Beetroot is a commonly consumed vegetable known for its nutritional benefits.
Recent studies have explored its effects on various aspects of human health, including hormone regulation.
This article examines the evidence regarding beetroot's potential influence on testosterone levels.
Evidence from Research
To answer this question we've analysed studies and research papers to see if there is any evidence we call upon, below is what we've found.
1. Beetroot and Fertility Hormones
A study conducted on animal models found that lyophilized beetroot positively influenced fertility and reproductive hormones.
Specifically, it led to a significant increase in testosterone levels among other hormones (Sarfaraz, Ikram, Osama, & Anser, 2020).
2. Beetroot's Role in Testicular Health
Another study on albino rats highlighted the protective effects of beetroot extract against cisplatin-induced testicular damage.
This research noted an improvement in plasma testosterone levels when beetroot extract was administered (Hassen et al., 2021).
3. Beetroot Juice and Exercise Performance
A separate study investigated beetroot juice intake's effect on CrossFit performance, assessing hormonal responses.
However, this study did not find a significant interaction effect on testosterone levels (Garnacho-Castaño et al., 2020)
4. Protective Effect Against Testicular Toxicity
Research on the effect of ginger extract and beetroot juice against cisplatin-induced testicular toxicity in adult male rats suggested that beetroot juice led to significant improvement in serum testosterone concentration (Elshiekh et al., 2019).
5. Beetroot and Reproductive Toxicity
Another study explored the protective efficacy of red beetroot extract against testicular toxicity produced by certain chemicals in rats.
This study found that beetroot extract helped in modulating hormonal levels, including testosterone (Albasher et al., 2019).
Does It Boost Testosterone?
The current body of research indicates that beetroot may theoretically have a positive impact on testosterone levels, particularly in scenarios involving fertility and testicular health.
However, the direct effect of beetroot on testosterone levels, especially in humans, is very limited and requires further investigation.
The studies discussed mostly involve animal models, and thus, caution should be exercised when extrapolating these findings to human health.
The general scientific consensus is that there is not enough evidence to suggest whether or not beetroot can increase testosterone levels.