Sugary Snacks Lower Testosterone in Men

A recent study noted the dramatic effect that a dose of glucose has on testosterone in men. The findings show that there is a need for dietary guidelines when measuring blood levels of testosterone.

The incidence of hypogonadism (low testosterone levels) has been increasing and may be related to the well documented rise in obesity. Obtaining an accurate testosterone level is critical to diagnosing hypogonadism, so understanding the effects of diet on testosterone level should be well understood by medical professionals and patients.

In the study, 74 men were given a glucose tolerance test in which each drank a pre-measured dose of a glucose (sugar) solution. In addition to the surprise that 9 (12%) of the volunteers had undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, the researchers also noted that when testosterone levels were checked several hours later, 73 of the 74 men showed significantly lower testosterone levels than before consuming the sugar solution. This observation indicated that eating before having a testosterone level tested may result in an artificially low test result.

The researchers stressed men who have been found to have low testosterone levels should have their levels rechecked after they fast overnight. Doing so may avoid the the lowering effect that eating may have on testosterone levels.