In male rats with diabetes, eating food with 10% sesame oil for about two months seems to boost their testosterone levels, even though their blood sugar stays high.

What we've found so far suggests that in diabetic male rats, adding sesame oil to their diet may be linked to higher testosterone levels. Our analysis of the available research shows this based on one line of evidence we’ve reviewed. We looked at a study in which male rats with diabetes were fed a diet containing 10% sesame oil for about eight weeks [1]. What we observed in that study was an increase in testosterone levels, even though the rats’ blood sugar levels remained high [1]. This is the only claim we’ve analyzed so far on this topic, and it points in one direction — toward a possible rise in testosterone with sesame oil intake in this specific group of animals. Our current analysis does not include any studies that contradict this finding — there are zero studies in our review that show sesame oil lowers or has no effect on testosterone in diabetic male rats. However, we only have limited evidence to consider at this time. The data comes from a single experimental setup, and we haven’t reviewed any human trials or longer-term animal studies. Because we’re working with a small body of evidence, we can’t say how strong or consistent this effect might be. We also don’t know whether the change in testosterone leads to meaningful health outcomes, or if the dose, timing, or form of sesame oil matters beyond what was tested. The evidence we’ve reviewed leans toward sesame oil being associated with increased testosterone in diabetic male rats under the conditions described. But we’re still building our understanding, and future findings could change how we interpret this. Practical takeaway: In lab rats with diabetes, eating a diet with a lot of sesame oil might raise testosterone, but we don’t know if that applies to other animals or people.