How does eating 12 eggs a day affect testosterone?

In this article, we will answer the question “How does eating 12 eggs a day affect testosterone?”, and what are the best testosterone-boosting foods.

How does eating 12 eggs a day affect testosterone?

Eggs have nutrients that affect testosterone. Eggs have many nutrients, important to testosterone production.

The consulted scientific literature did not present information that corroborates that the total of 12 eggs will bring a healthy increase in testosterone levels.

However, a 2021 study showed that consuming 3 whole eggs and a small percentage of other sources of cholesterol (842 mg/day of cholesterol, being 672 mg exclusively from eggs) increased testosterone levels by 2.4 ng/mL (1) because it is a precursor of steroid hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Eggs contain about 200 mg of cholesterol (7).

Eggs have the nine essential amino acids (histidine; isoleucine; leucine; lysine; methionine; phenylalanine; threonine; tryptophan and valine) which are vital for the production of enzymes, and some hormones, such as testosterone (2,3).

The presence of albumin in the egg can increase testosterone levels, although the mechanism by which albumin may boost testosterone production is presently unknown (12).

Eggs also a source of fat-soluble vitamins; A, D, E, and K, and water-soluble B vitamins; thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folate (B9), cobalamin (B12), and choline (2). Research indicates that vitamin D supplementation can increase testosterone levels in men (5,6).

Instead of focusing on a specific number of eggs, it’s crucial to incorporate eggs into a balanced diet that includes a variety of testosterone-boosting foods. 

Does eating eggs increase testosterone levels in women?

Yes, eating eggs increases testosterone levels in women.

Considering that cholesterol is one of the building blocks for testosterone production, it is assumed, therefore, that consumption of eggs (rich in cholesterol) will fatally increase the level of testosterone in both men and women (20).  However, the correlation of egg consumption in women is not clearly described in the consulted literature.

In women, testosterone is produced in much smaller amounts, primarily from the adrenal glands and the ovaries (20). Under normal circumstances, circulating T levels in men are 10–20 times higher than those in women (21). 

Testosterone, in women, plays an important role in female sexual desire, which leads women to use testosterone to increase libido. It is also used in postmenopausal women (21,22). This treatment has generally demonstrated efficacy for sexual desire, arousal, pleasure, responsiveness, and satisfaction. Treatment with testosterone is also used in female-to-male transsexuals (21).

Are there other foods capable of increasing testosterone?

Yes, there are many other foods capable of increasing testosterone.

Garlic, ginger, soybeans (isoflavones/lecithin), turmeric, emu oil, fish oil omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, guarana (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis), hazelnut, milk thistle seed and rosemary leaf, pepper, propolis, and royal jelly, Saccharomyces cerevisiae are some examples from other sources of substances that collaborate with the increase of testosterone levels (8).

Why is it important to pay attention to testosterone levels?

It is important to pay attention to testosterone levels because it is related to some diseases. Low testosterone levels in men are associated with hypogonadism, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular risk (9,10). In recent years, epidemiologic studies have suggested that obesity is associated with multiple alterations in the gonadal endocrine system and low testosterone levels (8). 

Furthermore, testosterone levels have been related to insulin resistance, as their decline occurs in parallel to an increase in HOMA-IR (11). 

For men wishing to optimize their testosterone levels, it may be wise to avoid a high fat intake, drink liquids such as water, or even consider fasting (12). 

Is there any risk of excessive egg consumption?

Yes, there are risks of excessive egg consumption.

The American Heart Association suggests one whole egg (or two egg whites) per day, as part of a healthy diet (13).

Allergic people to eggs, usually occurring soon after exposure can have some symptoms such as skin rashes and hives, digestion and its related problems, breathing problems, and anaphylaxis (14).

Until recently, a reduction in the consumption of eggs, a concentrated source of cholesterol, had been widely recommended to lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. However, new studies have reported contradictory results on the association of egg consumption with cardiovascular disease due to its cholesterol content (15,16). However, as this association is still unclear, it is prudent to consider the consumption of eggs.

Consuming one or two eggs a day, when part of a low-fat diet, does not negatively affect the lipid profile and may even help improve vascular and intestinal function in individuals at low risk of developing cardiovascular disease and other metabolic disorders (17).

Although the egg has numerous health benefits, a balanced diet ensures the intake of the necessary nutrients, essential for maintaining health (18).

It is worth mentioning that the consumption of raw eggs, regardless of the quantity, must be careful, as they may contain Salmonella bacteria, responsible for intestinal infection (19).

Other FAQs about Eggs that you may be interested in.

How much protein is in the whole egg?

Can you eat an egg without yolk?

How many calories are in 2 boiled eggs?

Conclusion 

In this article, we answered the question “How does eating 12 eggs a day affect testosterone?”, the best testosterone-boosting foods, the risk of excessive egg consumption and why is it important to pay attention to testosterone levels.

References 

1. Bagheri R, Hooshmand Moghadam B, Ashtary-Larky D, Forbes SC, Candow DG, Galpin AJ, et al. Whole Egg Vs. Egg White Ingestion During 12 weeks of Resistance Training in Trained Young Males: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2020 Dec 9;35(2):411–9.

2. Zaheer K. An Updated Review on Chicken Eggs:  Production, Consumption, Management  Aspects and Nutritional Benefits to  Human Health. Food and Nutrition Sciences. 2015;06(13):1208–20.

3. Flanagan S, Kopecky E. Run Fast. Eat Slow.: Nourishing Recipes for Athletes. Rodale; 2016.

4. Pearce K, Tremellen K. The Effect of Macronutrients on Reproductive Hormones in Overweight and Obese Men: A Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2019 Dec 14;11(12):3059.

5. Pilz S, Frisch S, Koertke H, Kuhn J, Dreier J, Obermayer-Pietsch B, et al. Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Testosterone Levels in Men. Hormone and Metabolic Research. 2010 Dec 10;43(03):223–5.

6. Santos HO, Gomes GK, Schoenfeld BJ, de Oliveira EP. The Effect of Whole Egg Intake on Muscle Mass: Are the Yolk and Its Nutrients Important? International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2021 Nov 1;31(6):514–21.

7. Hallak J, Ciccone I, Costa E, Pariz J, Teixeira T, Drevet J, et al. Serum vitamin D content is associated with semen parameters and serum testosterone levels in men. Asian Journal of Andrology. 2021;23(1):52.

8. Kataoka T, Hotta Y, Kimura1 K. A Review of foods and food supplements increasing testosterone levels. Journal of Men’s Health. 2021 Nov 20;17(2):4–14.

9. McDermott MT. Endocrine Secrets. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2009.

10. Rovira-Llopis S, Bañuls C, de Marañon AM, Diaz-Morales N, Jover A, Garzon S, et al. Low testosterone levels are related to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and altered subclinical atherosclerotic markers in type 2 diabetic male patients. Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 2017 Jul;108:155–62.

11. Yeap BB, Chubb SAP, Hyde Z, Jamrozik K, Hankey GJ, Flicker L, et al. Lower serum testosterone is independently associated with insulin resistance in non-diabetic older men: the Health In Men Study. European Journal of Endocrinology. 2009 Oct;161(4):591–8.

12. Pearce K, Tremellen K. The Effect of Macronutrients on Reproductive Hormones in Overweight and Obese Men: A Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2019 Dec 14;11(12):3059.

13. Suggested Servings from Each Food Group [Internet]. www.heart.org. 2021 [cited 2023 Jun 22]. Available from: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/suggested-servings-from-each-food-group

14. Muthukumar J, Selvasekaran P, Lokanadham M, Chidambaram R. Food and food products associated with food allergy and food intolerance – An overview. Food Research International. 2020 Dec;138:109780.

15. Dehghan M, Mente A, Rangarajan S, Mohan V, Lear S, Swaminathan S, et al. Association of egg intake with blood lipids, cardiovascular disease, and mortality in 177,000 people in 50 countries. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2020 Apr;111(4):795–803.

16. Sanlier N, Üstün D. Egg consumption and health effects: A narrative review. Journal of Food Science. 2021 Sep;86(10):4250–61.

17. Liu X, Shao Y, Sun J, Tu J, Wang Z, Tao J, et al. Egg consumption improves vascular and gut microbiota function without increasing inflammatory, metabolic, and oxidative stress markers. Food Science & Nutrition. 2021 Nov 30;10(1):295–304.

18. Raubenheimer D, Senior AM, Mirth C, Cui Z, Hou R, Le Couteur DG, et al. An integrative approach to dietary balance across the life course. iScience. 2022 May;25(5):104315.

19. Insel P, Ross D, McMahon K, Bernstein M. Nutrition Essentials: Practical Applications. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2022.

20. Zamir A, Ben-Zeev T, Hoffman JR. Manipulation of Dietary Intake on Changes in Circulating Testosterone Concentrations. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 25;13(10):3375.     

21. Braunstein GD. Safety of testosterone treatment in postmenopausal women. Fertility and Sterility. 2007 Jul;88(1):1–17.     

22. Shufelt CL, Braunstein GD. Safety of testosterone use in women. Maturitas. 2009 May;63(1):63–6.