Ginger and Testosterone

Abstract

Enhancing and protecting testosterone production is one target for many scientists because of its crucial role as a primary sex hormone in males. Several in vivo trials have utilized different dietary supplements and medicinal plants to enhance testosterone production in males. Since 1991, various in-vivo, as well as basic research studies, have discovered a link between ginger (Zingiber officinale) and testosterone. However, such a link has not yet been collectively reviewed. This review systematically discusses and summarizes the effect of ginger and ginger extracts on testosterone. To achieve this contribution, we searched the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for English language articles (full texts or abstracts) from November 1991 through August 2018 using the keywords “ginger” and “Zingiber officinale” versus “testosterone”. Additionally, the references from related published articles were also reviewed, only if relevant. In conclusion, the mainstream of research that links ginger to testosterone demonstrated that ginger supplementation, particularly in oxidative stress conditions, enhances testosterone production in males. The mechanisms by which this occurs mainly by enhancing luteinizing hormone (LH) production, increasing the level of cholesterol in the testes, reducing oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in the testes, enhancing the activity of the antioxidant enzymes, normalizing blood glucose, increasing blood flow in the testes, increasing testicular weight, and recycling testosterone receptors. However, the effect of ginger on testosterone is not yet confirmed in humans. Therefore, clinical studies in this context of research are imperative.

Effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on semen quality

“…Testosterone is synthesised in Leydig cells and it is controlled by luteinising hormone, also called lutropin, which is a glycoprotein secreted from the anterior pituitary gland (Santi et al, ). Ginger or ginger extracts supplementation was found to enhance testosterone production in males, especially in oxidative stress conditions (Banihani, ).…”

“…The mechanisms by which ginger or its extracts exert such effects is mainly by increasing the level of testicular cholesterol, increasing blood flow in the testes, stimulating the synthesis of luteinising hormone, enhancing the activity of molecular defence mechanism in the testes and reducing blood glucose level (Banihani, ). Other mechanisms include increasing testicular weight, increasing blood flow to the testes and recycling testosterone receptors (Banihani, ). Accordingly, the positive impact of ginger on sperm parameters, and thus on semen quality, may be attributable, at least in part, to the increased levels of gonadal hormones (testosterone and luteinising hormone).…”

“…This evidence reveals that ginger supplementation has a hypoglycaemic response and significantly reduces fasting serum glucose (Mazidi, Gao, Rezaie, & Ferns, ). In diabetic conditions, the normalisation of blood glucose was found to enhance the production of testosterone (Kim et al, ; Rovira‐Llopis et al, ), which improves semen quality and sperm parameters (Banihani, ). Indeed, male diabetic rats administered fresh ginger at 3% of the fed diet, for 30 days, had higher sperm number and viability compared with the control (Ghlissi et al, ).…”

“…Generally, ginger roots (rhizomes) are widely used as a food spice (Eliopoulos, ). In addition, it is commonly used in traditional medicine because of its inherited and evidence‐based health benefits in wide‐range of diseased conditions/disorders such as cancers (Chen et al, ; Saha et al, ; Salafzoon, Mahmoodzadeh Hosseini, & Halabian, ), diabetes (Al Hroob, Abukhalil, Alghonmeen, & Mahmoud, ; Zhu, Chen, Song, Wang, & Sun, ), cardiovascular disease (Liu et al, ; Nicoll & Henein, ), male infertility (Banihani, ; Hosseini et al, ), ulcer (Liu et al, ; Wang et al, ), depression (Kukula‐Koch et al, ), rheumatoid arthritis (Funk, Frye, Oyarzo, & Timmermann, ), Alzheimer (Cuya, Baptista, Franca, & T., ) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (Sahebkar, ). In actual fact, the impact of ginger on human health is attributable to its potent bioactive properties such as antioxidant (Danwilai, Konmun, Sripanidkulchai, & Subongkot, ; Masuda, Kikuzaki, Hisamoto, & Nakatani, ), anti‐inflammatory (Jeena, Liju, & Kuttan, ), immuno‐modulatory (Ali, Blunden, Tanira, & Nemmar, ), antimicrobial (Park, Bae, & Lee, ) and anti‐tumorigenic properties (Ali et al, ).…”

Seminal plasma vitamin B 6 levels in men with asthenozoospermia and men with normal sperm motility, a measurement using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

“…As supporting findings, the lysozyme protein was found to be photo‐protected by vitamin B 6 from riboflavin‐sensitised photo degradation (Natera et al, 2012). Also, patients with acute ischaemic stroke administered B‐complex vitamins, including vitamin B 6 , were found to have lower levels of oxidative stress, an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants to the favour of oxidants (Banihani, 2018b; Hani & Bayachou, 2014; Mhaidat et al, 2015), demonstrating a direct antioxidant activity of such group of vitamins (Ullegaddi, Powers, & Gariballa, 2004). Accordingly, given that accumulation of ROS in semen may lead to oxidative stress (Banihani, 2018a), and consequently oxidative damage to spermatozoa (Banihani, 2016a, 2016b; Mayorga‐Torres, Camargo, Cadavid, Plessis, & Cardona Maya, 2016), then vitamin B 6 , once present at normal levels in semen, should enhance the chemical defence mechanism and delay the progression of such oxidative injury, thereby maintains/protects sperm function, particularly sperm motility.…”