Does eating more carbs or fat change your hormones when you lift weights?
The Combination of a Diversified Intake of Carbohydrates and Fats and Supplementation of Vitamin D in a Diet Does Not Affect the Levels of Hormones (Testosterone, Estradiol, and Cortisol) in Men Practicing Strength Training for the Duration of 12 Weeks
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Vitamin D increased 95% in the high-fat group but didn’t raise testosterone at all.
Observational studies and some trials suggest vitamin D boosts testosterone—this RCT shows no link, even with massive D increases.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re lifting weights and want to slightly lower morning stress, try increasing carbs to 55-60% of calories for 8–12 weeks.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Vitamin D increased 95% in the high-fat group but didn’t raise testosterone at all.
Observational studies and some trials suggest vitamin D boosts testosterone—this RCT shows no link, even with massive D increases.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re lifting weights and want to slightly lower morning stress, try increasing carbs to 55-60% of calories for 8–12 weeks.
Publication
Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Year
2020
Authors
M. Wrzosek, Jakub Woźniak, D. Włodarek
Related Content
Claims (5)
Eating protein and carbohydrates can lead to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol by influencing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
In men taking 2000 IU of vitamin D daily for 12 weeks, blood levels of vitamin D rise more when their diet is high in fat than when it is high in carbohydrates.
In young, healthy men who regularly lift weights, eating a diet high in carbohydrates or high in fat—while maintaining sufficient protein and calories—does not change the levels of testosterone or estradiol in the blood.
Among young, healthy men doing strength training for 12 weeks, eating a diet high in carbohydrates was linked to a small but statistically significant decrease in morning cortisol levels, while a high-fat diet showed a slightly larger but not statistically significant decrease. This suggests carbohydrate intake might have a modest effect on reducing cortisol after exercise.
Taking 2000 IU of vitamin D daily for 12 weeks raises vitamin D levels in the blood of young, healthy men who were initially deficient, but this change is not linked to changes in testosterone, estradiol, cortisol, or SHBG levels.