Research

Hormonal

Long-term calorie restriction in nonobese adults increases Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) levels in men, while free testosterone levels decrease significantly at 12 months but not at 24 months.

For men, long-term calorie restriction significantly raises SHBG, which is associated with better metabolic health. While free testosterone drops temporarily at 12 months, it returns to levels comparable to controls by 24 months, suggesting the reproductive axis is not permanently suppressed.

StrongQualifiesHIGH confidence
SHBG levels increased in men in the CR group compared with the AL group at months 12... and 24... Free testosterone levels decreased in the CR group compared with the AL group at month 12... but not month 24
Corby K. Martin et al. · JAMA Internal Medicine · 2016

Why this rating

Randomized clinical trial with specific hormonal assays in men.

Source

Effect of Calorie Restriction on Mood, Quality of Life, Sleep, and Sexual Function in Healthy Nonobese Adults

Corby K. Martin et al. · JAMA Internal Medicine · 2016

DOI 10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.1189

rct · n=220Cited 204×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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