A testosterone level decreased by 10 to 15%. This would be the consequence in some men who adopt a low-fat diet.
- A high intake of monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados and nuts could boost testosterone production.
- Low-fat vegetarian diets could cause testosterone drops of up to 26%.
Published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, this meta-analysis reviewed the results of six studies involving a total of 206 participants, as well as tests performed on mice. This research has shown that a high intake of monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts could boost testosterone production.
However, this was not the case with omega 6 polyunsaturated fats, mainly present in other vegetable oils (especially sunflower oil), which could affect the ability of cells to produce testosterone. According to the results indicated in these studies, omega 6 polyunsaturated fats are indeed more prone to oxidation and damage these cells.
Increased risks of diabetes or Alzheimer’s
These different researches first put men on a high-fat (40%) diet, then switched them to a low-fat (20%) diet and found that their testosterone levels decreased by 10-15%. on average. Researchers have also found that low-fat vegetarian diets can cause testosterone drops of up to 26%.
Beyond boosting men’s physical and sexual health, the amount of testosterone plays an essential role in men’s mental health: it notably helps prevent the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, but also heart diseases such as diabetes. .
For researcher Joseph Whittaker, who led the study, the benefits associated with low-fat diets (including lower cholesterol levels) remain important, but should not rule out potential harms, including lower testosterone levels. . However, the researchers recommend that further randomized controlled trials be conducted to confirm this effect.
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