Low-carb diet ups testosterone levels, erectile function in hypogonadal men

Following a low-carbohydrate diet helps in male hypogonadism by increasing serum levels of testosterone and improving erectile function for hypogonadal men with metabolic syndrome, as shown in a study.

The study included 18 men diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and subnormal testosterone levels. They were randomly assigned to undergo a dietary intervention consisting of a low-carbohydrate diet (n=12; mean age 57 years, 71 percent) or a control diet (n=6) for 3 months. Most of the participants had hypertension and diabetes (57 percent) and erectile dysfunction (62 percent).

The low-carbohydrate group was instructed to reduce carbohydrate intake and increase protein and fat intake, with carbohydrates being limited between 25 percent and 30 percent per day or 20 and 30 g per day. On the other hand, the control group was instructed to continue eating normally but received education about healthy eating patterns. The two diets had similar number of calories.

Anthropometric parameters, total serum testosterone levels, symptoms of hypogonadism, and sexual function were evaluated using the Aging Male (ADAM) questionnaire, the Aging Male Symptoms (AMS) scale, and the International Index of the Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) score.

Anthropometric measures such as weight, body mass index, and abdominal circumference improved significantly in the low-carbohydrate group but not in the control group.

The low-carbohydrate dietary intervention also led to a significant increase in the IIEF-5 score and a significant reduction in AMS and ADAM scores (p<0.001). Serum total testosterone levels and calculated free testosterone significantly increased with the low-carbohydrate diet than with the control diet (p<0.001).