The Study
The effects of a low carbohydrate diet on erectile function and serum testosterone levels in hypogonadal men with metabolic syndrome: a randomized clinical trial
This study found that a low-carb diet seemed to help some men feel better and have higher testosterone levels after three months. But because only 18 men were in the study and they knew which diet they were on, we can't be sure the diet caused the improvement—it might have been luck or other things.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Men with low testosterone and belly fat ate very few carbs for 3 months — and their testosterone went up, their erections got better, and they felt less tired and moody.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 575 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — moving from mild-to-moderate to mild erectile dysfunction and restoring normal testosterone levels can significantly improve energy, mood, and sexual health.
- 2Testosterone rose by 81.6 ng/dL; free testosterone reached normal levels (6.7 ng/dL); erectile function improved by 2.4 points on IIEF-5; 78.6% of men no longer screened positive for hypogonadism.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
BMC Endocrine Disorders
Year
2023
Authors
Caio da Silva Schmitt, C. D. da Costa, J. C. Souto, Lorenzo Miron Chiogna, Zilda de Albuquerque Santos, E. Rhoden, B. Neto
Related Content
Claims (10)
Dietary fat is required to produce steroid hormones and is the main source of energy when carbohydrate intake is low.
In men with low testosterone and metabolic syndrome, following a low-carbohydrate diet (30 grams or less per day) for three months is linked to higher levels of testosterone, improved erectile function, and reduced symptoms of low testosterone, regardless of total calorie intake.
Among men with low testosterone and metabolic syndrome, those who followed a low-carbohydrate diet for three months showed a greater reduction in the number meeting clinical hypogonadism criteria by ADAM questionnaire than those who did not.
In men with low testosterone and metabolic syndrome, following a low-carbohydrate diet for three months is linked to measurable decreases in waist size and blood pressure compared to those who keep eating as usual, even when calorie intake is held constant.
In men with low testosterone and metabolic syndrome, following a low-carbohydrate diet for three months is linked to a 2.4-point improvement in erectile function scores, moving the condition from mild-to-moderate to mild dysfunction, while other diets do not produce a significant change.
In men with low testosterone and metabolic syndrome, following a low-carbohydrate diet for three months is associated with higher levels of total and free testosterone and improved erectile function scores.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.