French scientists from the University of Grenoble showed in their latest study that men who love spicy foods and who consume it more than other men result to having a higher testosterone level.
Basically, when a man has a higher testosterone level, he becomes more adventurous, more aggressive, and more sexually active. According to Science Times, the study was entitled "Some Like It Hot" and it was about finding the link between spicy foods and testosterone.
According to Time Magazine, the study will be published soon in the American journal called "Physiology and Behavior". The study has had a sample population of 114 men aged between 18 and 44.
The study used a dish of mashed potatoes and the participants were allowed to season it with as much chilli sauce as they pleased and their testosterone levels were measured via their saliva samples. So the results showed that the more chilli sauce added in the dish, the higher the levels of testosterone.
One of the authors of the study, Laurent Begue, said that the hormone drives men to seek thrills and anything sensational as it would lead them to stimulating social groups and more risky activities. As reported in Telegraph.co.uk, the study also used rats to observe if regular consumption of spicy foods contributed to the continuous increase of testosterone levels.
The study on rats was launched in 2013 and it showed that the mice exposed to a substance that makes food spicy called capsaicin, it did increase their testosterone level and it led to the conclusion that if it is a part of a person's regular diet throughout adolescence, it would result to an increased testosterone level.
However, the authors of the study claim that there are still other factors affecting men's testosterone levels such as genetic make-up, physiological factors, psychological factors and situational factors. As for the relationship of spicy foods and women, it is yet to be studied.
