Iblamejordan
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I found good posting about natural herb and supplement that boost testosterone. It seems very legit. (1 , 2)
Natural Plants For Increasing Testosterone
Cistanche Tubulosa
Cistanche is a parasitic plant found in the deserts of Northwestern China. There are many benefits to this plant with many studies to back it up.
- Serum Testosterone and Progesterone increased
- Expression of CYP11A1, CYP17A1, and CYP3A4 increased
- phenylethanol glycosides from C. tubulosa improved Luteinizing Hormone and damaged reproductive ability
- Enhances testosterone biosynthesis via CYP450-3β-HSD pathway
- Echinacosides in C. tubulosa bind to the ghrelin receptor increasing HGH in pituitary cells
Eurycoma longifolia is a flowering plant found in Indochina, Phillipenes, and Indonesia.
- Significantly increases total and free testosterone in men and women
- Lowers SHBG thereby increasing free testosterone
- 4mg/kg testosterone + TA acts the same as 8mg/kg of testosterone in older rats
- Eurypeptides are shown to increase the enzyme CYP17 in testes which increases the conversion rate of pregnenoline precursors into dehydroepiandrosterone and subsequent androgens
- In hypogonadic or sexually sluggish animals, 500mg/kg Eurycoma Longifolia appeared to increase serum testosterone more than 50% (from slightly under 2ng/mL to over 3ng/mL; data derived from graph) when measured after 12 days of ingestion
- In 320 men with late-onset hypogonadism, TA was shown to increase testosterone levels an average of 46%
- Eurycomanone is more potent and efficacious than Tamoxifen at the same molar dose
- 8mg/kg bodyweight Eurycoma Longifolia given for 14 days was able to abolish the suppressive effects of estrogen treatment on spermatogeic cell count and sperm count
Flavone found in many different plants such as Skullcap and chamomile.
- Can inhibit both aromatase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD)
- directly blocks signalling through the thromboxane A2 (TBXA2) receptor in testicular leydig cells, reducing the ability of the TBXA2-COX2 pathway to induce a repressor protein known as DAX-1; as DAX-1 normally suppresses the transcription of a rate-limiting step of protein synthesis known as steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein, apigenin indirectly increased StAR activity and testosterone synthesis (induced by cAMP) in these cells
- Activated both subunits of the estrogen receptor (ERα and ERβ) but activated ERβ at a lower concentration (100nM) while activating ERβ to a higher degree than ERα at higher concentrations (1μM)
- In isolated human H295R adrenal cells, 12.5μM of Apigenin decreased cortisol to 47.5% of control
Shilajit is a blackish-brown powder or an exudate from high mountain rocks, often found in the Himalayas, Karakoram, Nepal, Bhutan, Russia, Iran, Mongolia and in the south of Peru, where it is called Andean Shilajit.
- 200mg of 54.8% fulvic acid increased serum testosterone levels 23.5% in infertile men over the course of 90 days
- 200mg of Shilajit daily for 90 days increased Follicle Stimulating Hormone by 9.8% in infertile men
Ashwagandha is an annual evergreen shrub in the Solanaceae or nightshade family that grows in India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. Several other species in the genus Withania are morphologically similar.
- Slightly increased testosterone, largely increased progesterone in non-diabetic rats
- 3 groups of men who were all infertile and normozoospermic (smoker, stressed, neither) were given ashwagandha for 3 months and noticed a 10-22% spike in testosterone (most in stressed group)
- Men who were given 300mg 2x daily saw a 15% increase in testosterone after a workout while the control group didn't have any change
- Suppresses Estrogen Receptor A (ERa) in breast cancer cells to a 50-90% variable, with a concomitant 20-30% increase in Estrogen Receptor B (ERb)
- 5g of root extract daily increased Luteinizing Hormone 11-21% in infertile men (more of an increase in stressed subjects)
- In diabetic rats, there was a 3-fold increase in Luteinizing Hormone after taking 6.25% ashwagandha for 4 weeks
- Cordyceps Sinensis inhibits leydig cell steroidogenesis
- Inhibits enzyme P450scc, activates cAMP-protein Kinase A
- Stimulates testosterone production in mouse leydig cells
- Increased serum testosterone and estradiol-17 (E2) after 6 weeks of CM
- Cordycepin regulates mRNA expression of A1, A2a, A2b, and A3 adenosine receptors in the mouse Leydig cells
- Antagonists of A1, A2a, and A3 suppressed testosterone production 20-50%
- cAMP antagonist and PKA inhibtors significantly decreased cordycepin-induced testosterone production, indicating that the PKA-cAMP signal pathway was activated by cordycepin through adenosine receptors
- Cordycepin induces StAR protein expression in mouse leydig cells which transporters cholesterol into the mitochondria for metabolism, a rate-limiting step of steroidogenesis
- Cordyceps Militaris increased estradiol levels (from 30pg/mL to the 60-70 range) 2 weeks after rats were fed 1-5% of their bodyweight of CM. Estradiol declined back to baseline after 4 weeks.
- No change in FSH, LH, or prolactin noted
Studies (in order of bullet points):
Cistanche
https://reference.medscape.com/medline/abstract/26004585
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31881320/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30781558/
Tongkat Ali
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23754792/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22924057/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19703544/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21671978/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16206032/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20126351/
Apigenin
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9929167/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20537519/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17132221/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11948020/
Shilajit
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20078516/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20078516/
Ashwagandha
http://www.ijrm.ir/library/upload/article/af_76422974)%2088-7-3-A.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19789214/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26609282/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21432907/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19789214/
http://www.ijrm.ir/library/upload/article/af_76422974)%2088-7-3-A.pdf
Cordyceps
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12753921/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12899935/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19051352/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21512251/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19051352/
MASTER LIST of Effective Testosterone Boosters and Dosages
After reviewing 92 studies on the 30 most common testosterone booster ingredients, I've narrowed it down and curated a list of ingredients filtered through the following 4 lenses:
- Base Supplements: Heavily researched and recommended for most people with the goal of naturally increasing testosterone.
- Proven Supplements: Lot's of research on benefits and can boost testosterone under the right context.
- Potential Boosters: Limited research on boosting testosterone with mixed evidence. May work or may be a complete waste of money.
- Overhyped Supplements: Many claims that they boost testosterone, but the evidence goes against these claims.
Vitamin D
Men with sufficient vitamin D have significantly higher testosterone compared to men who are deficient in it (1, 2, 3).
- Effective Dose: 2000-3000IU daily
Magnesium
Supplementing with magnesium can acutely boost testosterone after rigorous exercise (4). Over the long-term, magnesium levels are a significant predictor of testosterone levels (5).
- Effective Dose: 200-400mg daily
Zinc
A zinc deficiency can significantly lower testosterone (6). Zinc supplementation can be especially important for athletes since a lot of it is lost through sweat (7, 8)
- Effective Dose: 25-30mg daily
Boron
Multiple human trials have shown boron supplementation to have a positive influence on testosterone (9, 10, 11).
- Effective Dose: 10mg daily
Proven Supplements
Ashwagandha
Supplementing with ashwagandha is a proven way to combat stress (12). Multiple human trials have shown that it increases testosterone (13, 14) and that it is especially effective when combined with some form of resistance training (15).
- Effective Dose: 500-1000mg daily
Shilajit
Shilajit is still in preliminary stages of research, but its positive impact on testosterone has been shown in two human trials (16, 17).
- Effective Dose: 200mg daily
Creatine
You already know of creatine as the king of bodybuilding supplements, and there is a multitude of research showing its positive influence on testosterone levels as well (18, 19).
- Effective Dose: 5g daily
Potential Boosters
D-Aspartic Acid
Studies have shown D-AA supplementation to boost testosterone levels in the short-term (20). Though this boost may endure in infertile men (21), the research points to the fact that T returns to baseline within 1-month in healthy men (22).
- Effective Dose: 3600mg daily (cycle every 2-weeks)
Mucuna Pruriens
The current research examines mucuna pruriens’ effect in infertile men. In that regard, it is effective (21, 22). Whether supplementation impacts otherwise healthy men as well, still remains to be seen.
- Effective Dose: 100-200mg daily
Tongkat Ali
Supplementing with tongkat ali has been shown to be extremely effective at boosting testosterone in infertile men (23) and in men suffering from chronic stress (24). More research is needed to confirm whether this effect carries over in otherwise healthy men as well.
- Effective Dose: 200-300mg daily
Forskolin
The lone human study on forskolin was performed in overweight and obese men, and supplementation increased their testosterone (25). More research is needed to observe the effect of supplementation in otherwise healthy men.
- Effective Dose: 500mg daily
Royal Jelly
The current research on royal jelly and testosterone shows a positive relationship (26 ,27), but further evidence is needed to solidify this claim.
- Effective Dose: 50-300mg daily
Overhyped Supplements
Tribulus Terrestris
Multiple human studies have shown tribulus Terrestris to have no impact on the testosterone levels of otherwise healthy men (28, 29).
Horny Goat Weed
Although HGW can boost testosterone levels in castrated rats (31), there is currently no research examining its effect in humans.
Maca
Although maca can boost libido (32), its effect on testosterone is negligible.
Saw Palmetto
Saw palmetto can increase testosterone, but it does so at the expense of DHT (33). DHT is the most potent androgen in the human body and many of the benefits we associate with higher T can actually be tied back to DHT. Lower DHT is definitely something we want to avoid.
Stinging Nettle
The lone human study with Stinging Nettle was performed in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPA). Even then, it was unable to affect testosterone (34).
Velvet Antler
Multiple human studies have shown no effect of velvet antler supplementation on testosterone (35).
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