A recent study found that men over 60 who consume a lot of fish have higher levels of the male hormone testosterone.
Testosterone is a male hormone secreted by the testes. When testosterone is secreted in large amounts, symptoms of secondary male characteristics such as a deepened voice, increased body hair, increased muscle mass, and skeletal growth appear. Testosterone decreases annually from the mid-30s, and male hormone deficiency symptoms appear as men age. Testosterone levels below 3.5 ng/mL are diagnosed as male menopause, and levels below 3.0 ng/mL warrant hormone therapy recommendations.
According to the international academic journal Current Developments in Nutrition, on the 28th, a research team led by Guest Ito of the National Global Health Medical Clinical Science Center in Tokyo, Japan, analyzed the fish intake and serum testosterone levels of 1,545 Japanese men aged 60-69 who underwent health check-ups at the Hitachi Health Care Center from 2017 to 2020.
Total fish intake was measured, including fish rich in flesh (trout, white fish, freshwater fish, bonito, etc.), fatty fish (sardines, mackerel, saury, eel, fatty tuna, etc.), and dried and salted fish. The results showed that the more fish consumed, the higher the total amount of testosterone in the blood. The blood testosterone level of the group consuming 14g of fish per 1000kcal of intake calories was 5.58ng/mL. The blood testosterone level of the group consuming 58g of fish per 1000kcal was 5.99ng/ml.
Applying the Korean Nutrient Intake Standards published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the daily required caloric intake for men aged 50-64 is 2200kcal. This implies that at least 30.8g of fish should be consumed daily to increase serum testosterone.
In additional research, the researchers found that consuming flesh-rich fish, even in small amounts, is more helpful in increasing blood testosterone levels than consuming a large amount of fish.
Specifically, a group consuming 3g of lean fish per 1000 kcal showed testosterone levels of 5.72 ng/mL, meaning consuming at least 6.6g daily is necessary. For those consuming 19g of lean fish per 1000 kcal, the testosterone levels reached 6.00 ng/mL.
The researchers noted that omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D found in fish enhance the synthesis and secretion of testosterone. However, they advised caution as fatty fish contain environmental pollutants such as methylmercury and polychlorinated biphenyls, which can increase dioxin levels in the blood if consumed in large quantities.
Meanwhile, the study results were published in the April issue of the international academic journal Current Developments in Nutrition.
