Testosterone is important for building muscle and strength, regulating fat distribution, sexual health, overall health and well-being, hair growth, and more. Consider limiting your intake of these foods to keep your testosterone at optimal levels.
Most of us are aware that several food options can help boost testosterone production. However, did you know there are certain foods, that actually help suppress the production of this key hormone.
A low-quality diet will affect health, and therefore lower test levels.
5 Foods That Are Hurting Your Testosterone!
1. Refined sugars/highly-processed foods
- sugar drinks, junk foods, fast foods, highly-processed low-quality meats,
- These foods are loaded with calories, simple sugars, saturated fat, sodium, and low-quality protein that, when consumed in excessive amounts over a prolonged period, are not conducive to good health.
- It’s well known that consuming a lot of refined carbohydrates and saturated fats is associated with obesity
- individuals who prefer Western-style foods and eat out a lot are more likely to have more visceral fat, less muscle mass, low serum total T levels, and a higher chance of developing hypogonadism (lack of testosterone production)
2. Alcohol
Overconsumption over a prolonged period can negatively overall health that will consequently affect hormone levels.
3. Vegetable oils
Vegetable oils such as canola, peanut, corn, and soybean could contribute to lower testosterone.
oil is high-calorie by nature, consuming too much of it could contribute to weight/fat gain that compromises fat in itself.
consuming polyunsaturated fats on a frequent basis resulted in decreased testosterone levels.
Vegetable oils are naturally high in PUFAs.
4. Soy
soy has the wrong fatty acid profile. Over half of all fat content in soy is polyunsaturated fatty acids or PUFAs. These fatty acids can sharply depress testosterone production when their percentage is too high as in soy products.
5. Sugar
Heavy sugar consumption brings down testosterone and increases inflammation in the body as well as belly fat, both of which shut down testosterone.
6. NUTS.*Extra*
Nuts are a popular health food and much favored by nutritionists and health experts. However, certain nuts have a bad effect on testosterone. Walnuts and almonds are some of the most popular nuts and you will find plenty of information online extolling their health benefits. While much of it may be true, there is one thing that these sources are not telling you about. Almonds and walnuts also boost levels of a substance called SHBG, which binds to testosterone in effect, neutralizing its androgenic effects. In other words, it greatly reduces testosterone production.
Nuts also happen to have high amounts of PUFAs, which as you are well aware, hammers testosterone levels.
It does not end here. Nuts also have high levels of phytosterols, which although beneficial for heart health, are not so good for high testosterone.
Some low-PUFA nuts that you can eat without worrying too much about unfavorable omega-6 to omega-3 ratio include:
Pecans
Cashews
Macadamias
Ways to boost testosterone naturally
There may also be some ways to boost testosterone naturally, including:
- eating a more balanced diet focused on fresh foods
- avoiding overeating
- avoiding obesity
- doing regular exercise
- getting plenty of sleep each night