Green tea antioxidants are known for their many health benefits, including their ability to increase testosterone levels.
To help you understand the correlation between green tea and testosterone and learn how to use it to improve your own hormone balance, I teamed up with our nutritionist and pored through hundreds of research.
Here is what we found.
Quick Summary
- Green tea extract has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, which help boost testosterone levels.
- People who regularly take green tea enjoy a range of sexual health benefits.
- Excessive intake of green tea can be unsafe because of caffeine.
Does Green Tea Extract Aid in Testosterone Production?
Green tea extract may aid in testosterone production due to the presence of flavonoids – catechins believed to benefit healthy testosterone levels [1].
However, other research revealed inconclusive results.
Its essential chemical components are L-theanine, potassium, iron, calcium, caffeine, and green tea epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
Some studies have shown that EGCG, a type of green tea extract catechins, can suppress estrogen, also known as the female hormone.
Reduced estrogen could increase testosterone levels as estrogen excess can negatively impact male sexual development, testis function, and sperm production [2,3].
In addition, green tea extracts are believed to elevate sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), a necessary protein that, in turn, may cause androgen activity [4].
However, another study revealed that EGCG in green tea leaf extract actually decreased serum testosterone levels after twenty-six days of treatment [5].
As of now, more research is necessary in order to gain more consistent results and determine the effect of green tea on testosterone production.
Related: Does Almond Milk Boost Testosterone?
What Are the Key Benefits of Green Tea for Men with Low T?
The key benefits of green tea for men with low T are preventing cell damage, maintaining healthy liver function, and increasing immune response.
Let’s go into more detail about each benefit:
- Preventing cell damage – Green tea contains anti-inflammatory compounds that can help protect Leydig cells and increase the efficiency with which they release testosterone [6].
- Maintaining healthy liver function – Green tea leaves contain antioxidants, which can stimulate your body’s antioxidant enzymes in the liver, small intestine, and lungs [7]. Supporting healthy liver function results in more stable testosterone levels as the liver breaks down hormones.
- Boosting the immune system – Green tea catechins boost the immune system, eliminate specific bacteria and viruses, fight inflammation, and control hormone production [8]. With that in mind, research has shown that when inflammation occurs, adipose tissue converts testosterone into estradiol [9].
- Improving fertility – Drinking green tea extracts have been proven to improve sperm parameters, fertility, and overall reproductive function [10,11].
“Green tea has a range of possible health benefits. To help you feel better, lose weight, and lower your risk of chronic diseases, you may want to consider making green tea a regular part of your life.”
- Kris Gunnars, Bachelor of Medicine & Editor at Healthline.com
What Are the Side Effects of Drinking Green Tea?
The side effects of drinking green tea are irritability, sleeplessness, anxiety, headaches, jitteriness, and irregular heartbeats.
People who are sensitive to caffeine and tannins are more likely to experience these negative consequences [12].
That said, green tea is also a natural diuretic, which means drinking too much green tea appears to lead to dehydration.
Having all this in mind, medical experts recommend drinking no more than sixteen cups of tea daily for four weeks to avoid any potential side effects.
Also, If you know that coffee affects your ability to sleep, it is recommended to take it no later than five hours before bed.
FAQs
Can Green Tea Increase Testosterone?
Yes, green tea can increase testosterone due to its ability to reduce estrogen levels, according to some research. However, more research is needed to undoubtedly determine whether or not green tea has a positive impact on testosterone.
Can Green Tea Reduce Insulin Resistance?
Are Green Tea Polyphenols Safe?
Yes, green tea polyphenols are safe when not exceeding 8 cups of green tea a day. In addition, drinking green tea continually for up to four weeks is safe for healthy people [15].
Can Green Tea Boost Your Testosterone?
Green tea catechins are believed to influence and maintain healthy testosterone levels. However, the data gathered isn't consistent, and we still haven’t found a clear answer for now.
That said, if you’re looking to increase your hormone levels naturally, I would recommend combining solid training and a balanced diet with a high-quality T booster:
We have tested and singled out these products ourselves as they have helped many of our clients burn fat, lose weight, and improve energy levels.
References:
- https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/9/3/237/htm
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4691479/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK278933/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9507508/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4788727/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6653493/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32943691/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453022000465
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.974773/full
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-960/green-tea
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6073549/
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-960/green-tea
- https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/90/5/2636/2836773
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23803878/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12960117/
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