M.E NUTRITION
By Pedro van Gaalen, Andrew Carruthers
and Melanie Heyns
THE FATS
OF LIFE
THE FAT FACTS
F
irst and foremost, fat is critical in the production of
powerful steroid hormones, of which testosterone is
the most important for muscle growth.
As far back as 1984 the
therefore concluded that “in
scientific community has
men a decrease in dietary fat
highlighted the importance
content and an increase in
of dietary fat intake in the
the degree of unsaturation
production of serum sex
of fatty acids reduces the
hormone concentrations,
serum concentrations of
including testosterone, in
androstenedione, testosterone
men. A study published that
and free testosterone.”
year in the Journal of Steroid
Similarly, in a 2004 study
Biochemistry, by Hämäläinen
published in the International
E et al, looked at the possible
Journal of Sports Medicine, which
effect of dietary fat content and looked at blood concentrations
the ratio of polyunsaturated
of free testosterone, testosterone
to saturated (P/S) fatty acids
and growth hormone in men
on serum sex hormones in 30
in response to heavy resistance
healthy male volunteers.
exercise, researchers found
Subjects were fed a
that during the resting phase
practically isocaloric (similar
of the study a higher fat intake
caloric value) experimental diet
and lower protein intake was
containing significantly less
associated with increased levels
fat than normal, with a higher
of anabolic hormones in both
P/S-ratio than their normal
the sedentary and the trained
diets, for six weeks. During
subjects. However, during the
this period serum testosterone
active phase of the study the
and 4-androstenedione levels
decreased, in addition to a
reduction in serum-free (non-
protein bound) testosterone
which, according to researchers,
suggested “a possible change in
biological activity”. Researchers
“It is important to note that both
saturated fat and cholesterol play central
roles in the production of testosterone
and the other steroid hormones.”
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Muscle Evolution