No doubt, natural and healthy foods can boost your testosterone level, making your sex drive better, but there are some foods that kill testosterone in the body. Some apparently healthy foods can make you hormone deficient.
So what types of foods lower or kill testosterone?
Some naturally occurring foods with high fat or carb content can lower the testosterone hormone in the body. Usually, the foods that contain or trigger estrogen production are more likely to lower the T-hormones, for instance, animal milk and soy products.
However, food rich in trans fat and bad carbs leads to abnormal weight gain and insulin resistance that eventually results in testosterone decline. So, avoiding these foods improves the male hormones in both genders.
Here is the complete list of foods that decrease manliness.
Table of Content
List of Foods That Kill Testosterone
Testosterone is the “master hormone” of men; it’s their virility, sexual desire, and strength. However, a low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, weakness, unusual fatigue, and depression-related sickness are the symptoms of male hormone deficiency.
Irrespective of injury, or medicine use, eating some foods regularly can lower testosterone in the body. Here are some foods that you use on a daily basis, but they are killing your male hormones.
Mint
Mint, peppermint, spearmint, and related herbs are widespread in our diet. Whether in culinary, smoothie, or tea, we frequently use them as a healthy addition. No doubt, it provides a good soothing effect on the body; at the same time, methanol from the mint family dramatically lowers the testosterone level.
Nutritionists recommend drinking peppermint tea or mint juices to females with PCOS and hirsutism. This remedy works to lower the high androgen and testosterone levels in females.
Now, you may want to remove mint from your life completely, but it is not that easy since mint has largely become a part of our daily use products, from shampoos, toothpaste, to cough relievers. However, limiting its use can help you maintain your masculine hormones.
Alcohol
Another responsible food that kills testosterone hormone in young males and adults is alcohol and related products. Alcohol contains ethanol and many other harmful compounds that are actually bad for the overall body.
Drinking alcohol in excess causes the lower production of hormones responsible for sexual hormone processing. Also, it increases the body’s estrogen level, which works antagonistically to testosterone (when estrogen level increases, testosterone decreases). Not only this, but alcohol consumption leads to fat buildup, which results in low hormone production.
People who are becoming sick and sluggish day by day should avoid alcohol consumption.
Trans Fat
On top of the foods that destroy testosterone is a diet rich in trans fat. Trans fat results in abnormal weight gain and the buildup of bad cholesterol in the body. Consequently, it decreases the male and other major hormones of the body.
Eating trans fat in large amounts every day results in hormonal imbalance, heart disease, diabetes, and other blood vessel diseases.
Typically, processed foods, cheese, and other meats are laden with trans fat. However, some natural foods also have a significant amount of trans fatty acids. Following is the list of food items rich in trans fat:
- Microwave popcorn
- Margarine
- Meat
- Dairy
- Non-dairy coffee creamer
- Commercial baked goods
- Refrigerated dough
- Frozen or processed pizzas
If you want to optimize your T-hormone level, you should track your trans and omega 6 levels.
Fried Foods
Some people generally believe fried food is not good for health. Indeed, this conception is based on reality. Fried food is more likely to contain an extremely high amount of trans fats since it is cooked in vegetable oil at a high temperature.
The high content of bad fat from fried food may result in a low drive of testosterone hormone, which consequently affects you in the long run. It affects your heart and muscular health as well.
Sugary Products
Sugar and sugar products are more likely to lower the testosterone level in the body. In fact, those young males who frequently drink sugary beverages and eat sweets have the worst bodily and sexual health.
Daily use of sugary beverages or sugar products increases the insulin level in the body, which immediately decreases the testosterone in the body.
Therefore, you should limit or avoid artificial or crystal sugar-containing foods, instead, use natural sweeteners (honey).
Soy Products
Soy products are other foods that decrease testosterone in males and females. Soy-based products such as miso, edamame, tofu, and soy milk contain high amounts of phytoestrogens and isoflavones. These are estrogen-like chemicals that work like them as well. Since it is high in plant estrogen, it kills the male hormone, just like female estrogen.
Moreover, it reduces the androgen receptors’ enzymatic activity, which significantly affects the testosterone role in the body. In simple words, testosterone, due to disrupted androgen receptors, can not develop and drive well.
Soy also has high fatty acid content, which sharply reduces testosterone in the body. Not only this, but soy-based products are also goitrogenic. It can suppress the function of the thyroid glands. Eventually, it results in low production of testosterone in men and women.
However, a less scientific study supports the concept that soy is a testosterone-killer food.
Licorice Root
Licorice contains a high concentration of isoliquiritigenin. This substance alters the genes for some enzymes that are primarily responsible for hormone production. This compound also triggers a decrease in enzymes that convert testosterone into estrogen.
Consumption of licorice or its root can significantly reduce the serum testosterone level in the man. Regular use of it leads to a continuous decrease of male hormones, which eventually declines testosterone over time.
Nuts Can Lower the Testosterone Level
Generally, nuts and plant seeds are considered good for health and the reproductive system. However, some of them are not good for testosterone hormones.
Specifically, walnuts and almonds are high in the concentration of SHBG, which is responsible for the neutralization of the T-hormone effect. Moreover, a high amount of PUFAs and phytosterols in them can significantly affect testosterone production.
Baked Goods, and Bakery Products
Other testosterone-killing foods are bakery products and bakery goods. They can negatively affect the human body since they are high in bad carbs, trans fat, sugar, etc.
Eating donuts, refined bread, pastries, desserts, and other bakery goods contributes to visceral fat gain while reducing muscular weight. At the same time, they cause insulin spikes in the body.
All these factors contribute to lowering the testosterone level and androgenic activity in males.
Dairy Products
Dairy products are also included in foods that decrease testosterone. Most dairy products are obtained from pregnant cow’s milk, such as milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, and cream. These milk products are usually high in estrogen and progesterone levels, which work to suppress testosterone.
Besides, animal feed is also rich in soy, which is likely to be present in their products. Soy is another substance that can boost the estrogen in the body. Therefore, dairy products are primarily responsible for the natural drop of testosterone in males and females.
Do Eggs Kill Testosterone?
Many people believe that eggs are a testosterone killer food, but the fact is entirely different.
An egg is a superb source of protein, vitamin D, cholesterol, omega 3, iron, carotenoids, calcium, and many other potent antioxidants that work together to promote the male and female reproductive system.
When it comes to male hormones, the egg significantly increases T levels. One of the most important nutrients in eggs is selenium, which activates the testosterone pathway and increases testosterone production, as well as promotes gene expression.
Besides maintaining the hormones in the body, the protein in eggs increases muscle weight.
Do Bananas Kill Testosterone Levels?
Bananas have got a bad reputation as testosterone killer food. But they are actually T hormone booster fruits. No doubt, they don’t have a good amount of protein and healthy fats, but they are not responsible for the lower testosterone in you.
In fact, bananas contain the enzyme bromelain, which helps to increase the male hormones. Moreover, vitamin B and high potassium content help you gain muscle mass and maintain energy levels.
Apart from these, potential antioxidants and essential minerals are helpful for people with low testosterone levels. Eating two bananas before sex provides enough energy to be untested for the next two hours.
What Factors Can Reduce Testosterone Levels?
Besides the foods that kill testosterone levels, there are certain other habits that are to blame for the decrease in masculinity. Following are the few main reasons that can reduce the T-level or cause a hormonal imbalance in the body:
- Aging can result in a continuous decrease in male hormones.
- A poor lifestyle can result in an imbalance of hormones.
- Chronic drug addiction, alcoholism, and chemical drugs can kill T-hormones.
- Stress is directly linked with distance and the production of hormones.
- Obesity and body fat is another leading cause of the drop in testosterone and androgen levels.
- People with diabetes often have a high insulin level in the body that drops the T-level.
Besides these, poor diet, high working hours, low physical activities, multiple ejaculations, and metabolic disorders may result in a testosterone drop.
FAQs
- How can a woman reduce testosterone levels?
Typically, women have high testosterone and androgen levels when they are suffering from PCOS, PCOD, or another hormonal disease. Naturally, they can reduce the male hormones in the body with the help of some foods, such as soy-based products, flax seeds, or licorice roots. Medicinally, hormonal therapies can help to balance the hormones. Moreover, weight management and exercise can help.
- How can testosterone levels be decreased?
Weight management, avoiding chemical drugs, no alcoholism, good nutrition, and a healthy lifestyle can contribute to balancing the testosterone in the body. However, if you have low T-hormones due to a genetic defect or testicular injury, you are less likely to maintain your testosterone level.
- What foods increase testosterone?
Fatty fish, leafy green vegetables, extra-virgin olive oil, oysters, low-fat milk, and ginger can help to increase the testosterone level. Moreover, a healthy lifestyle, healthy food, and regular exercise can increase the T-level naturally.
- What happens when a man’s testosterone is low?
Testosterone plays an integral role in the maturation of man’s secondary characters. For instance, the coarseness of voice, the growth of bread, and reproductive growth can be affected by low or high sex hormones. Also, it is primarily helpful in the development of bones and sexual organs. A man with low testosterone has a low sex drive and bone mass. Besides it, they have erectile dysfunction, which can lead to unsatisfying intimacy and depression-related conditions.
Conclusion
Some foods apparently seem healthy, but their regular consumption is not actually good for hormones. We have listed the top ten foods that kill testosterone levels to make you aware of the foods that are slowly killing your hormones.
It is better to avoid taking them regularly and in large quantities. Instead, eat a balanced diet that includes a wide variety of foods. Moreover, exercising and leading a healthy lifestyle are key factors for better sex hormones.
