Adding Thorne Zinc Picolinate to your daily routine can be a quick and convenient way to boost your zinc intake to support healthy testosterone levels. Additionally, a 2021 study including 116 postmenopausal women with low zinc levels found that zinc supplementation increased testosterone levels and improved overall sexual function. Fenugreek may boost testosterone levels by inhibiting enzymes that convert testosterone into other hormones and blocking testosterone breakdown. Most well-designed studies have found little to no effect on testosterone levels in men who consume soy products as part of a balanced diet. While isoflavones can bind to estrogen receptors, their impact on hormone levels is complex and varies from person to person. No, clinical studies consistently show that soy and isoflavones don’t lower testosterone in men eating normal amounts.
It therefore participates in body weight maintenance, which is crucial for vascular health . Obesity is usually the first risk factor that triggers chronic low-grade inflammation, which plays a crucial role in systemic metabolic dysfunction. Jayagopal V. et al. obtained similar results in a cross-over design trial involving 32 postmenopausal women with type-2 diabetes mellitus consuming twice the amount for half the duration . Et al. observed a significant increase of serum TSH in young males after supplementation with 2 g/kg body weight/day of boiled unprocessed natural soybeans for 7 days .
Sub-analysis of the data according to isoflavone dose and study duration also showed no effect. However, the authors also found a benefit on of reduced cardiovascular risk factors in the high phytoestrogen group, with a significant reduction in insulin resistance, inflammatory markers, and blood pressure. Fermented soy foods are produced with beneficial bacteria like Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, and Bacillus species that produce butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that regulates immune function and is being investigated for its protective effects on the brain. The authors discussed limitations of the review including the small number of participants, the short duration of studies (less than one year), and variation in dosages and types of soy given.
A randomized, double-blind, and cross-over trial carried out in 60 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and an adequate iodine intake reported an advance to overt hypothyroidism in 10% of cases (6 females) after administering soy protein with isoflavones for 8 weeks . To date, most of the few human studies evaluating phytoestrogen effects on androgens in postmenopausal women have found no associations between phytoestrogen intake and androgen peripheral concentrations 74,82,85,86,91,109,116. Low et al. also reported higher concentrations of SHBG in postmenopausal women with higher urinary excretion of lignans, but no association was found with the excretion of other phytoestrogens, such as isoflavones, equol, or O-desmethylangolesin (O-DMA) . Whereas some clinical studies found that isoflavone consumption increased SHBG levels in postmenopausal women 18,71,96,110, others concluded the opposite. In postmenopausal women there is little evidence supporting the hypothesis that phytoestrogens affect sex hormone levels. Both hormones decreased after low- but not high-isoflavone diets , as well as after the consumption of soy products 52,64. In agreement with the potential anti-estrogenic effect of phytoestrogens, some authors have observed a significant decrease in estrogen levels after the consumption of soy products 18,22,47,48,49.
Many women with high testosterone levels will have irregular menses or no period at all. "There are no established optimal testosterone levels for women, so most clinicians use a lab reference range to diagnose a woman with high testosterone," Dr. Dorr says. Like other hormone types, there’s a chance that someone can have abnormal testosterone levels. If a doctor diagnoses low testosterone, they may recommend hormone replacement therapy, which can effectively increase your testosterone levels. NOW Supplements Fenugreek Capsules provides 500 mg of organic fenugreek in each capsule, which is the same amount used in many studies on increasing testosterone levels. A small 2017 study with 50 participants found that taking 500 mg of fenugreek extract per day increased free testosterone levels by up to 46% in 90% of participants after 12 weeks. While more research is needed, it may support healthy testosterone levels.
In addition, observational studies have found an increased risk of prostate cancer in Chinese and Japanese men who move to Western countries and adopt a Western diet, but not in those who continue eating a traditional diet. Another prospective study followed 1,954 American women who were breast cancer survivors for six years. Equol is believed to block potentially negative effects of human estrogen, but not all women possess the bacteria needed to create equol. 14-17 It appears that the effects of soy may vary depending on menopausal status, the age at which soy is consumed, and type of breast cancer. Some have shown a benefit with soy consumption and breast cancer while others show no association. The authors also observed that the presence of equol (a protective substance made from the breakdown of isoflavones that only some women can produce) may be needed for isoflavones to effectively reduce hot flashes.