart disease such as diabetes.

For researcher Joseph Whittaker, who led the study, the benefits associated with a low-fat diet (including lowering cholesterol) are significant, but the potential disadvantages, including lower testosterone levels, should not be ruled out. However, researchers are recommending more randomized controlled trials to confirm this effect.