Does a High Protein Diet Decrease Testosterone? (Explained)

Yes, a high-protein diet can cause low testosterone levels.

While the fitness industry glorifies such diets, research suggests that high protein intake can decrease T levels by more than a third [1].

University of Worcester researchers found that very high-protein diets could impact resting total testosterone, increasing the risk of erectile dysfunction, low sperm counts, and infertility.

This observation was made as part of a study that combined the findings of 27 studies involving 309 males [2].

Additionally, low-carb diets can increase the production of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the blood, which could then result in low immune system and testosterone levels [3].

Along the same lines, another study published in the journal Clinical Endocrinology found that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets led to increased SHBG levels [4].

This is problematic because high levels of SHBG were associated with low free testosterone levels [5].

How to Maintain Healthy Testosterone Levels Through Protein Diet

To maintain optimal testosterone levels through a protein diet, people on high-protein diets should limit protein to no more than 25% of their daily caloric intake or 0.8 g of protein per pound of body weight.

In addition, you should aim at evenly spacing out protein intake throughout the day to ensure stable blood sugar levels.

If you're not getting the optimal protein intake for muscle growth through diet, you can supplement with protein shakes or powders.

I recommend that my clients gradually add protein to their diet but never exceed the recommended daily intake.

This will help ensure healthy growth without any adverse endocrine effects.

“Protein is the building block of your muscles. Therefore, eating adequate amounts of protein helps you maintain your muscle mass and promotes muscle growth when you do strength training.”

- Kris Gunnars, Editor at Authority Nutrition 

For our body to use a protein molecule, it first must break it down into its component amino acids.

These are then transported into the cells of the muscle tissue, where they are assembled into new protein molecules.

This process is known as protein synthesis [8].

So, it is essential to eat foods high in protein for muscle gain and provide all of the essential amino acids needed for protein synthesis.

Muscle Recovery

Adequate protein consumption is beneficial for repairing muscles after a workout because it helps rebuild and repair tissues damaged during exercise [9].

In addition, moderate amounts of protein can help reduce inflammation, which can also help promote muscle recovery [10].