10 Common Household Items Killing Your Testosterone (Here’s the Answer)

Why do you think the testosterone levels of men today are much lower in comparison to the men of the same age 20-30 years ago? 

Fooding and lifestyle are definite answers but it also includes common household items that lower testosterone and are frequently in use. 

You read that right mate! 

Most of the household items that you use include things that lower testosterone. 

From the foods you eat to the containers they are in, the fragrance you use to the house cleaning products, you name it and they are responsible for your low testosterone.

These products that lower testosterone contain chemicals that mimic estrogen, affect the endocrine disruptors, creates hormonal disbalance, and thus lower the testosterone.

So, what chemicals lower testosterone?

Phthalates, ammonia, parabens, Bisphenol A, and Quarternary ammonium compounds (QUATS) are some of the chemicals that lower testosterone. 

Sadly, the most commonly used household items contain these toxins. 

This blog delves into household items and products that lower testosterone and you need to look for their alternatives for your primary male hormone. 

10 Household Items That Lower Testosterone

Who doesn’t like to smell good and keep their house clean?

Cleanliness and hygiene are always associated with good health.  But lots of the things that lower testosterone come from these everyday household items that claim to keep you healthy. 

Shockingly, most of these household items have become an inseparable part of our lives.

Read further and decide whether you want to keep using them. 

#1. Plastic Products

Literally, 95% of our surroundings include plastic in some way or the other. Unfortunately, plastics are the #1 reason behind the decline in testosterone levels in men. 

These products include chemicals that mimic the estrogen hormone i.e., the female hormone which is responsible for low testosterone and BPA and phthalates. 

We all use hard and soft plastic bottles; but do you know hard plastic bottles contain bisphenols and soft bottles contain phthalates?

A study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism investigates the relationship between urinary phthalate metabolites and serum sex steroid hormone.

As per the results, high and low molecular phthalates lower free, total, and bioavailable testosterone in men aged≥60 and men aged 20 to 39. That’s how much plastic reduces testosterone. 

#2. Personal Care Products Commercial Perfumes

Personal care items including perfumes, hair sprays, cosmetics, toilet papers, detergents, fabric softeners, artificial air fresheners, and even toothpaste can lower testosterone. 

These personal care products that are part of everyday lives include parabens that belong to the family of chemical compounds that include propyl-, butyl-, methyl-, or heptyl.

So, do parabens lower testosterone? Of course, they do.

Notably, butylparaben is linked to the production of abnormally shaped sperm with compromised mobility.

In fact, most air fresheners, body sprays, and commercial perfumes contain phthalates which are endocrine disruptors and interfere with testosterone production. 

Not to mention, even cosmetics include glycol ethers that cause testicular atrophy in rats exposed to them. 

It’s time to include testosterone friendly body wash and other personal care products.

#3. Pesticides

When it comes to natural ways to boost testosterone, people always try to include testosterone-boosting foods.

But are the foods you’re consuming benefiting your primary male hormone?

Sadly, most of the foods today include pesticides from the process of farming. When you eat these fruits and vegetables, a small amount of pesticide enters and accumulates in the body for longer. 

Not to mention, a commonly used pesticide chlorpyrifos was banned for indoor use in 200 because it was traced in the urine of 90% of men. 

A cross-sectional study concludes a positive and significant relationship between pesticide exposure and testosterone levels in 133 male Thai farmers. 

#4. Vegetable Oils

Do you like to try different recipes and salads and love to include vegetable oil for cooking and dressing?

Beware, because vegetable oils lower testosterone for real. 

Vegetable oils like canola, palm, soy, and corn oil lowers testosterone production. 

These are among the most common things that lower testosterone because people love to switch to salads and use vegetable oils for dressing to add a pungent flavor. 

However, the polyunsaturated fats in vegetable oils are linked and proven to decrease serum testosterone levels. 

Also, vegetable oils are sensitive to heat which leads to oxidation when used for cooking. 

#5. Non-Stick Cookware

This is one of the most shocking things in the list of household items that lower testosterone.

People these days are crazy about aesthetics and would do anything to make their kitchen look like a dream. As a result, they will buy easy-to-clean and beautiful-to-look non-stick cookware.

But you might not know that non-stick cookware has a Teflon coating that when overheated releases an endocrine-disrupting compound called Perfluoroalkyl. 

Teflon is basically a non-stick coating made of polytetrafluoroethylene and also includes a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid. 

Now as per the reports of the Environmental Health Perspectives, exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFOS and PFNA concentrations) suggests an inverse relation with sex hormones in both boys and girls. 

Teflon stays in the environment for longer periods and causes a variety of other health issues including testicular cancer. 

#6. Bleach and Household Cleaners

Next in the list of common daily items that could be killing your testosterone levels are the house cleaning products. 

Toilet cleaners, soaps, window cleaners, and polishing agents that help “maintain” the cleanliness of your house might be the reason why you aren’t performing in the bedroom. 

These products include ammonia and bleach that already don’t have a good reputation regarding health effects. 

A study highlights the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonist on testosterone levels and testicular toxicity. Results suggest that ammonium perfluorooctanoate may disrupt the biosynthesis of testosterone. (source)

Although bleach is prohibited in many countries, ammonia is quite commonly found in most of the products including hair dyes. 

#7. Anti-Bacterial Soaps and Detergents

While switching to anti-bacterial soaps and detergents might decrease the possibility of bacterial infections, they are certainly not good for your testosterone levels. 

Using strong sanitizers to clean your home, ant-bacterial detergents, surgical cleaners, and even toothpaste easily add to the list of things that lower testosterone levels. 

These products include chemicals called triclosan or benzalkonium chloride which is associated with lowering testosterone and alerting testicular activity.

In fact, the FDA made efforts to ban it from being included in hand soaps and body washes. 

A study that investigates the association between environmental exposure to exposure to triclosan and male fertility, mentions that in vitro studies in rodent Leydig cells found that TCS inhibits testosterone synthesis. 

Go for soaps that don’t lower testosterone

#8. Processed Foods and Meat

Oh, so you’re trying to improve the steroid hormone by including testosterone-boosting foods like eggs, and organ meats.

Well, after reading this, you might wanna give a second thought to processed meats and foods.

Most of the processed meats and foods like one of your favorite juicy burger and french fries includes processed carbohydrates that affect your testosterone. 

These are basically testosterone-killing foods because they trigger the pancreas to secret insulin which when remaining for longer periods in the bloodstream can cause hormonal disruptions. 

Also, the meat from grass-fed animals and dairy products is loaded with estrogen, steroids, and antibiotics. 

These enter your body through processed foods and lower your testosterone production.

#9. Alcohol

It’s a food but also among the commonly found household items that lower testosterone production. 

Alcohol is part of Western culture and people now need no reason to get themselves indulge in alcohol consumption. 

Be it to celebrate something good, to forget something bad, or to simply relax, a can of beer, a glass of wine, and a shot of vodka is often prioritized. 

Sadly, alcohol can lower testosterone production.

A large amount of alcohol consumption negatively affects testosterone production. Additionally, it damages the Leydig cells present in the testes. 

Also, a co-enzyme called Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) which is responsible for testosterone synthesis is also completely used by the body to detoxify after excessive alcohol consumption. 

And that’s how your habit of “relaxing” every day with a beer bottle after a long day costs your masculinity.

#10. Aluminum Cans and Bottles

The nightmare isn’t over yet! 

The aluminum cans and bottles of your favorite beer, body sprays, and canned foods are also contributing their best in lowering testosterone levels. 

Most of the aluminum cans and containers have the lining of a notorious testosterone killer – Bisphenol-A.

Its molecular structure is similar to that of estrogen and its prolonged exposure has a devastating effect on the male hormones. 

Studies have clearly identified it as an endocrine disruptor with potential adverse health effects on men. 

These were some of the common household items that lower testosterone levels. However, it is hard to believe that “cleaning products” and something as simple as “cosmetics” can affect your testosterone. 

Moreover, these things are loaded with chemicals that when used for a longer period, stay in the body and thus affect the male hormones. 

Not to mention, it is nearly impossible to completely eliminate these from your lifestyle or find healthier alternatives to all of these overnight, there is always some room for change. 

How to Get Your Testosterone Level Back?

Boosting testosterone levels is not a tough task these days. 

There are numerous testosterone-boosting supplements for men, exercises to increase testosterone production, organic fruits and vegetables, lifestyle changes, and of course testosterone replacement therapy.  

The normal range of testosterone level is somewhere between 300-1000ng/dL.

There are plenty of reasons you should consider to get your testosterone levels back to normal.

The aforementioned household items majorly influence our daily life but when it comes to regaining t levels, there are a few ways you can consider. 

1: Adequate Sleep

Sleep plays an important role in recovering overall body function including testosterone levels. Since quality sleep is crucial for hormonal balance. It’s suggested to aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night to support testosterone levels.

2: Exercise

Actively following the exercises that increase testosterone also helps in getting testosterone levels back to normal. Weight training and resistance training significantly encourage the production of natural hormones and overall hormonal health. 

3: Stress Management

Being so much stressed also affects testosterone levels. Studies have shown that practicing stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or engaging in hobbies can help manage stress. This somehow increases free testosterone in the blood too. 

4: Supplementation

Natural supplements nowadays incredibly gaining positive reviews from individuals in delivering medicinal benefits. You can also combine the supplement that increases testosterone levels in men along with avoiding these nasty households.  

You can also include organic sources of testosterone-boosting foods like pomegranate, broccoli, avocado, eggs, and bananas. Herbs like nettle root extract, ashwagandha, and ginseng have also been proven to increase testosterone. 

And in case nothing works, you can accelerate the testosterone production process of the body with supplements like Testogen. Testogen results reviews have proven its worth by helping more than 14 million men regain their virility.

Interestingly, it includes only natural ingredients in proven quantities for supporting testosterone growth.

Adding to it, the testosterone boosters also work to suppress the conversion of male hormones into estrogen (female hormone). 

And above all, look for alternatives to these household items that lower testosterone. You can use cast iron cookware in place of non-stick ones, go for organic personal care products, and also choose non-alcoholic drinks.  

Overall, these are some of the natural ways to get back your testosterone levels to normal. We suggest you always minimize the use of these household items that may affect your health and go for their natural substitute. 

So which household item left you shocked? Share with us in the comment section below.