Pumpkin Seeds?

[Benq123]

I'd like to hear more opinions on this.
So many foods contain natural 5 ar reductase, I feel like we'd drive ourselves crazy trying to avoid them all.

[Marquis]

I'd like to hear more opinions on this.
So many foods contain natural 5 ar reductase, I feel like we'd drive ourselves crazy trying to avoid them all.

Far too many to realistically avoid. I think it's best not to stress about most of them as they tend to be very mild and don't seem to prevent people's recoveries here, and as some of them are very healthful foods (eg. coconut oil) the trade-off is probably worth it. The main significant ones I'd heard of that seem to be worth taking the trouble to avoid are fenugreek, soy products, reishi mushroom, rosemary oil (concentrated essential OIL used as a supplement or topical - don't worry about avoiding the herb), nettle root and obviously saw palmetto. These are things you're unlikely to be consuming in any significant quantities on a paleo diet anyway. If you hear of a certain foodstuff or herb outside of the protocol increasing testosterone, it's worth doing a little research, as sometimes the mechanism of raising testosterone is by inhibiting its conversion to DHT via 5-ar - this is the case with nettle root.

[Who Dat]

Far too many to realistically avoid. I think it's best not to stress about most of them as they tend to be very mild and don't seem to prevent people's recoveries here, and as some of them are very healthful foods (eg. coconut oil) the trade-off is probably worth it. The main significant ones I'd heard of that seem to be worth taking the trouble to avoid are fenugreek, soy products, reishi mushroom, rosemary oil (concentrated essential OIL used as a supplement or topical - don't worry about avoiding the herb), nettle root and obviously saw palmetto. These are things you're unlikely to be consuming in any significant quantities on a paleo diet anyway. If you hear of a certain foodstuff or herb outside of the protocol increasing testosterone, it's worth doing a little research, as sometimes the mechanism of raising testosterone is by inhibiting its conversion to DHT via 5-ar - this is the case with nettle root.

I agree - many extremely healthy foods, minerals and herbs do. I would consider adding pumpkin seeds to your avoid list though - I found double blind placebo controlled studies where pumpkin seed oil has been proven to shrink prostates and grow back hair. May not have the same effect when eaten in its whole food form - many don't - but I will be passing on this one. I will see if I improve off of them and let you guys know. Thanks.