Testosterone-Associated Dietary Pattern Predicts Low Testosterone Levels and Hypogonadism.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Nutritional Science
• Men's Health

Background:

• Obesity and low serum testosterone (T) are linked, influenced by diet, increasing hypogonadism risk.
• A bidirectional relationship exists between nutrient metabolism and T levels in men, but T-related dietary patterns are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate dietary patterns associated with serum total T levels.
• Determine the predictive effect of these patterns on hypogonadism and body composition in adult men.

Main Methods:

• Collected anthropometry, blood biochemistry, and food frequency questionnaires from 125 adult men.
• Derived dietary patterns using reduced rank regression from 32 food groups.
• Utilized adjusted linear regression and logistic regression analyses.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of central obesity was 48.0% and hypogonadism was 15.7%.
• Age, insulin, RBC aggregation, and transferrin saturation predicted serum total T.
• A specific dietary pattern (high processed foods, low homemade) predicted hypogonadism (OR: 5.72) and was associated with unfavorable body composition (increased fat mass, decreased muscle mass).

Conclusions:

• A Western-style dietary pattern is associated with lower testosterone levels, increased hypogonadism risk, and adverse body composition in men.
• Further research, including randomized controlled trials, is needed to confirm if dietary improvements can enhance T levels and reduce hypogonadism.