Gut soy and male fertility: how the gut microbiome may affect testosterone and sperm health
Official title: Gut microbial regulation of soy on male infertility
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-11354651 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how soy foods interact with the gut microbiome to influence male reproductive health, especially testosterone levels and sperm quality, in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project start | August 10, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $430,787 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HD122011-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11354651 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adult men (and future human studies) who are curious about how diet and gut bacteria may influence fertility.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not concerned with fertility or those not consuming soy may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
If you are an adult man, this project looks at whether the bacteria in your gut change how soy affects your reproductive health. Using special mouse models that mimic human gut bacteria, researchers will study how soy-derived compounds form equol and how this might alter testicular size, hormones, and semen characteristics. The goal is to better understand whether soy could impact male fertility in people with different gut microbiomes. Findings could guide dietary choices and future human studies related to fertility and soy consumption.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better information about whether soy foods could affect male fertility and guidance for men trying to optimize reproductive health.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary animal studies suggest gut bacteria and equol production can influence reproductive traits, but human relevance remains to be clarified.
Where this research is happening
-
Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cross, Tzu-Wen Liu — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Cross, Tzu-Wen Liu
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.