The Role of Dietary Fat in Male Hormones

Remember in the 90s, when fat was deemed the antithesis of a healthy diet? Particularly saturated fat and cholesterol. This period was also when pop culture seemed to swap out the muscular action heroes of the 80s for the skinnier, goofy, happy-go-lucky funny guy. This was a period which laid a shaky foundation for male hormone health in many developed countries across the world.

Plummeting Testosterone Levels

In recent years, an increased amount of attention has been given to hormone health, with increasing rates of depression in developed worlds, as well as falling fertility rates. Testosterone levels have dropped 20% in the past 20 years. According to the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), the average 22-year-old man has the same testosterone levels today as a 67-year-old man in 2000.

Obviously, for large, global problems like this, there are many potential causes, and for such a problem to occur, there are probably multiple simultaneous causes. However, one which I deem myself qualified to speak to is the role of dietary fat.

Fat Scapegoat

Growing up in the nineties and early 2000s, I distinctly remember the scaremongering around dietary fat. In our health-conscious house, we had low-fat milk, margarine spreads instead of butter, and 1-calorie spray oils. As a heavy child desperately trying to lose weight, I remember the packaging of such products even containing heart symbols, indicating them to be a better choice for longevity, particularly heart health.

However, as Dr Andrew Huberman put it on his podcast, we didn't know that the complete removal of dietary fat from one’s diet is effectively nutritional castration. My hormone tests in my early twenties reflected this observation. I had a non-existent sex drive and consistently tested just above 200ng/dl. This is the very bottom of what is considered the ‘normal’ range, but remember, this is considered ‘normal’ at a time in history when T levels are at an all-time low.

This was indeed my own doing, but I don’t necessarily think it was my fault. We didn’t know any better. At that time, mainstream bodybuilding and weight-lifting were just about to kick off, and in pop culture, skinny was in! Even today, many health practitioners will advocate for dietary approaches, which are low in calories, low in fat, and low in cholesterol. All of which are absolutely essential for optimal testosterone levels.

Reframing the Narrative

The internet has enabled the accessibility of information on any topic to the general public. It has also changed the format in which that information is available. You might feel comfortable reading a scientific journal, but you can no doubt sit through a podcast, listening to someone who can explain such journals in layman’s terms.

We now know that energy (calorie) balance dictates body composition and, to a large extent, the vast majority of our key health indicators, such as blood glucose levels, blood cholesterol, and inflammation markers.

Unfortunately, the average person remains, for the most part, unaware of this and buys into the demonisation of specific food groups. The most recent ones are carbohydrates (particularly sugar) and meat. However, at least most are now somewhat aware that dietary fat plays a crucial role in our health, particularly our hormones. Specifically, ‘healthy fats’ are understood to be perfectly fine. Which they are, depending on the dose. Sources include avocados, nuts, olive oil, coconut oil and wild salmon.

Red meat, cheese, milk and eggs also play a huge role in providing dietary fat and cholesterol in a package containing essential minerals and B vitamins. Such foods were heavily demonised in previous decades at the very same time that testosterone levels continued to drop. By now, we should know better.

The Middle Road

So, what should I do if dietary fat has previously been connected to heart disease but is also essential for optimal hormones? One might say moderation. The good old one egg a day is OK slogan, and red meat once per week. In my opinion these approaches still leave men drastically short of the nutrition they need for healthy testosterone levels.

The way I approach, this is that once my calorie intake is in check, as well as healthy body fat levels (12-20%), I don’t worry about restricting fat and cholesterol intake. My concern would be whether I am consuming enough of both to maintain healthy testosterone levels within an already calorie-restricted diet. If you look at this post from earlier in the year, you can see how this approach has resulted in optimal blood health markers for me, even when eating in a calorie surplus for an extended period.

The difference is that I am neither throwing caution to the wind and eating whatever I want in whatever quantity I want nor am I overly restricting the types of foods I consume. Instead, I rely on loose control of my calorie intake and by extension, the dose of fat sources to guide me.

However, I am not a health care provider, so if you are going to experiment, get an opinion from your health care provider, particularly if there is a history of cardiovascular illness in the family.