Hormones are chemicals produced by the body which are responsible for maintaining bodily functions. Starting from the process of growth, development, digestion, sexual, reproduction, to heart rate and body temperature, all influenced by hormones. Therefore, the presence of hormones can affect our health significantly.
There are various types of hormones in the body. One of which is testosterone, which can be found in men. In addition to its role in the reproductive system, the hormone also plays a role in maintaining bone density, muscle strength, to sound formation. Several things can affect the balance of testosterone in the body, such as age, genetic disorders, and disruption of the body's biological clock. Not only that, but diet is also known to affect these hormones.
According to the results of a study conducted recently, it was found that eating patterns, especially low-fat diets, could reduce the level of testosterone in a man significantly. When compared with other diets, such as the Mediterranean diet and non-restrictive (free) diets, men on a low-fat diet have lower testosterone, about 411 ng / dL. The results of this study have been published in The Journal of Urology.
The study involved more than 3,128 men aged 18-80 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Each participant reported a history of their diet for two days, after which they underwent a test to measure the level of testosterone in their body. After adjusting for factors such as age, physical activity and BMI, researchers found that a significant drop in testosterone levels was only found in those on a low-fat diet.
Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Google Search Images
Source(s):
- Fantus, R.J., Halpern, J.A., Chang, C., et al (2020). The Association between Popular Diets and Testosterone Serums among Men in the United States. The Journal of Urology, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000000482.
- Medical News Today - Could low-fat diets reduce testosterone levels in men? (2020). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/could-low-fat-diets-lower-testosterone-levels-in-men, 27 January 2020.