Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I have perused the internet recently regarding vegetables(whether to include them or not, if so which are best--least fructose, least starchy carbs, most nutrients, least toxic, most plentiful where I live for the least cost). I have sifted through PALEO HACKS again and again attempting to find out info. about vegetables regarding these topics and much of it has been fruiful. A concern of mine which has arisen in these investigations is about BRASSICAS: The internet sources I've investigated state that they increase testosterone levels("cruciferous vegetable" and those of the "brassica" family). This I would look upon as desirable. I have also found contradictory messages which has been discouraging(...me from eating them). PALEO HACKS and other sources caution that brassicas are goitrogenic and reduce thyroid hormone. Who can be believed? My questions are as follows if anyone cares to give some insight into the issue: (1) Do they increase/decrease testosterone (2) "........................"thyroid hormone (3) What is the relationship between these hormones and do they not have a complementary effect/mechanism of action(which I had previously thought) (4) For general health purposes, what would be the best strategy: to include or exclude this family of vegetables(especially cabbage, turnips, rutabagas) given that one wants high testosterone and thyroid hormone? (5)Also, I have heard that these vegetables(especially cabbage) are high fructose True?Please help me in my endeavors of increasing/decreasing/balancing...ie. controlling the self.

flag	asked Mar 28 2011 at 0:53 PersonMan

Travis Culp · Answer 1 · 2011-03-28 01:52:09Z UTC

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Goitrogens are only relevant if you're consuming iodine with them. If you eat kelp in the morning and brassicas at night, it's not really going to matter much.

answered Mar 28 2011 at 1:52

Travis Culp♦
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	Do you mean Iodine simultaneously to goitrogens? Could you elaborate? And fructose...does it matter? – PersonMan Mar 28 2011 at 3:51
	Yeah, in the same way that phytate blocks the absorption of other minerals, iodine becomes bound to these goitrogens and passes through, largely unabsorbed. As far as fructose is concerned, I don't think it's worth it to count the grams of fructose in vegetables. I only consume low-fructose, high-fiber fruit though, such as raspberries and blackberries. – Travis Culp♦ Mar 28 2011 at 4:50

WordVixen · Answer 2 · 2011-03-28 04:07:48Z UTC

I can't answer about brassicas increasing testosterone, but they certainly can suppress the thyroid. If you don't currently have a thyroid problem, then I wouldn't worry about it, if you do have a thyroid problem, then I would minimize how much of them you eat. Cooking reduces the goitrogens.

Personally, hypothyroidism runs in my family- almost all the women on my mom's side of the family are hypo, and I have pretty much all of the symptoms, though the tests come out normal. Just to be on the safe side, I try to keep cruciferous vegetables to one serving a day, usually cooked.

The Quilt · Answer 3 · 2011-03-28 03:24:19Z UTC

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Travis is correct. And SHBG goes up in men due to phytoestrogens and increased levels of estradiol. We see this in eaters of soy products, obese men, and Men who aromatize testosterone......like body builders using a ton of exogenous testosterone or tons of DHEA or pregnenolone when they should not.

answered Mar 28 2011 at 3:24

The Quilt
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Are you contending that soy is not implicated in decreasing testosterone contrary to popular opinion(eg. conventional bodybuilding info-mation)? I will research the topic later... – PersonMan Mar 28 2011 at 3:54

I'm saying soy sucks because of it's negative effects on men testosterone levels – The Quilt Mar 28 2011 at 10:51

Brassicas then would reduce testosterone? – PersonMan Mar 28 2011 at 17:10

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no they increase it......soy decreases it. The effect is very small and not really worth talking about unless you have gynecomastia for some reason or you are transvestite. – The Quilt Mar 28 2011 at 23:05

Brassicas have a phyto-chemical called INDOLE-3-CARBINOL (I3C) which known to sufficiently reduce estrogen and increase Testosterone production. It also has bigtime anticancer effects and lengthens telomeres. – The Quilt Mar 28 2011 at 23:10

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Joey · Answer 4 · 2011-03-28 12:44:13Z UTC

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The Blood Type diet (blood type O) does indeed state that most brassica's (cabbage,brussel sprouts,cauliflower) aren't beneficial to type O,except broccolli, and that they will inhibit weight loss.... Not sure what to think of that....

answered Mar 28 2011 at 12:44

Joey
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	Is there a scientific basis to this blood type woo at all? – Jon Thoroddsen Mar 28 2011 at 13:10
	Nope. donmatesz.blogspot.com/2010/12/… – Phoenix Mar 28 2011 at 15:32

Brian · Answer 5 · 2013-03-16 22:35:09Z UTC

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Brassicas don't increase testosterone. They are actually anti-androgenic, though they do shift estrogen metabolism.

answered Mar 16 at 22:35

Brian
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Brassicas: increasing testosterone but decreasing thyroid?

5 Answers