The Truth About Fats, Hormones, and the Story We Were Never Told

Back in the 1960s, Americans were told that fat was the enemy. Butter, eggs, meat — all painted as the reason people were getting sick and overweight.

But here’s the kicker: a lot of that messaging didn’t come from clear science. It came from the sugar industry.

In 1967, the Sugar Research Foundation (yes, a real organization) paid Harvard scientists the equivalent of about $50,000 today to publish research downplaying sugar’s role in heart disease and putting the blame on dietary fats instead. The studies got published in major journals, the media ran with the “fat is bad” story, and soon you saw fat-free everything on grocery store shelves. Low-fat cookies, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cereal — all of it stuffed with added sugar.

Here’s the problem: our hormones depend on fats.

Hormones are built from cholesterol and fats. Without them, your body can’t produce key hormones like testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol. These hormones regulate metabolism, reproduction, stress response, recovery, and even mood.

When you consistently cut fats too low, here’s what can happen:

• Low testosterone in men → decreased muscle mass, low energy, low sex drive.
• Low estrogen and progesterone in women → irregular cycles, fertility issues, and mood swings.
• Low cortisol regulation → poor stress management, constant fatigue.
• Thyroid dysfunction → slow metabolism, weight gain, feeling cold and sluggish.

Healthy fats — like those in avocados, salmon, olive oil, eggs, and nuts — provide the raw materials your body needs to build and balance these hormones. Think of them like the bricks your body uses to build the “hormone house.” No bricks? No house.

The “low-fat” craze set people up for decades of hormonal imbalance. Energy crashes, weight struggles, stress overload — not just because of lifestyle, but because we were literally cutting out the fuel our hormones needed.

The takeaway? Don’t fear fats. Choose high-quality sources, and let them work for you. Your hormones — and your energy, mood, and performance — will thank you.