D3 is actually not a vitamin but a steroid hormone mistakenly named. Zinc does more than just help testosterone, it's an important mineral for immune health as well. Zinc is one of 24 essential minerals for human survival, but adequate zinc consumption also helps you thrive hormonally. Free testosterone is believed to be the form of testosterone that actually works, flowing through your body doing testosterone things. Meaningful improvements in testosterone levels typically become apparent within 8-12 weeks of implementing consistent dietary changes, though some men may notice symptom improvements within 4-6 weeks. Whole eggs, shellfish, and organ meats provide cholesterol along with other testosterone-supporting nutrients, making them valuable additions to hormone-optimization diets. Follow-up testing at 8-12 week intervals allows sufficient time for dietary changes to produce measurable effects on hormone levels while preventing excessive testing costs. This initial assessment provides the foundation for measuring progress and helps identify which factors may be limiting testosterone production. Men may benefit from tracking dietary zinc intake and monitoring testosterone response rather than relying solely on zinc level measurements. Total testosterone indicates overall hormone production, while free testosterone reflects the biologically active portion available to tissues. Evening meals should emphasize protein and healthy fats while minimizing high-glycemic carbohydrates that can interfere with sleep quality. Although the investigative team did not employ a control group consuming a low-fat diet (LFD), the results do suggest that a HFD rich in cholesterol increased TT and FT in resistance-trained men regardless of the state of ketosis. In addition, TT and FT concentrations at weeks 4, 6, 8 were significantly elevated compared to week 2. The minimum recommendation for dietary fat consumption should be not below 25% for both the general and athletic populations 82,83,84. These investigations have indicated that low energy availability has a deleterious effect on various physiological systems in the body, specifically the endocrine system. Situations of low energy availability are reported in both endurance and strength/power athletes and are especially relevant in sports where competition is based upon weight class . These studies clearly indicate the negative effect that low energy availability has on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Initial investigations reported that a low energy availability (i.e., 13 kcal·kg FFM·day−1) significantly altered LH pulse frequency and amplitude . Four trials assessed the effects of carotenoids on relevant outcomes, but none assessed the effects on androgens (androstenediol, androstenedione, dihydrotestosterone or testosterone), oestrogens (E2, estradiol, estriol, or estrone), DHEAS or SHBG. Forest plot assessing the effects of multi-nutrient interventions on sex hormones and IGF-1 (nmol/L). Those studies that also included vitamin D within the multi-nutrient interventions are also covered in Section 3.2. There are numerous other plant extracts from collards, tomato leaves, tea, coffee, cocoa, kale, potato leaves that have been reported to have high aromatase inhibition activity . Sultan and colleagues reported that an extract from saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), a type of a palm tree, decreases in vitro 5α-reduction of androgens. In addition, the group consuming the supplement performed significantly more repetitions on the leg extension exercise and realized significantly greater increases in lean body mass and arm circumference than the placebo group. Konda and colleagues examined the ergogenic effects of Garcina mangostana on both rodents and humans. Balunas and colleagues reported that an extract from a tropical fruit called mangosteen had strong inhibitory capabilities of the aromatase enzyme. Red clover flower extract, often used to improve hair and skin texture 33,34, has also been reported to inhibit 5-α-reductase activity .
