Does Soy Lower Testosterone? (4 Things You Need to Know)

Soy may cause lower testosterone levels, but this mainly happens only in circumstances where people have a poor diet and severe nutrient deficiencies [1].

It may also indirectly affect testosterone due to the phytoestrogens it contains, but more on that later.

The reason there are some misconceptions is that there are some animal studies on mice and rats that have shown lower serum testosterone concentrations.

But in a study with healthy male volunteers, soy protein powder supplementation didn’t have an impact on serum reproductive hormones [2].

The meta-analysis included clinical studies that had a control group and double-blind processes.

What that means is that healthy adult males don’t have to worry about their soy protein shakes causing a low T-count, loss of muscle mass, or erectile dysfunction.

There are some daily recommended limits, but as long as you have a healthy diet and cover all the important nutrients to support androgen concentrations, soy really shouldn’t be a problem.

So, the theory that you hear people talk about all comes down to the effects of soy isoflavones.

Soy proteins contain these molecules that have a similar structure to estrogen [3]. But that doesn’t mean that higher isoflavone intake will cause serum estrogen levels to rise.

And the clinical and biological activity of isoflavone is much weaker than estrogen, which would explain why in the study mentioned in the previous section, there were no measurable impacts on sex hormones in healthy men.

“Isoflavones are plant-based compounds found almost exclusively in beans, like soybeans, that mimic the action of the hormone estrogen.”

- Lindsay Cook, PharmD, verywellhealth.com

There is, however, one study that reported a minor negative effect of soy on serum testosterone in young men [4].

But you should keep in mind there are many studies that say otherwise, so more research is needed.

Yes, you can counteract the effect of low sex hormone concentrations.

The first thing you need to do is take a careful look at your diet and remove all junk food and sugar.

There’s no point trying to tackle low T-levels when it’s your diet that’s causing the problem.

Once you’ve planned out your testosterone-boosting diet plan, it’s time to consider taking the top natural testosterone boosters.

These are typically based on minerals, vitamins, and herbs to trigger your natural production processes.

Ultimately, they can lead to increased muscle mass, improved sexual function, and better mood in a matter of months.