Male Japanese Quails are Sweeter with Sugar
- Sabrina O'Donnell
- Mar 22, 2023
- 3 min read
By: Sabrina O'Donnell
Growth-stimulating, anti-inflammatory, and sweet, sugar cane extract is well known for its health benefits as an alternative to sugar. Yet, sugar cane contains plant compounds known to influence the production of sex hormones. These plant compounds are called polyphenols and mimic the structure of the sex hormones naturally produced in the body, such as estrogen and testosterone. Therefore, does sugar cane trick the body into assuming that enough testosterone has been produced? Shaxio Pu and his team of researchers from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology set out to uncover if sugar cane would slow testosterone production in male Japanese quails.
To discover the unknown effects of sugar cane the team gave three different groups of quails a diet that contained different amounts of sugar cane extract. To evaluate the effects of the sugar cane, Pu and the team observed the quail’s sexual behavior when placed in a test cage with an egg-laying female. The quails who consumed sugar cane had delayed sexual initiation compared to quails given a regular diet. In fact, the quails given the greater amount of sugar cane extract took two minutes longer to interact with their mate. The researchers reasoned that the lack of sexual drive was due to decreasing testosterone production. To further explore if reduced testosterone was the case, Pu and the team retrieved a blood sample from each quail and tested it to uncover their testosterone levels. The scientist found that quails who received sugar cane extract in their meals had suppressed testosterone compared to those who received a normal diet.
Since it was clear that the sugar cane extract was reducing testosterone production in the quails, the team's next question was how it happened. To address the how, researchers retrieved the sexual organs of the quails to be weighed and observed under a microscope. Shockingly, the quail’s testes and epididymis, a tube in the testes where sperm matures, had shrunk in the quails that consumed sugar cane. To further investigate, the researchers examined the tissue of the testicles under a microscope to find that the cells were misshapen and diminished. From this observation, Pu concluded that sperm and testosterone production was stunted, because of the distortion of the testis, which was a response to sugar cane extract.
The deformed cells led the researchers to wonder why sugar cane had such a harsh effect on the quails' reproductive system. The team of scientists explored a little deeper at the quail’s testis to measure the expression of the luteinizing hormone receptor and the androgen receptor. The expression of these genes is an excellent marker that indicates the body's stimulation of testosterone production. Unsurprisingly, these levels were significantly decreased in the quails who received sugar cane. Diving deeper, the researchers evaluated if the inhibition of testosterone was at the protein level. Specifically, the scientist measured the expression of the enzyme 3β -Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. This enzyme plays an important role in the biosynthesis of testosterone and aids in the transport of cholesterol, a key structure in sex hormones. Without 3β -Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, testosterone can't be synthesized. Therefore, Pu and the team reasoned that sugar cane extract reduced the expression of 3β -Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase thereby, suppressing testosterone production.
In this delicious study, sugar cane extract was found to change sexual behavior, reduce blood testosterone concentrations and sexual organ weights, as well as suppress the expression of genes and proteins involved in the production of testosterone. While this may be a frightening scenario for human males, it is beneficial from an agricultural standpoint. Turns out that a reduction in testosterone in quails makes them tastier, and they are nicer to each other. Therefore, if we want sweeter and more appetizing poultry a spoonful of sugar cane is all it takes.
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