More greens, higher testosterone? What a Finnish study found
Research involving more than 2,500 men found contrasting associations between animal and plant protein intake — but does not show that changing diets boosts testosterone.
Recent Finnish research reveals a potential correlation between dietary protein sources and men's testosterone levels. The study, conducted on 2,546 men aged 42 to 60 in eastern Finland, examined diets over four days between 1984 and 1989. The researchers discovered that men with the highest intake of animal protein had lower testosterone concentrations compared to those consuming the least animal protein.
Conversely, men with the highest intake of plant protein had slightly higher testosterone levels than those with the lowest intake. Dairy protein was associated with lower total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin concentrations, while meat protein was linked to lower sex hormone-binding globulin levels but not total testosterone.
Plant protein intake, however, showed an inverse relationship with total testosterone, with men in the highest-intake group having 1.1 nanomoles per litre higher testosterone levels than those in the lowest-intake group. Despite the statistically significant differences observed, the study's researchers emphasize that they do not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between protein intake and testosterone levels.
The findings, while not conclusive, suggest that the type of protein consumed may play a role in influencing testosterone concentrations.
Written by urgent.news from Euronews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
