Do Cooking Oils Affect Testosterone Levels? (Science-Based)

Cooking oils are used in minimal quantities, still, they hold a higher position when it comes to health benefits.

The nutritional profile of different types of cooking oil impacts the overall health including the testosterone hormones.

That’s right!

While people often investigate which foods increase testosterone the most, only a few care to think about what oil is good for testosterone.

Only those who are passionate about their fitness, like to get down to the nitty-gritty details, and learn about the cooking oils that increase testosterone.

If you are one of them, we bring you the list of which cooking oil is good for men and their primary hormone.

Key Findings 

1. Just replacing your normal cooking oil with cooking oils that increase testosterone can bring significant changes in your efforts to boost your T levels.
2. Using nuts oil (walnuts and Macadamia nuts) has the same beneficial effects on testosterone as munching them.
3. Olive oil has enzymes that convert cholesterol into testosterone.

Top 5 Cooking Oils That Increase Testosterone

If you think there is a single oil that serves as a holy grail for boosting testosterone levels, you are wrong.

No single oil is “perfect” for your health since every oil is a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fats.

However, the percentage of these fats along with other nutrients and vitamins is what matters.

Therefore, either you can continue using one single oil as per your taste and preferences or you can try different oils or different foods to enhance the testosterone effectiveness.

After going through tons of research and data, here are the top 5 cooking oils that increase testosterone levels.

#1. Coconut oil

Nutritional Profile:

Coconut oil is extracted from the meat of coconuts and is applied in cooking, beauty, and skincare.

However, apart from all of these what grabs the attention of men is that coconut oil increases testosterone.

Moreover, coconut oil contains 92-96% of saturated fats most of which are derived from the fatty acid called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs).

But how does coconut oil boost testosterone?

Basically, coconut oil blocks the enzyme that converts the 5% free testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

To explain, coconut oil gets its 52% oil from MCTs which include 42% lauric acid, 7% caprylic acid, and 5% capric acid.

These MCTs affect the DHT which performs similar functions as testosterone. The twist is the human body uses an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase to convert the 5% free testosterone into DHT.

This leads to a decline in testosterone levels. That’s when coconut oil enters. Lauric acid in MCTs blocks this enzyme and prevents the conversion of this testosterone into DHT.

As per the reports of the study, coconut oil contains appreciable amounts of lauric and myristic acids that are beneficial in treating testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia.

#2. Olive oil

Nutritional Profile:

Olive oil is probably the most talked but when it comes to cooking and salad dressing.

However, in the past few years, it has gained popularity as one of the cooking oils that increase testosterone.

I am as surprised as you are!

But how does oil increase testosterone?

It’s the extra virgin olive oil that works its magic to boost the t-levels. It does by increasing the effects of two key enzymes 3β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17-β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

These enzymes convert cholesterol into testosterone. Adding to it, EVOO also increases the number of Leydig cells in the testes which is responsible for the increase in testosterone hormones.

As per the reports of the study carried out on 60 young and healthy males of age between 23 to 40 years, there was an increase in testosterone and luteinizing hormone.

Also, oleuropein a phenolic compound found in extra virgin oil is also found to have an effect on the luteinizing hormone that regulates the production of testosterone. (source)

Not to mention, the nutritional profile of olive oil is vast, it is the monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins E, and K, that affect the testosterone levels.

#3. Argan oil 

Nutritional Profile:

Argan oil has been the culinary stable in many countries for centuries including Morocco because of its potential health benefits. It is used in cooking as well as applied on the skin.

The nutritional profile of Argan oil includes phenolic compounds and fatty acids like oleic and linoleic acid along with vitamin E and antioxidant properties.

But how does Argan Oil increase testosterone?

Argan oil increases the working mechanism of luteinizing hormone in the testes which then boosts the production of the primary male hormone.

Also, the saponins in the argan oil decrease the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine and thus affect the testosterone level.

A study assessed the effects of argan oil and extra virgin olive oil on the hormonal profile of healthy Moroccan men.

The study included 60 young and healthy males of 23 and 40 years who consumed a diet of extra virgin olive oil and argan oil for 3 weeks.

The report shows a significant increase in the testosterone and luteinizing hormone that regulates testosterone.

#4. Sesame oil

Nutritional Profile:

For Western countries and people sesame seeds and oil might not be part of their daily diet. However, sesame seed is quite a staple in the culinary world of the Middle East especially in Asian countries.

The nutrient-dense and versatile food has remarkable health benefits for cardiovascular health, joint health, and body weight.

However, the fact that it is among the cooking oils that increase testosterone is what we will be focusing on.

So, how does sesame oil increase testosterone?

Sesame oil has antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties and is also rich in vitamin E, vitamin K, and magnesium.

The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties reduce oxidative stress and improve nitric oxide production which helps with testosterone boost.

It also improves blood flow which impacts testosterone and thus also helps in erectile dysfunction.

As per the reports of the study published in Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine, the antioxidant effects of sesame oil increase testosterone levels leading to an increase in spermatogenesis in male animals.

Adding to it, sesame is a powerhouse of zinc, iron, and calcium that are proven to have significant effects on testosterone levels.

#5. Nuts oil

Nutritional Profile

Nuts are part of every fitness freak and gym goer because of the healthy fats and high nutrient levels. They are often part of the snacks and smoothies of bodybuilders.

The reason why people need to include nuts in their diet is because they provide the body with nutrients and minerals that are not originally produced by the body.

Out of all the nuts, walnuts, and Macadamia nuts are found to have testosterone-boosting benefits. But if you are not into munching, you can use the nuts oil as well.

So, how does nut oil increase testosterone?

Notably, 1 ounce or 30 grams of walnuts contain 4.3 grams of protein, folic acid, phosphorus, manganese, and vitamin E.

All of these nutrients are proven to have testosterone-boosting effects.

In fact, a study published by the American Journal of Ethnomedicine analyzed the effects of walnut oil on the plasma levels of testosterone pre and post-puberty in male Wistar rats.

For the study, 48 male Wistar rats took a dose of 20 mg/ kg daily for 30 days. The results showed a significant increase in the testosterone levels.

Macadamia nuts on the other hand are high in monounsaturated fat and are also found to have a beneficial effect on testosterone levels.

These were some of the cooking oils that increase testosterone which you can include in your diet for reversing the lost manliness.

Conclusion

In a world where most men are hoarding supplements to increase testosterone, you can get a step ahead and accelerate testosterone-boosting efforts by focusing on minute changes.

By just making a wiser choice of cooking oil, you can witness a great effect on your testosterone levels.

You can use these cooking oils for cooking or as salad dressings as per your preferences and extract the maximum benefits for boosting your primary hormone.

Apart from this you can also look for testosterone-killing foods and eliminate them from your diet for improving the testosterone levels naturally.

So, what cooking oil are you choosing for the sake of testosterone level?