Omega-3 and Testosterone: DHA Increases Testosterone Levels in Men

A study conducted on a group of overweight and obese men shows that the intake of omega-3 fatty acid DHA increases testosterone concentration in the blood.

New confirmations arrive about the positive effects of fish oil on male fertility, particularly on testosterone levels in men, the most important hormone regarding sexuality, but not only that: it influences vitality, good health, protects against metabolic diseases, and helps improve mood. The study was conducted by a group of Australian and New Zealand researchers, and published in the journal Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes & Essential Fatty Acids.

Testosterone

Testosterone is the main male sex hormone and plays an important role in the development of reproductive organs and the promotion of other characteristics, such as increased bone and muscle mass and hair growth. Moreover, testosterone is involved in overall health and wellbeing; insufficient levels of this hormone in men are linked to a wide range of disorders and diseases such as infertility, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

Testosterone increases only in men, the study shows

The researchers administered to a cohort of 61 overweight and obese adults aged between 38 and 63 years 860 mg of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and 120 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) daily for 12 weeks, while the control group took capsules containing corn oil. A fasting blood sample was collected before and after the intervention, at the end of which a higher total testosterone level was found in males who received the DHA-enriched capsules, and no effect in the control group. The study was initially aimed at verifying the effect on insulin levels in people with weight problems, but analyzing the results, the researchers realized that besides reducing insulin levels in both men and women, the supplements had another effect: increasing testosterone levels only in men. In the women participating in the study, in fact, hormone levels—which are also present in females at lower levels—remained unchanged.

Male fertility and Omega-3

Several studies have investigated the role of Omega-3s in male fertility, and evidence has shown that DHA can:

• Exert a protective action on sperm 
• Correct defects in fertility 
• Increase sperm motility and count 

These effects are explained by the fact that DHA is one of the components of the sperm cell membrane: it represents 20% of the fatty acid content in mature sperm, that is, at the end of puberty. The fatty acid composition of the membrane is very important for the proper functioning of sperm and plays a critical role in fertilization events.

Omega-3, testosterone and hypogonadism: the study aligns with previous results

“The results of the study concluded in 2020 are promising not only for the increase in testosterone,” say the authors, “but also because they suggest the potential use of DHA in the treatment of men with hypogonadism—a condition where the testes do not produce enough testosterone—as already highlighted by previous studies.” “Changes in testosterone levels in males were positively associated with changes in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in red blood cell membranes, and were associated with positive changes in fasting insulin,” the study reads. “Fish oil supplementation enriched with DHA increases testosterone levels in overweight and obese men, although further research is needed to validate these results with a larger sample size and longer study duration.”  

Sources:

1) Kylie Abbott et al., “Dietary supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid rich fish oil increases circulating levels of testosterone in overweight and obese men”. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2020 Dec;163:102204. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2020.102204. Epub 2020 Nov 12. 

2) Kylie Abbott et al., “DHA-enriched fish oil reduces insulin resistance in overweight and obese adults” Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2020 Aug;159:102154. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2020.102154. Epub 2020 Jun 13.