In a new study from the University of Bari in Italy, researchers found that a very low-calorie ketogenic diet can help testosterone and sex hormone levels in overweight men.
They found that after following a low-calorie ketogenic diet for four weeks, body weight, fat mass and body mass index (BMI) strongly decreased and a substantial increase of total testosterone were also found.
The findings highlighted the tight relation between insulin action, energy balance, and testicular function.
Testosterone is responsible for sexual and reproductive functions. However, it plays a significant role in calorie utilization and metabolism as well.
In the study, the team examined the effect of a very low-calorie ketogenic diet on testosterone and sex hormone levels.
17 men in the study underwent a low-calorie ketogenic diet for four weeks, and various tests were carried out before and after one and four weeks.
As men who are overweight or obese can also suffer from low levels of testosterone, the findings suggest that a low-calorie ketogenic diet might be a promising area for additional research.
The worldwide prevalence of obesity nearly doubled between 1980 and 2008. According to country estimates for 2008, over 50% of men in the WHO European Region were overweight, and roughly 20% were obese.
Obesity can lead to diabetes and heart disease, as well as psychological problems.
To tackle this, various lifestyle changes, activities and treatments are widely recommended, and a ketogenic diet is becoming increasingly recognized as one of them.
The diet consists of little protein and very little carbohydrates, and when done as very-low calorie a daily intake of less than 800 calories is advised.
A very low-calorie ketogenic diet has previously been found to reduce body weight, glycemia and insulinemia.
This is the first study that has evaluated the early response of androgen levels to the institution of a very low-calorie ketogenic diet, and highlights the relation between insulin action, energy balance, and testicular function.
Results from this study now prove that a very low-calorie ketogenic diet can positively affect total testosterone and sex hormone levels.
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The study was presented at the 23rd European Congress of Endocrinology. One author of the study is Dr. Angelo Cignarelli.
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