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HEALTH

The Claim

Sugar deficiency increases testosterone levels in men.

Verified by Lenz ·

The Short Version

The evidence does not support the idea that “sugar deficiency” raises testosterone in men. Studies more narrowly suggest that excess sugar or glucose loads can lower testosterone, and that cutting excessive sugar may improve levels in some metabolically unhealthy men. That is not the same as showing that a deficiency of sugar increases testosterone, especially across men in general.

Caveats

  • “Sugar deficiency” is not a standard medical condition; the claim relies on a misleading term.
  • Findings from hypogonadal men with metabolic syndrome should not be generalized to all men.
  • Low-carbohydrate or high-protein diets do not consistently increase testosterone and may reduce it in some settings.

The Receipts

  1. Glucose ingestion does not lower testosterone concentrations in men on testosterone therapy

    PubMed

  2. The effects of a low carbohydrate diet on erectile function and serum testosterone levels in hypogonadal men with metabolic syndrome: a randomized clinical trial

    PubMed

  3. Sugar-sweetened beverage intake and serum testosterone levels in adult males 20–39 years old in the United States

    PubMed Central

  4. Low-carbohydrate diets and men's cortisol and testosterone

    PubMed

  5. Abrupt decrease in serum testosterone levels after an oral glucose load in men: implications for screening for hypogonadism

    PubMed

  6. Low-fat diets and testosterone in men: Systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies

    ScienceDirect

  7. Effects of sugar and confectionery consumption on serum testosterone regulation and male reproductive health: a systematic review

    Exploration of Endocrine and Metabolic Disease

  8. Fructose intake from sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with lower serum testosterone concentrations in men: differential effects of fructose sources on sex hormones

    European Journal of Endocrinology

  9. Glucose ingestion does not lower testosterone concentrations in men on testosterone therapy

    Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (SAGE)

  10. Single-Arm Study Finds Very-Low Calorie Ketogenic Diet Could Improve Testosterone Levels in Men

    HCPLive

+ 12 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

testosterone

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