Association Between Dietary Intake of Omega‐3 Fatty Acids and Serum Testosterone in Adult Males: Results From NHANES 2011–2016 and 2021–2023

Mounting research reports that omega‐3 fatty acids (Omega‐3) may help improve health, but research on Omega‐3 and male testosterone is limited. Our study included males aged ≥ 18 years in the 2011–2016 and 2021–2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Multivariable regression analysis and generalized additive models and smooth curve fitting were used to explore the association between dietary intake of Omega‐3 (including total Omega‐3, docosahexaenoic acid [DHA], eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], alpha linolenic acid [ALA], docosapentaenoic acid [DPA], and stearidonic acid [SDA]) and male testosterone. Subgroup analyses were performed according to body mass index (BMI) type. 8686 participants were included. Multivariable linear regression found that only DPA exhibited a significant positive association with serum testosterone, and generalized additive models and smooth curve fitting also showed a linear relationship. In subgroup analyses, total Omega‐3 and ALA were significantly positively associated with serum testosterone in the BMI < 25 group. DHA, EPA, DPA, and SDA had statistically significant positive associations in the BMI ≥ 30 group. Besides, SDA showed a statistically significant negative association in the BMI 25–30 group. Our findings indicate that a significant positive association between Omega‐3 intake and male testosterone levels was observed only in the presence of specific Omega‐3 types (DPA) and BMI categories (BMI < 25 kg/m 2 and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ). Furthermore, cross‐sectional studies cannot establish causality. Therefore, these results require validation through interventional studies.