Keto Diet for Weight Loss and Low-T Relief

For a long time, people have understood nutrition as a simple calories-in, calories-out equation, with a consideration for adequate vitamins and minerals. Over the last generation, we've really begun to dig into the complexities of how what we eat affects our bodies. The bread/starch-laden food pyramid of the past is obsolete, and it's important to change our habits in the face of new science and research.

A recent study showcased at the annual European Congress of Endocrinology provides evidence that the ketogenic diet may greatly benefit obese and overweight men with Low Testosterone. Italian researchers studied how men are impacted by the keto diet, with a particular focus on weight loss, Testosterone Levels, and SHBG Levels. This is believed to be the first study to investigate this connection with scientific rigor.

Obesity and Low-T Strongly Linked

Obesity is one of the strongest risk factors for Testosterone Deficiency. Body fat naturally absorbs Testosterone and converts it into Estrogen. This is actually one of the bio-markers which trigger the brain to produce less Testosterone. The hypothalamus registers increased Estrogen Levels and starts to block Testosterone Precursors.

Hormone Imbalance associated with obesity leads to an excess of Estrogen that suppresses Testosterone. Low-T has well-known symptoms, including Erectile Dysfunction, Fatigue, Low Libido, and deteriorating muscle mass. Millions of men throughout America have their health and their sex lives imperiled by Testosterone Deficiency every year.

Study Shows Keto and Caloric Restriction Boost Testosterone and Encourage Weight Loss

In this Italian Low-T Keto Study, 17 participants were subjected to Caloric Restriction via Keto Diet. The men maintained an 800 daily calorie routine for a month. They were evaluated three times during the study—Before beginning the diet, then after seven days, and after four weeks.

This diet strategy proved to be successful for both weight loss and Hormone Balance. Patients burned fat, improved BMI, and experienced significantly higher SHBG and Testosterone Levels. The research team believes that these results show how Testosterone Levels, energy utilization, and insulin activity are connected.

Research like this is important because obesity is epidemic not only in the United States but globally. The WHO analysis shows that rates of obesity have gone up 300% since 1975. The United States has some of the highest obesity rates in the world, affecting around 42% of the adult population. Obesity is associated with increased mortality risk due to many cancers, type-2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Testosterone Deficiency has its own health risks as well that are believed to amplify the risk of obesity and vice-versa.

Morbid Obesity Demands Considerable Measures to Overcome

The men in this study suffer from Morbid Obesity, which means they way at least 80-100 pounds over their target healthy weight. This study showcases the potential benefits of a physician-moderated “crash” keto diet and how it impacts insulin and Testosterone. Low Testosterone Levels encourage the build-up of dangerous visceral fat. As we mentioned previously, obesity lowers circulating Testosterone. This creates a perilous downward spiral which encourages further depletion of Testosterone and an increase in body fat.

A diet restricted to 800 calories should only be used in short-term circumstances with the approval of a medical professional. The Keto Diet encourages weight loss because it encourages the body to burn calories stored from fat in the absence of dietary carbohydrates. It also aids Testosterone Levels because it helps rebound Insulin Levels which are negatively impacted by a diet high in simple carbohydrates.

Rewiring Hormones for Weight Loss

The researchers consider this keto plan a short-term measure to improve hormone balance and insulin sensitivity while encouraging rapid weight loss. After the period of strict caloric restriction is over, they recommend switching to a diet like the DASH diet or the Mediterranean diet to maintain Hormone Balance and health while also encouraging more controlled weight loss.

This diet is intended to rewire your endocrine system to help you lose weight easier and relieve the effects of Low-T and insulin resistance. Now that the researchers have revealed that the foundation of their hypothesis holds water, their next step is to put men on longer diets which seek to further explore how the Keto Diet, caloric restriction, and Testosterone are linked. A larger and more advanced study will be able to better differentiate between how Caloric Restriction and a Ketogenic meal plan impact Testosterone Levels in isolation.

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