How Do Seed Oils Lower Testosterone?

TL;DR

PUFAs suppress thyroid function which lowers testosterone production. They increase aromatase which converts testosterone to estrogen. They cause inflammation which signals your body to lower testosterone. Your total T might look normal but free T is low. Swap seed oils for saturated fats. Most men notice better morning erections and higher energy within 3-4 weeks.

You used to wake up ready.

Now you need coffee just to feel human.

Your libido is gone. Your gym performance is flat. Your body composition is shifting. More fat around your belly. Less muscle everywhere else.

You get your testosterone checked. Total T is 450 ng/dL. "Normal range," your doctor says.

But normal isn't optimal. And total T isn't the whole story.

Your testosterone is a factory output. PUFAs slow the production line and divert finished product to the recycling bin.

How PUFAs Lower Production

Testosterone is made in your testicles. Cholesterol converts to pregnenolone, then progesterone, then DHEA, then finally testosterone.

This process needs thyroid hormone. Good metabolic rate. Efficient cellular energy production.

PUFAs suppress thyroid function at the cellular level. Lower thyroid means slower testosterone production.

Less raw material getting converted. The factory runs slower.

PUFAs also increase inflammation. Chronic inflammation signals your body that you're under threat. When you're under threat, reproduction isn't a priority. Your body diverts resources away from testosterone production.

Makes sense evolutionarily. If you're being chased by a lion, your body doesn't care about your sex drive.

Chronic inflammation from oxidized PUFAs is a constant low-level threat. Your body responds by lowering testosterone.

How PUFAs Increase Conversion to Estrogen

You produce testosterone. Then aromatase converts some of it to estrogen.

Some conversion is normal. Men need small amounts of estrogen for bone health and brain function.

But PUFAs increase aromatase activity. More of your testosterone gets converted to estrogen.

You might have decent total testosterone. But your free testosterone is low because too much is getting converted.

High estrogen in men means:

Fat gain, especially around chest and belly
Water retention
Mood issues
Low libido
Erectile dysfunction

You're making testosterone. But you're not keeping it.

How PUFAs Lower Free Testosterone

Total testosterone is everything in your blood. Bound and unbound.

Free testosterone is what's actually available to your cells. This is what matters for energy, libido, muscle building, mood.

SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) binds testosterone and makes it unavailable. High SHBG means low free T even if total T looks normal.

Inflammation increases SHBG. PUFAs cause inflammation. Higher SHBG binds more testosterone.

Your total T might be 500 ng/dL. But if most of it is bound, your free T might be in the bottom 20% of the range.

You feel like your testosterone is low because functionally it is.

What You Notice

Low morning wood. Healthy men wake up with erections. It's a sign of good testosterone and good metabolic function. No morning wood means something is suppressed.

Low libido. You're not interested. You don't think about sex. When you do have sex, it feels like work.

Fat gain around the belly. Even when you're eating the same calories and training the same way. Visceral fat increases. Your waist grows.

Muscle loss or inability to build muscle. You're training hard. You're eating enough protein. But you're not growing. Or you're actively losing muscle.

Low energy and motivation. Everything feels harder. You don't have drive. You don't chase goals.

Poor sleep. Testosterone should be highest in the morning. If production is low, your sleep suffers.

What You Do

Stop eating seed oils. Within a few weeks, inflammation drops. Aromatase activity normalizes. SHBG comes down. Free testosterone goes up.

You don't necessarily need higher total testosterone. You need more of what you're making to stay as testosterone instead of converting to estrogen.

Eat saturated fats. Butter. Eggs. Red meat. Coconut oil. Your body uses saturated fats and cholesterol to make testosterone. Don't fear cholesterol. Your testicles need it.

Lift heavy weights. Compound movements. Squats, deadlifts, presses. This signals your body to keep producing testosterone.

Get enough sleep. Testosterone is made during deep sleep. Seven to eight hours minimum.

Eat enough calories. Chronic caloric restriction lowers testosterone. If you're trying to lose fat, go slower. Small deficit. Preserve testosterone.

Track your progress with biomarkers:

Morning erections return within 2-4 weeks
Energy and motivation improve
Muscle performance in the gym
Body composition shifts (less fat, more muscle)
Libido returns

If nothing changes after 8-12 weeks, get full hormone labs. Total T, free T, SHBG, estradiol, thyroid panel. You might have an issue that needs medical attention.

FAQ

Q: Will eliminating seed oils increase my testosterone to 800 ng/dL? A: Not by itself. If your total T is genuinely low (under 300 ng/dL), you might need TRT. But if your total T is mid-range and you feel terrible, eliminating PUFAs can significantly increase free T by lowering SHBG and aromatase.

Q: Should I take an aromatase inhibitor? A: Not as a first step. Clean up your diet first. Lower inflammation first. Most men don't need AI if they're not eating oxidized fats and they're keeping body fat under control.

Q: What about supplements like Tongkat Ali or Fadogia? A: They can help. But they work better on a foundation of good diet. Fix the PUFAs first. Then add targeted supplements if needed.

Q: How do I know if my free T is low? A: Get it tested. Ask for total testosterone, free testosterone, and SHBG. If your total T is 500 but your free T is at the bottom of the range, you have a conversion or binding problem.

This isn't medical advice. I'm not your doctor. If you suspect low testosterone, get proper testing.

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