Does coffee affect testosterone in men? Safe to use

Men must carefully monitor their own health in order to live a happy life. Particular attention should be paid to hormonal levels, which have a great influence on the functioning of all organs. Testosterone is considered one of the most important male hormones. How does coffee affect testosterone in men? It is important to know about this in order to correctly plan your daily diet.

The effect of coffee on testosterone in a man's body

Coffee affects the health of the body. It can change levels of hormones, cholesterol, sugar and other blood components.

Related material: The effect of coffee on the blood vessels of the brain

Testosterone value

A man’s body produces a huge number of sex hormones, but testosterone is considered the most important. It is important to keep it in normal condition, because both increased production and decreased production lead to a deterioration in the functioning of the male body. An increase in testosterone is a common cause of changes in appearance for the worse, as well as the onset of problems in the reproductive system. This can also lead to the formation of tumors, and therefore to oncology. A man can also become infertile, and there is increased hair loss that cannot be stopped on his own.

A reduced level of this sex hormone leads to deterioration or complete loss of erection, as well as other severe sexual problems, which are often faced by men who are inattentive and without due responsibility for their own health. Prevention is the best treatment, so you need to carefully plan your diet. Does natural or instant coffee drink affect testosterone index in men?

What happens if you drink coffee with low and high levels of the hormone?

For quite some time now, men have been concerned with the question: does traditional coffee affect testosterone? At the moment, there are several theories among scientists about how coffee can affect testosterone levels in men. Numerous scientists claim that coffee drink significantly reduces the production of male sex hormone.

This is interesting: When is the best time to drink coffee for health benefits?

In various studies conducted around the world, it was found that caffeine destroys the testosterone produced in the body of men. Caffeine is quickly destroyed in the body, so it is impossible to reliably answer the question: does strong coffee affect testosterone levels in men so seriously as to cause health problems? Three cups of strong coffee drink regularly helps increase the hormone index.

How to drink coffee without consequences for the body

Coffee has both benefits and harms for men. It is dangerous to drink both instant and natural coffee on an empty stomach, as the risk of developing gastritis and arterial hypertension increases. There should be at least 30 minutes between meals and drinks, ideally at least an hour.

The negative impact of coffee on men - potency, kidneys, heart and stomach - will decrease if it is properly combined with foods. Drink lovers should include dried fruits, nuts and freshly squeezed juices in their diet, the benefits of which for the heart, blood circulation and reproductive system are enhanced by caffeine.

It is more beneficial for the male body if milk is added to the drink, which softens the effect of caffeine, prevents the leaching of calcium and prevents vasoconstriction. Due to this action, the side effects of coffee on the digestive, urinary and vascular systems develop less.

How will the male body react if the drink is abused?

There are a large number of addictions in the world. One of them is coffee addiction. With coffee addiction, control over the amount of coffee drink consumed is lost, which can affect health.

Safe caffeine intake for men

Many men love to drink coffee. This is a truly noble drink that can give you a feeling of vigor for a long time. However, you need to know how to drink a coffee drink correctly so as not to harm your own health. To do this, you need to follow the safety rules developed by medical professionals. There is no need to think that any dose of coffee can negatively affect human health.

Numerous studies conducted to study the effect of a coffee drink on a man’s body have confirmed that 300-500 mg per day is the optimal dose that is not capable of causing significant harm to a man’s health. However, this conclusion applies only to men who have no contraindications for drinking coffee.

The main contraindications are problems with the heart and blood vessels, previous heart attack or stroke, hypertension, atherosclerosis.

If you have such diseases, doctors recommend immediately stopping drinking coffee. Remember that only the right approach to your own nutrition will allow you to maintain health.

How to Drink Coffee to Boost Testosterone Levels

Do not mistakenly think that natural coffee can only reduce the concentration of testosterone in the blood. On the contrary, with proper regular use, it can cause an increase in testosterone levels. This method is especially often used by men over 40 years old. Coffee affects testosterone in men, so to increase the amount of free testosterone in the male body, you need to drink about 200 ml of coffee per day.

Such consumption of such a drink leads to the production of androgen. On a daily basis, such a dosage is considered optimal, since it does not cause significant harm to the functioning of organs and organ systems. A simple drink can have a significant impact on men's health. In Brazil, an observation was made that found that men over 40 who frequently drink coffee in small doses have greater sexual strength than men who do not drink coffee at all.

How does coffee affect men's health?

Coffee is the most popular drink in every corner of the world. Caffeine contained in coffee beans has an adaptogenic effect - it stimulates the functioning of all organs and systems, accelerates metabolic processes, increases efficiency and tones. But in addition to its invigorating properties, the drink has other health benefits.

Benefits of coffee for men:

Natural grains contain components that are beneficial to the body: potassium, magnesium, selenium, manganese, zinc, iron, vitamin C. They stimulate the production of testosterone, positively affecting a man’s potency.
Due to the content of retinol, glutathione and tocopherol in the drink, the functioning of the immune system is supported.
Antioxidants present in ground grains suppress free radicals, reducing the risk of malignant tumors.
In small doses, it has a beneficial effect on potency, stimulating libido.
It has been proven that 1-2 cups of drink daily reduces the risk of developing senile dementia.
A high-quality drink stimulates the activity of male reproductive cells, increasing the likelihood of conception.
Small portions of caffeine act as an energy booster, helping to cope with heavy mental and physical stress.

The benefits of coffee for men are achieved only by consuming the natural drink in reasonable quantities. Coffee made from natural beans saturates the body with useful elements, increases activity, and stimulates brain activity.

Instant drink is very harmful even for a healthy person. It is produced from second-rate raw materials, supplemented with flavors, dyes, and sometimes synthetic caffeine. It has no benefit, and the negative effect on the body is much greater than from ground grains.

Why instant coffee is harmful for men:

Irritates the gastrointestinal mucosa, causing gastritis and ulcers.
Leads to dehydration and premature aging of the body.
Removes useful microelements from the body.
Disrupts metabolic processes.
Depresses the nervous system and cardiovascular activity.

A couple of cups of a natural drink a day can only bring benefits, but drinking in large quantities, despite all the beneficial properties, has a negative effect on a man’s health.

The effect of natural and decaffeinated coffee

In 2022, you can find a wide variety of coffee drinks in stores, which differ significantly in taste. Each person can find the coffee that suits them best. How does coffee affect testosterone depending on its type? Natural coffee (when properly prepared) releases about 19 percent soluble substances. These substances have a significant impact on the age-old quality and aroma. Doctors and scientists recommend that men use natural coffee.

Why should you give up instant? Because when producing an instant drink, the manufacturer tries to use coffee beans as much as possible. As a result of processing, they release 50 percent of substances, but 31 percent of them are harmful substances, for example, organic acids. Increased acidity negatively affects the amount of male sex hormones, and the amount of female sex hormones, on the contrary, increases.

What about caffeine-free? They have virtually no effect on male hormonal levels, so decaffeinated coffee is best consumed by people who have contraindications for drinking natural bean coffee. Cocoa also contains caffeine, which means it has a minor effect on androgen production.

Safe caffeine intake for men

It has been proven that coffee in the amount of 300-500 ml per day will not harm your health. One large cup of coffee contains about 90 milligrams of caffeine, and a small 30 ml cup of natural coffee contains approximately 40 mg of this substance.

Drinking a single cup of this aromatic drink a day will not harm anyone. But it is worth saying that a man should not have absolute contraindications to taking it.

Experts recommend drinking no more than 1-3 cups per day. It is also worth considering that it is advisable to drink the aromatic liquid in the first half of the day so as not to disturb proper sleep.

Interesting fact! Ten cups of coffee drink can cause serious damage to health, and a dose of one hundred cups is considered fatal to humans.

Scientists' conclusions about the effect of the hormone on the male body

Doctors carefully monitor new observations from medical specialists. Hormonal balance is one of the most important areas of medicine, because it is the basis for the work of other organs and organ systems. Some men are especially attentive to their potency. In pursuit of male power, they are ready to do everything possible, so they begin to lose control in drinking the coffee drink. This should not be done, because excessive consumption of coffee drink can provoke:

Significant increase in blood pressure. However, people who suffer from low blood pressure are advised to drink some coffee daily. Coffee increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.
The heart rate also increases, so people with tachycardia need to give up coffee.
Men should not drink instant coffee drink, which will increase the amount of female sex hormones. It can also cause increased headaches.

Thus, a coffee drink can be drunk only if there are no contraindications, taking into account the optimal dosage.

Coffee and erectile dysfunction

In 2015, a scientific work based on statistics from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was published in the journal Plos One. American scientists set themselves the task of finding out how coffee affects potency. During the work, an analysis was carried out of the data obtained from a survey of 3,700 men of different ages.

Researchers found that those who regularly drank 2-4 cups of coffee per day were 39-42% less likely to suffer from sexual dysfunction. Scientists have suggested that this effect is due to the effect of caffeine on the tone of blood vessels. The alkaloid relaxes the spiral arteries, improves blood flow and stimulates erection.

The author of the scientific work, David Lopez, concluded that caffeine prevents erectile dysfunction even in people with cardiovascular disease. An exception is for patients with diabetes, since high levels of glucose in the blood lead to damage not only to blood vessels, but also to the nervous system.

Preparation for the procedure

Like any planned study, a blood test for testosterone should be carried out outside of acute viral and bacterial diseases, no earlier than two weeks after recovery.
Taking certain medications may affect test results; It is necessary to discuss with your doctor the list of medications used, and perhaps discontinue some of them in consultation with your doctor.

Blood collection should be done in the morning on an empty stomach, after 8-14 hours of overnight fasting. Drinking water is allowed. On the eve of the study, it is recommended to exclude significant physical and emotional stress and alcohol consumption. It is not recommended to smoke at least one hour before the test.

For women, the test is usually carried out 2-4 days after the start of menstruation, unless other conditions are recommended by the attending physician.

What happens if you take it at different levels of the hormone?

What happens if you drink coffee with low testosterone levels? When testosterone levels are low, this can lead to increased hormonal dysfunction.

If the patient takes special medications to normalize hormonal levels, consumption of this drink may have a negative effect on the absorption and assimilation of the drugs.

As a result, the therapy will not bring the desired therapeutic effect.

What happens if you drink coffee with elevated testosterone levels? And for such patients it can be beneficial.

Regular consumption of this drink will promote the natural production of testosterone in the blood.

At the same time, you should not abuse it either, especially for men over 40-50 years of age.

What's wrong with men or where does testosterone go?

Expert Andrey Sergeevich Lychagin, Candidate of Medical Sciences, urologist-andrologist, head of the department of innovative technologies in the field of andrology and urology.

Male and female

The main enemy of testosterone is excess weight and associated metabolic disorders. A study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts showed that a significant increase in body weight reduces testosterone levels, as does an additional ten years of life.

Adipose tissue is a hormonally active organ that is capable of synthesizing estrogens from available materials. In a man’s body, testosterone becomes such a material. With the help of a special enzyme, testosterone is subsequently transformed into estradiol. It would seem, what's wrong with that? But these hormones are antagonists, so increased production of the second suppresses the production of the first.

In other words, the more female hormones circulate in the body of a representative of the stronger sex, the less male hormones, which has the most deplorable effect on his physical and mental state. A man loses muscle mass, energy, gains weight, suffers from sudden mood swings and even depression.

To be fair, it should be noted that the process of transforming testosterone into estradiol is necessary for many functions, including maintaining water-salt balance. The correct ratio of male and female sex hormones is important.

About 10 years ago, a large-scale study was published showing that from 1987 to 2004, testosterone levels in men fell by as much as 17%.

Sick 21st century

Obesity, in turn, is the result of a “sick” lifestyle of the 21st century. Excessive nutrition, stress, physical inactivity (also known as office worker disease) are all risk factors for excess weight gain and decreased testosterone. This can also include bad habits, especially alcohol abuse . Indeed, some alcoholic beverages, in particular beer, contain phytoestrogens, which are analogues of estrogens and contribute to the inhibition of testosterone production.

Each of these factors in itself can serve as a trigger for the decline of the male hormone, and if they come together... Here is how Andrey Lychagin comments on the situation: “Stress and poor nutrition primarily lead to a decrease in testosterone levels. Moreover, the first is often inextricably linked with the second: when we are stressed, we like to eat or drink alcohol, we move little, especially if the work is sedentary and does not involve physical activity. And as a result, fat deposits occur, which turns into an endocrine organ. This fat begins to take on testosterone and aromatize it to estradiol. This is how the level of the main male hormone in the blood drops.”

There is strength in a dream

Stress also has a direct hormonal effect on testosterone levels. When a man is in a stressful situation, be it fear of losing his job or being expelled from school, he begins to produce cortisol, the fear hormone. Cortisol is another testosterone antagonist, and when the level of the first goes off scale, the second tends to “bottom”. The most serious decrease in the male hormone is observed in the case of chronic stress.

However, regular lack of sleep can lead to a similar effect. According to the University of Chicago, men who sleep an average of 5 hours a night have 15% lower levels of male hormones than those who sleep the required 7-8 hours. Since almost all testosterone is produced at night during the deep sleep phase. Dobrynya Nikitich, the hero of all Rus', was right: “There is power in a dream. And the one who sleeps more deeply has more of it.”

Down with plastic!

A decrease in testosterone secretion is also influenced by “wrong” environmental conditions, including chemical pollution and everything that leads to disruption of the endocrine system. These can be household items, cosmetics, and even food “stuffed” with estrogen-like hormones, says Dr. Lychagin. These include phytoestrogens and xenoestrogens. Although the former are of natural plant origin, and the latter are industrial, their principle of action is the same: they bind to the same receptors as estrogens. Currently, the best studied effects of phytoestrogens contained in soy and soy products (milk, tofu, meat, flour, cottage cheese and soy sauce). They act as weak antiandrogens, that is, they reduce the influence of male sex hormones.

But phytoestrogens are not so bad compared to xenoestrogens - parabens and phthalates. They are widely used in the manufacture of plastic products and a wide variety of cosmetics. The negative effect of these substances is shown for the organs of the urinary, endocrine, nervous and especially the reproductive systems (up to and including underdevelopment of the testicles in infants). “Therefore, we must try to minimize contact with plastic (phthalates). Buy water in glass, do not heat food in plastic in the microwave,” sums up Andrey Sergeevich.

Father of the family

In addition to physiological factors influencing the amount of testosterone, social ones are of great importance. In the last 20 years, under the influence of culture and upbringing, men’s gender role model has changed significantly. If earlier he was a hunter and conqueror, now he has become an exemplary family man and father of the family, in a word, “domesticated.”

Brutal, aggressive and sexually active men are rare. Now other male qualities are at a premium - loyalty, responsiveness and patience. Men are happy to participate in partner childbirth and are immersed in caring fatherhood. Hence the decrease in the main male hormone. It is known that in the body of men who have children, the level of testosterone on average is lower than in those without children. Moreover, the more caring the father behaves, the more significantly his testosterone drops. “This was confirmed by an experiment by scientists from the University of Michigan, in which men and their one-year-old children took part. The child was separated from his parents for 3 minutes, after which the father appeared in the room, calmed the baby down, and over the next 15 minutes tried to teach him something difficult. Meanwhile, the scientists observed the father's behavior and assessed how patient and responsive he was. It turned out that in the most caring fathers, the level of the hormone decreased more than in other men,” says Dr. Lychagin.

Surprisingly, parenthood makes the stronger sex a little less powerful. Although, if you look closely, this has its own logic: a high level of testosterone for the father of the family is only a burden. Just look, his “bad influence” will take dad to the left - away from direct parental responsibilities.

Everyone to the hall!

The surest way to increase testosterone levels is to lose weight and build muscle mass. “If the number of extra pounds decreases, the ratio of testosterone to estrogen in the blood will improve and thereby automatically reduce the risk of male problems,” explains Dr. Lychagin. Experts believe that the most productive exercises from the point of view of “pumping” testosterone are weight-bearing exercises. The main thing is not to overdo it. Excessive physical activity, exhausting the body, can lead to the opposite effect - a decrease in the main male hormone. Thus, scientists from the University of British Columbia found that athletes who regularly run long distances (over 40 km) have noticeably lower testosterone levels than short-distance runners. This fact is explained by the stress that lovers of long runs expose themselves to.

Too much is also bad

Often, in pursuit of testosterone and a beautiful muscular body, a man decides to artificially “add” this very testosterone to himself. However, practice shows that the use of anabolic steroids upsets the balance between testosterone and estradiol. This is the main difference between natural training and the use of “pharma”. “When a man goes to the gym, many biochemical processes are launched in his body, which have a beneficial effect on the body, including the growth of its own, endogenous testosterone. And in “farm”, only the shell turns out beautiful, and only at first. If testosterone levels are excessive (and this always happens with “anabolic steroids”), the hormonal system malfunctions. The body begins to fight excess testosterone, transformation processes intensify! Estradiol levels increase. And, as a result, libido decreases,” comments Andrey Sergeevich.

Vitamin D and turnip

The second most important point in the fight for male power is healthy eating. It is necessary to provide the body with the right testosterone-boosting fuel, including vitamins and minerals. First of all, vitamin D, which is also sometimes called hormone D, since it is involved in the synthesis of steroid hormones. “It is no coincidence that the Mediterranean diet is so fashionable and popular now. It is rich in vegetables and herbs, grown in the sun and saturated with vitamin D. Perhaps this is the secret of high testosterone and the loving temperament of Italians, Spaniards and other southern machos. We, the “northerners”, who eat products from the greenhouse and rarely see the sun, need to additionally take vitamin D, as well as the amino acids zinc and selenium,” advises Dr. Lychagin. The list of recommended products also includes: cabbage of all varieties (cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts), broccoli, radishes, turnips, as well as foods rich in protein. Contrary to popular belief, it is not sea protein, but animal protein that is most effective for increasing testosterone levels. In second place are seafood - they contain building material for the male sex hormone. Especially valuable: salmon, shrimp, oysters, trout, crab.

In recent decades, testosterone levels have been gradually declining - sad but true. Fortunately, this process is reversible, you just need to make an effort. And men will definitely cope with this. After all, they are the stronger sex.

Handyman

The role of testosterone is not limited to reproductive function, masculinity and an enviable libido; it is crucial for the health of bones, muscles, heart, blood vessels and basic metabolic processes in the body. A direct connection has already been identified between a decrease in testosterone and the occurrence of various ailments in men. For example, scientists from the University of Michigan found that patients with low levels of male hormones tend to suffer from arthritis, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. A decrease in its production has a very serious impact on the mental abilities of the stronger sex. “A number of studies have already confirmed that testosterone is a neuroprotector, and its deficiency can lead to memory impairment, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders,” says Andrei Lychagin. In addition, men with low levels of the male hormone often experience emotional disorders: mood swings, anxiety, depression. Figuratively speaking, they lose their fighting spirit.

Injections of masculinity

When it is not possible to “pump up” testosterone, hormone replacement therapy can come to the rescue. “There is no need to be afraid of her. But this should be done by a specialist. Not a trainer in the gym, but a doctor who, taking into account your initial level of male hormones, selects therapy. With successful normalization of testosterone, the man is gradually transferred to the production of his own hormone, endogenous testosterone. Without “peaks” and “jumps”. Getting off hormone replacement therapy correctly is just as important. Our body is very smart. Testosterone that is too high will immediately be transformed into estradiol. And the opposite effect may occur, as in the case of taking anabolic steroids. Hormone replacement therapy is a very effective way to correct androgen deficiency, but, like any intervention, this method has its limitations. Therefore, you first need to comprehensively and thoroughly examine the patient’s condition,” warns Dr. Lychagin.

Published: October 25, 2022

Testosterone boosters

Men who want to increase their testosterone levels can replace coffee with the following drinks:

Celery smoothie. This drink is often preferred by vegetarians who train hard in the gym. The medicinal plant helps to compensate for testosterone deficiency caused by refusal to eat meat products. The smoothie additionally contains cinnamon and banana, which help increase libido. The process of preparing it is quite simple: you need to combine ingredients such as banana, carrots, 10 ml of kefir, a stalk of celery, a small amount of cinnamon and parsley, and 100 ml of water in a blender bowl. The resulting mixture is thoroughly beaten before eating;
Lassi. It not only helps increase testosterone concentrations, but also provides excellent cooling on a hot day. The main ingredients of lassi are usually: cardamom, mango, yogurt, kefir, ice cubes. Before preparing the drink, you must grind the cardamom thoroughly. Mango, present in lassi, is considered to be one of the most powerful aphrodisiacs;
Ginger tea. The medicinal plant not only increases the concentration of testosterone, but also prevents the occurrence of infectious diseases. Ginger prevents premature aging and helps neutralize the activity of free radicals. The root of the medicinal plant contains: potassium, calcium, zinc, essential oils, ascorbic acid, vitamin A;
Dried fruits compote. It is recommended to prepare it from dates, prunes, raisins, dried apricots. These products are enriched with B vitamins. Compote helps improve the functions of the genitourinary system. Dried fruits are additionally enriched with micro- and macroelements, which activate the process of androgen synthesis;
Green tea. It contains a large amount of zinc. Green tea activates blood circulation in the pelvic area. But you should not drink the drink too often. This can lead to insomnia. In order for the beneficial properties of the drink to be fully preserved, the leaves should not be poured with boiling water. The optimal temperature for preparing green tea is 85 °C.

If the level of testosterone in the body is low, it is recommended to reduce coffee consumption to a minimum. Elderly men should be especially careful. This category of representatives of the stronger sex often experiences a variety of chronic diseases. In addition, with age, hormonal levels in the body deteriorate, which can increase the effect of caffeine on testosterone. Representatives of the stronger sex are advised to stop drinking beer. It is especially harmful if you have low testosterone levels. The raw material for beer is hops, which are enriched with phytoestrogens. When drinking the drink, the content of the female hormone in the body may increase.

Androgens and reproductive function

Coffee can affect sperm quality and quantity, both of which are controlled by androgens. One study, published in a 2008 issue of Human Reproduction, looked at the adult sons of mothers who took part in a long-term study and consumed caffeine during pregnancy. Mothers who drank four to seven cups a day gave birth to sons with little to moderate androgen levels. But adult sons who drank more coffee had testosterone levels 14 percent higher than those with low intake of the stimulant, although there were no significant differences in sperm quality or volume.

According to research, if a mother consumes a lot of caffeine during pregnancy, the amount of androgens in the child will be low to average. But those children who grow up and drink a lot of coffee raise their levels of this hormone.

When do hormone levels increase?

In women, a slight increase in hormone levels can be observed when taking COCs (combined oral contraceptives), as well as during pregnancy. In both men and women, increased testosterone is a consequence of taking anticonvulsants (for example, therapy for epilepsy), as well as during treatment for hyperthyroidism.

An increase in testosterone is a clear signal that allows one to suspect the development of the following conditions in a patient:

development of adrenogenital syndrome in women;
the risk of tumor formation in the ovaries in women and testicles in men;
Itsenko-Cushing's disease ¾ endocrine pathology, in which there is excessive synthesis of ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) at the level of the brain, which leads to increased activity of the adrenal cortex, where, in particular, testosterone is produced;
Reifenstein syndrome (male pseudohermaphroditism);
tumor process in the pituitary gland;
excessive physical activity of patients;
in some professional athletes taking steroid drugs.

Increased testosterone ¾ is an important symptom that cannot be ignored. When testosterone increases, the doctor, as a rule, conducts additional diagnostics to find out the reasons for the change in the level of the hormone in the patient’s body.