Our ancestors always associated pomegranates with life, marriage, and fertility. But are there actual health benefits, can pomegranates improve male sexual function, and can one consume pomegranates to raise testosterone?

As always, we strive to give you unbiased and evidence-based information. And clinical trials speak in favor of pomegranates! It seems so, these delicious red fruits really are capable of boosting one’s levels of androgenic steroids.

Pomegranate and Testosterone

In 2012, a study with 60 healthy participants discovered that a two-week intake of freshly-made pomegranate juice boosted salivary testosterone levels by an average of 24%. The volunteers also reported better mood and improvement in their blood pressure that supposedly became more balanced and stable.

There were trials on animal models proving that pomegranates increase testosterone through protection against oxidative stress on tissues and testicular toxicity induced by various chemicals, including busulfan. These provided preliminary data, surely, for we are not rats; however, such results are promising and open the window for further research.

If you are a PubMed enthusiast like we are, you might stumble on a 2020 study by Achraf Ammar and other specialists. They researched how pomegranate juice (labeled POMj for short) affects the homocysteine and steroidal hormones after participants performed weightlifting exercises. Researchers concluded that POMj can potentially reduce the acute plasma testosterone response.

However, the study only had 9 participants who were identified as “elite male weightlifters”. Their criteria included having at least 5 training sessions per week and experience in Olympic weightlifting. While the number of volunteers itself is too little even to provide a result that can be called statistically significant, they were all individuals with a very specific physical activity and fitness routine. Their metabolism, and muscle strength. hormone balance, etc. can hardly be compared to those of an average healthy adult.

Role of Testosterone

All the buzz around testosterone is connected to its significant biological role. While also present and significant in women’s bodies, T is an object of constant concern for AMAB persons. For boys, it is essential for proper growth and development in puberty. In adult males, T is responsible for sexual function, bone strength, mood, stamina, the ability to grow muscle and shed fat, etc. The problem with this steroid hormone is that its production tends to decline with aging, causing all kinds of health issues from osteoporosis to erectile dysfunction.

How Pomegranate Influence Testosterone

According to the studies, the effect of pomegranate powder on testosterone (or other products, such as pomegranate juice, extract, etc.) is provided by several mechanisms of action:

• Reducing inflammation. Pomegranates inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, promoting recovery from urological diseases and other conditions that cause inflammation.
• Reducing hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) and increasing blood flow by endothelial protection and arterial relaxation.
• Improved supplementation with nitric oxide which is proven to enhance cardiac health, physical performance, healing, and respiratory response. It also is known to reduce erectile dysfunction.
• Antioxidant effect reduces oxidative stress on tissues preventing cell mutations that can cause cancer and inhibiting tissue aging.

Role of Vitamins, Minerals, and Phytochemicals

The greatest role in the beneficial effects of pomegranates on health belongs to antioxidants. The fruit is packed with ellagic acid, punicalagin, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and other compounds known for their powerful antioxidant effect. However, they are not the only valuable nutrients contained in the fruit:

• One average pomegranate contains about 11.3 g of fiber which is about a third of the recommended daily intake. Fiber is essential for gut health and blood sugar and cholesterol regulation.
• Fruits are rich in vitamin C: it also has an antioxidant effect, makes out immune system stronger, and helps regulate blood pressure.
• Folates take part in red blood cell formation; promote healthy cell development; make our skin healthy; reduce homocysteine levels. High homocysteine can cause a lot of serious health issues and also was linked to low T.
• Magnesium and potassium are valuable mineral nutrients, significant for cardiac health, normal CNS functions, healthy muscle contraction, etc.

Health Benefits of Pomegranate

To summarize all of the above, we listed all the potential positive health effects you can get from pomegranates:

• Supply of valuable nutrients;
• Elevation of T levels, improved erectile function, protection against benign prostatic hyperplasia;
• Improved cardiac health, regulated cholesterol levels, balanced blood pressure;
• Improved protection from free radicals, oxidative tissue stress, and cancer;
• Stronger immune system;
• Better mood;
• Enhanced physical performance.

How to Add Pomegranate to Meals

If you want to enjoy the health benefits of pomegranates while savoring their taste, you can eat just one or two fresh fruit per day or drink pomegranate juice. (Please note that juice contains less vitamin C than whole fruit).

If you are more interested in the effect than taste, you should know that peel has a much higher concentration of helpful phytochemicals, so pomegranate peel for testosterone could prove stronger than juice or fresh fruit. It is available as a supplement powder.

There are many other supplements in the market that can allow you to experience the merits of pomegranates. However, we recommend you choose trusted manufacturers and products tested for quality by third-party laboratories. Please consult your doctor before starting any supplementation, especially if you have health issues or take any other medications.

Summary

Pomegranates are packed with antioxidants and many valuable nutrients. In clinical research, the fruit shows potential for various health benefits, including increased testosterone levels. The person who experiences testosterone deficiency may benefit from ingesting fresh fruits, juice, or concentrated products, such as pomegranate seed oil, for a testosterone production increase.

FAQ

Is pomegranate good for testosterone?

Yes, studies provide positive preliminary data on their beneficial effect on T levels.

How much pomegranate boosts testosterone?

The participants of one study drank 500 ml of 100% natural juice per day for 2 weeks. Pomegranate supplements have individual dosages. It is safe to eat one or two fresh fruit daily.

Why do pomegranates raise testosterone?

The benefit is based mostly on the high concentration of antioxidants in the fruit.

Which fruit increase testosterone the most?

From the point of evidence-based science, pomegranates have probably the largest body of information and research regarding their effect on testosterone.