Do Testosterone-Boosting Supplements Work?

Yesterday, we talked about muscle-building supplements. And while that’s a big market full of dubious claims, nothing can compare to the marketing chicanery of male virility/sexuality boosters.

There are supplements out there that promise to increase your libido while also upping your testosterone. And there are supplements that market themselves as T-boosters, while also touting themselves as an aphrodisiac. And then there are companies that claim to have developed a pill that contains the triumvirate of male-enhancing properties: T-boosting, libido-enhancing, and even fertility-increasing. These supplement makers sometimes throw in an additional claim of muscle gain as well.

For guys who are mainly looking to increase their testosterone, these extra benefits can seem like the icing on the cake, which makes these supplements highly marketable. But when it comes to actually boosting T, do they [amazon asin=B001DAYJOY&template=*lrc ad (left)]really work?

The Libido Paradox

Supplements that tout themselves foremost as libido enhancers make up the majority of the market for testosterone boosters. But most don’t have any effect on testosterone levels. So why do people buy them like crazy?

Simple: you think they’re working.

When your testosterone levels go up, so does your libido. Unfortunately, the inverse is not true — your libido levels can go up without your testosterone levels also going up. And that’s how most supposed T-boosters “work”: they make you feel ornery, leading you to think that your T levels are appreciably higher, when they actually aren’t. In rare cases, supplementation will result in a 20% testosterone increase. This kind of improvement may sound impressive, but is irrelevant for practical purposes.

If you treat these supplements for what they are (libido boosters), you may be happy with the results.[amazon asin=B0009ETA6W&template=*lrc ad (right)]

Can I boost my testosterone or not?

Legitimate, working testosterone boosters do exist, but they’re not very exciting. They’re not life-changing because, at most, they’ll increase testosterone levels by 20-50%. Compare that to a low-dose steroid cycle, which offers a 300% increase minimum.

You may not be able to tell whether or not a supplement is working without getting a blood test. Even then, blood tests only take your T levels at that exact moment, which can fluctuate based on a lot of different variables. Bottom line: it’s easy to promise a testosterone boost when very few people are actually checking their testosterone levels.

Below we offer a breakdown of the most popular testosterone boosters out there and an assessment as to their effectiveness.

[amazon asin=B000GFSVQE&template=*lrc ad (left)]A Breakdown of the Most Popular Testosterone Boosters

Tribulus Terrestris

Tribulus terrestris is the #1 selling testosterone booster, and the best example of a supplement that increases libido, but has no effect on testosterone.

Anecdotally (and traditionally, in East Asia), it’s worked well for men seeking to increase their confidence and libido, but studies have not confirmed this kind of effect. While preliminary evidence suggests that Tribulus can protect the body from stress, it definitely has no effect on testosterone.

D-Aspartic Acid

D-Aspartic Acid (D-AA) catapulted into the spotlight after a study showed supplementing D-AA could increase testosterone up to 42% after just 12 days. This sparked a frenzy of D-AA supplementation. Within a week, people were reporting greatly increased libido, as well as increased testicle size.[amazon asin=B0032BH76O&template=*lrc ad (right)]

Unfortunately, another study done that spanned a longer time period found that after about a month of D-AA supplementation, testosterone levels returned to normal. A month isn’t long enough for elevated testosterone levels to have an effect on muscle growth and development.

D-AA has been found to provide increased fertility and testosterone when supplemented by infertile men, but it has no effect on athletes and people with normal testosterone levels.

Zinc and Magnesium

Zinc and magnesium (both part of the ZMA formula) are frequently recommended as testosterone boosters for athletes. These minerals are lost through sweat and during exercise.

If you’re deficient, supplementing with zinc or magnesium can take your testosterone levels to your normal baseline. Additional zinc or magnesium will not increase testosterone above normal levels.

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