Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Chilli boost testosterone
Executive summary
A small body of research links liking or consuming spicy food with higher measured testosterone in men: a 2014 lab study of 114 men found a positive correlation between salivary testosterone and how much hot sauce men added to mashed potatoes [1] [2]. Popular outlets repeat that chili/capsaicin may “boost” testosterone, but the underlying study shows correlation in a narrow sample and does not prove that eating chillies raises testosterone in the general population [1] [3].
1. The original study: what it actually tested
The finding most articles cite comes from “Some Like it Hot,” a laboratory study in which 114 men aged 18–44 reported spicy-food preferences, tasted mashed potatoes and were allowed to add hot pepper sauce; researchers measured endogenous salivary testosterone and found a positive correlation between testosterone and the quantity of hot sauce used [1] [2]. The paper tested behavior (how much hot sauce men voluntarily added) and concurrent testosterone levels — not a controlled feeding trial that measured testosterone changes after eating chillies [1] [2].
2. Correlation is not causation — alternative interpretations
Science outlets and commentators repeatedly note that a link does not prove causal effect: men with higher testosterone might be more willing to take sensory risks, or cultural norms about “manliness” and spicy food could shape behavior, rather than capsaicin changing hormones [3]. The study authors and subsequent coverage raise the possibility that testosterone predicts spicy-food behavior, not the reverse [1] [3].
3. How media framed the finding — nuance lost
Major consumer outlets and some news headlines presented the finding as “eating chillies boosts testosterone” or implied regular consumption may raise T levels; examples include Time, Daily Mail and various lifestyle pieces that extrapolate the lab correlation into dietary advice [4] [5] [6]. Those pieces often rely on the same single study and on animal data sometimes invoked to suggest capsaicin effects, but they do not supply human randomized trials showing cause-and-effect [4] [6].
4. What the research does and doesn’t support
Available reporting supports that men who prefer and intentionally add more hot sauce had higher salivary testosterone at measurement [1] [2]. Available sources do not mention randomized human trials demonstrating that eating chillies increases testosterone over time in men, nor do they report clinical recommendations to use chillies as a therapeutic testosterone boost (not found in current reporting).
5. Biological plausibility and ancillary claims
Some articles and commentators reference capsaicin (the compound that makes chillies hot) and cite animal studies or metabolic effects to suggest plausibility that spicy compounds could affect hormones; however, the human lab study itself did not measure capsaicin’s physiological effect on testosterone levels, only associations with preference and behavior [4] [2]. Claims that regular chili consumption will raise libido or “make you more alpha” rest on inference rather than direct experimental evidence in humans [5] [6].
6. Practical takeaways for readers
If you enjoy spicy food, the study offers an interesting link between preference and endogenous testosterone but not a validated method to increase T: eating more chillies as a deliberate strategy to boost hormones is not supported by the cited human data [1] [3]. For men concerned about clinically low testosterone or symptoms, available coverage does not replace medical advice and does not document chili consumption as a recommended therapy (not found in current reporting).
7. Hidden agendas and how coverage can mislead
Lifestyle and health websites often repackage a single, limited study into bold diet claims that sell clicks or products; several popular outlets quoted the Grenoble study in ways that imply causation or therapeutic effect without the methodological caveats present in the original report [4] [5] [6]. Readers should note when multiple articles trace back to the same small study rather than independent confirmatory research [1] [2].
8. Where to look next
To decide whether chillies truly change testosterone you would need randomized controlled trials or longitudinal human studies measuring hormonal change after controlled capsaicin intake; current reporting does not cite such studies (not found in current reporting). Meanwhile, the 2014 study remains a useful behavioral insight: spice preference correlates with salivary testosterone in a specific sample, but it is not a prescription for hormonal manipulation [1] [2].