Ethanol alcohol is a testicular toxin, and these large doses reduce testosterone function, sperm count, fertility, and can even cause permanent damage to the testes.
While the answer is true – red wine has been proven in studies to help you excrete more testosterone – it does come with a caveat, which we'll explain later in this post.
If a person refrains from drinking for up to two weeks or more, then the body will naturally increase testosterone levels and reduce the negative impact on the brain. Again, boosting testosterone is possible through a healthy diet, exercise, and a lack of drinking.
Moderate consumption of beer can increase testosterone levels, which can lead to increased muscle mass, bone density and sex drive. However, heavy drinking can lead to decreased testosterone levels, which can lead to decreased muscle mass, weight gain, fatigue and depression.
Excess weight, hair-loss treatments, and a sedentary lifestyle are among the factors that can lower testosterone levels. If you're concerned about low testosterone levels, take a look at your everyday habits and way of life. They could be contributing to a drop.
The Direct Effect of Alcohol on Your Testosterone
In a review of the available research, scientists concluded that a 160-pound man would need to drink 5 or 6 glasses of beer that contains between 4.5 and 6 percent alcohol per 12-ounce glass in order to cause a direct decrease in serum testosterone levels.
Alcohol may impair the way the brain's hormones function, potentially disrupting testosterone production and resulting in lower testosterone levels over time. The oxygen molecules produced when the body processes alcohol could also cause cell damage in the testes, where testosterone is produced.
What do you mean by heavy drinking? For men, heavy drinking is typically defined as consuming 15 drinks or more per week. For women, heavy drinking is typically defined as consuming 8 drinks or more per week.
Caffeine generally has a positive impact on testosterone levels. It has been shown that men that consume caffeine on a regular basis, on average, have more testosterone than those that don't. Not only this but the estradiol levels, both free and total, have been reduced.
The short answer is there isn't a proven link between orgasms and testosterone levels, so we don't know how it affects you in the short term. However, you can take comfort in knowing that masturbating will not negatively affect your testosterone levels—or other aspects of your life—long-term.
In general, chronic excessive alcohol intake is known to decrease testosterone levels; however, moderate alcohol intake results in various effects on testosterone levels.
Alcohol consumption in general – whether it be wine, beer, or spirits – is known to decrease a person's overall testosterone levels. In fact, a recent Dutch study of men showed that daily moderate drinking for even a period as short as 3 weeks resulted in a 7% decrease in testosterone levels.
Diet Soda
One study found that men who drank diet soda had lower testosterone levels than those who didn't. The men who drank diet soda also had higher levels of a hormone called SHBG, which binds to testosterone and makes it unavailable for use in the body.
Red wine, whiskey, tequila, and hard kombucha are healthier options than beer and sugary drinks. The CDC recommends you limit alcohol to 2 drinks a day if you're male and 1 if you're female.
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including: High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
Drinking a bottle of wine a day may rapidly increase the likelihood of physical and chemical alcohol addiction developing. Drinking a bottle per day equates to approximately 9 units per day or 63 units per week, far in excess of UK NHS recommended guidelines (14 units per week)[1].
To reduce the risk of alcohol-related harms, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults of legal drinking age can choose not to drink, or to drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men or 1 drink or less in a day for women, on days when alcohol is consumed.
Because of this, some men undergo testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which seeks to return blood testosterone concentrations to normal levels. However, continuing to drink while undergoing TRT can undermine this treatment's effectiveness. Most doctors recommend limiting alcohol intake or quitting outright.
For men, alcohol depresses the central nervous system which means it can make it difficult for some men to get, and keep, an erection. Drinking may also prevent or delay orgasm. Drinking heavily over an extended period can even turn a temporary condition into longer term impotence.
A note on drinking level terms used in this Core article: The 2020-2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines states that for adults who choose to drink alcohol, women should have 1 drink or less in a day and men should have 2 drinks or less in a day. These amounts are not intended as an average but rather a daily limit.
The researchers found that red wine does indeed increase testosterone levels in individuals, mainly due to a compound known as quercetin, which partially blocks the enzyme in the body that looks for testosterone and then sends a message to the kidneys to excrete it.
Testosterone is a hormone that helps increase muscle mass in response to resistance exercise training. Research shows that moderate doses of alcohol – equivalent to around two beers – can actually increase testosterone levels.
When you carry too much weight, the excess fat in your body causes a hormone called aromatase to convert testosterone into estradiol, a female hormone. The result: Your testosterone levels drop, while your levels of estrogen, another female hormone, rise.