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Low-Fat High-Fiber Diet Decreased Serum and Urine Androgens in Men

Divisions of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine and Pediatrics and the General Clinical Research Center (C.W., C.A., N.B., G.L., A.L., P.W.N.L., L.H., R.S.S.), Harbor-University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center and Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Torrance, California 90509; UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory (D.H.C., B.S., K.S.), Los Angeles, California 90025; and The Center for Human Nutrition (D.H.), Los Angeles, California 90095

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Christina Wang, M.D., General Clinical Research Center, Box 16, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, California 90509-2910. E-mail: wang{at}labiomed.org.

To validate our hypothesis that reduction in dietary fat may result in changes in androgen metabolism, 39 middle-aged, white, healthy men (50–60 yr of age) were studied while they were consuming their usual high-fat, low-fiber diet and after 8 wk modulation to an isocaloric low-fat, high-fiber diet. Mean body weight decreased by 1 kg, whereas total caloric intake, energy expenditure, and activity index were not changed. After diet modulation, mean serum testosterone (T) concentration fell (P < 0.0001), accompanied by small but significant decreases in serum free T (P = 0.0045), 5-dihydrotestosterone (P = 0.0053), and adrenal androgens (androstendione, P = 0.0135; dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, P = 0.0011). Serum estradiol and SHBG showed smaller decreases. Parallel decreases in urinary excretion of some testicular and adrenal androgens were demonstrated. Metabolic clearance rates of T were not changed, and production rates for T showed a downward trend while on low-fat diet modulation. We conclude that reduction in dietary fat intake (and increase in fiber) results in 12% consistent lowering of circulating androgen levels without changing the clearance.

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