High-fat diet's effect on T/SHBG/estradiol/estrone

[Brains Expel Hair]

Before I forget about this place again I figure that some of you here might be interested in this article. It shows high fat diet causing higher testosterone and SHBG levels while decreasing levels of estrone and estradiol. The full text is available at the link for free. Personally I think the fat content of the "high-fat" diet was really low at only 41% of total calories but at least it was mainly saturated fats.

http://www.ajcn.org/content/64/6/850.abstract

Mean plasma concentrations of total and sex-hormone-binding-globulin (SHBG)-bound testosterone were 13% and 15% higher, respectively, on the high-fat, low-fiber diet and the difference from the low-fat, high-fiber diet was significant for the SHBG-bound fraction (P = 0.04). Men's daily urinary excretion of testosterone also was 13% higher with the high-fat, low- fiber diet than with the low-fat, high-fiber diet (P = 0.01). Conversely, their urinary excretion of estradiol and estrone and their 2-hydroxy metabolites were 12-28% lower with the high-fat, low-fiber diet (P < or = 0.01). Results of this study suggest that diet may alter endogenous sex hormone metabolism in men.

I've personally gone from being quite timid to flat out roid raging sometimes as a result of my 65% calories from fat diet so I can definitely attest to these type of effects.

 

[Brains Expel Hair]

You should be careful about generically referring to the Natives. There were many different tribes who had various dietary habits. The tribes who were primarily hunter gatherers living off of game meats did experience a lot of these health benefits but there were other tribes that were largely agriculturally based that had a shorter stature, increased health issues and actual weight problems even in those whom were constantly active (busy harvesting the agriculture).

Mentioned in your post about the native americans is a statement about health diseases related to post war dietary changes in Japan. For some reason an increase in saturated fats is mentioned as being the obvious cause of all of this. The problem is, the diseases that increased highly in prevalence, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, are diseases of carbohydrate consumption- not fats (aside from the apparent negative effects of specifically trans-fats found in vegetable oils used to replace animal fats).

One of the key points mentioned in the study I linked is the health benefits observed through an increase in saturated fats compared to polyunsaturated fats (which have a rapid tendency to oxidize).