Animal protein linked to lower testosterone in men, study shows

Men who eat more meat and dairy products tend to have lower testosterone levels, according to a new study, the Daily Mail reports.

Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland studied the diets of 2,546 men aged 42 to 60 over four days, dividing them into four groups according to their animal and plant protein intake.

The results showed that men with the highest animal protein intake had lower average total testosterone concentrations than those with the lowest intake. The opposite was seen among men who got more protein from plant sources such as legumes, grains, nuts and seeds. Experts stressed that the differences were marginal in both cases.

Higher intake of dairy protein, particularly fermented dairy protein, was linked to lower total testosterone.

The researchers said it is unclear why animal and plant proteins showed opposite associations. They suggested plant-heavy diets may be richer in fibre and unsaturated fats, but said this did not fully explain the findings.

The study’s authors wrote: “Higher animal protein intake was associated with lower circulating testosterone, whereas plant protein intake showed modest positive associations.”