Does Red Wine Increase Testosterone and Athletic Performance?
Whether you are a fan of basketball, football, swimming or soccer, sports around the world amass almost a cult following. The money all sports acquire in the form of ticket sales, media coverage and merchandise is huge and ever increasing. With the pressure for success however, we have seen an unfortunate increase in athletes using performance-enhancing drugs, such as those that increase testosterone levels, to try and gain a competitive edge. This has led to a rise in research and testing to help eliminate cheating. Does red wine increase testosterone? The answer is yes, there is a tasty and natural way to increase testosterone.
Testosterone, a naturally-occurring steroid hormone present in both males and females, has been proven to increase muscle mass, boost players stamina as well as speed up recovery times, and is therefore prohibited in all athletic fields. Testosterone supplements, and other over the counter performance-enhancing drugs, are naturally derived from plants. With this in mind researchers from London’s Kingston University recently held a study to see if particular foods and beverages can also effect the body’s natural hormone levels. Due to the large variety of natural molecules found in red wine, the researchers found it to be a good candidate to test.
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. Therefore red wine does not only increase the amount of testosterone in the body, but it also could allow athletes to beat anti-doping tests since it reduces the amount of testosterone excreted by the body. Due to this the University’s researchers have reported their findings to the World Anti-Doping Agency.
“A full clinical study would be needed to determine the effects on people but, if the same results were found, it would confirm that compounds in red wine can reduce the amount of testosterone in urine and give a boost to testosterone levels,”
These effects have not been tested on athletes directly, therefore it is hard to know how much red wine would need to be consumed to alter individuals performances. But be on the lookout next time you see your favorite athlete in the wine aisle…their favorite Syrah or Cabernet could be their secret to success!