Home Strong Testosterone Testosterone Supplements for Men (what works and what doesn't)

Testosterone Supplements for Men (what works and what doesn’t)

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Every guy asks the questions at least once in their life…

Is there a magic formula I can take to boost my testosterone?

It’s not a surprise because we know that testosterone is the most important hormone for men. It regulates your sex drive, helps you build muscle with ease, reduces body fat, boosts energy levels and much more. And the more testosterone you have, the more manly (from a physiological standpoint) you’ll be. Ideally, this physiological boost in testosterone will make you a better man all the way around… in the gym, the boardroom and the bedroom. (want help growing a beard, check this site out – not an affiliate link)

So, is there a magic formula, pill, powder, or something like it that’ll boost your testosterone?

I think you’ll be shocked by the answer… and you don’t want to miss it.

Let’s take a look:

OTC Testosterone Pills

You’ve probably seen them at your local drug store… right next to the condoms and stuff like that.

But when looking to increase your testosterone, you shouldn’t rely on these OTC pills. First, because they’re chock full of filler ingredients. And some of them use “proprietary blends” to hide what they’ve really got inside each pill—which is commonly cheap and ineffective ingredients or doses that are too small to increase your testosterone in any meaningful way.

  1. A Harvard study found that OTC testosterone pills can do harm like cause sleep apnea, increase risk of heart attacks, strokes and death. They can also lead to other more embarrassing side effects like shrunken testicles, acne, balding and mood swings.
  2. To be fair, I want to note that some OTC testosterone boosters are shown to increase testosterone levels by between 20% and 50%, which is a pretty decent boost (not as big as the natural 540% increase you can check out HERE). You should note that most OTC testosterone pills do not significantly increase your levels above the normal baseline of 400 ng/dL They also don’t help your body get into the natural rhythm of producing testosterone on its own. So at best these testosterone pills may provide a short-term boost in testosterone, but not a long-term boost that can effectively ward off related health problems or improve your performance for the long haul.
  3. OTC testosterone supplements contain ingredients and nutrients that have been both directly and indirectly linked to higher testosterone. For example, some boosters contain zinc and magnesium. However, you need to keep in mind that this kind of supplementation can only take your testosterone levels to the normal baseline, but not any higher—because all you’re doing is adding ingredients that your body is missing already (if you’re deficient in them).

Pass Or Fail: FAIL

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is known as an adaptogen, which is a fancy term that meals, it helps your body achieve hormonal balance.

Basically, what ashwagandha does is reduce stress hormone (cortisol), and as a result, it increases your testosterone levels. See, your cortisol and testosterone levels work like a seesaw. When one goes up, the other goes down. And studies show that ashwagandha actively reduces your cortisol levels (no matter how stressed you are) and boosts testosterone as a result.

  1. In a 2012 study published in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, researchers gathered 64 test subjects with a history of chronic stress to measure the effects of ashwagandha on serum cortisol levels and stress-assessment tests. One group was given a placebo while the other was given ashwagandha. Both groups were asked to take their supplement twice a day for 60 days. The outcome was the ashwagandha group had an overall reduction in cortisol levels by 27%. They also reported a 69% average reduction in both anxiety and insomnia. As a result of cortisol reduction, testosterone levels in this group increased by 15%, proving the powerful adaptogenic effects of ashwagandha.
  2. A recent 8-week study published in The Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition, researchers tested the effects of ashwagandha on strength training and muscle growth in men ages 18-50-years old. In this study, 57 men were divided in 2 groups: one group received 300 mg of ashwagandha twice daily, while the other received a placebo. Compared to the placebo group, those given ashwagandha saw significant increases in strength on both the bench press and leg press, overall muscle mass, and a reduction in exercise-induced muscle damage. They also say a decrease in body fat, and a 20% increase in testosterone levels.
  3. I’m sure you can already guess that an herb which boosts testosterone will also improve your sex life. And the studies back up that claim. According to a 2003 study in Life Sciences, ashwagandha increases nitric oxide production in your body, which as a result, causes greater blood flow to your erections, which makes them harder and gives you the ability to last longer in bed.

Pass Or Fail: PASS

Tribulus Terrestris

Tribulus Terrestris is one of the most popular “testosterone boosting” ingredients on the market today. And sure, there have been some studies that show tribulus terrestris increases testosterone in animals… but not in humans. Check out the following studies:

  1. One Bulgarian analysis study sifted through the results from 12 major studies on the tribulus terrestris’ effects in men and women aged 14–60. The group of studies lasted from 2–90 days, and both healthy people and those experiencing sexual problems were included. After comparing all the data, the researchers found that this supplement did not increase testosterone.
  2. Even though Tribulus Terrestris hasn’t been shown to boost testosterone levels, it has been shown to boost libido. However, another Bulgarian study found when men with reduced sex drives consumed 750–1,500 mg of Tribulus terrestris daily for two months, their desire for sex increased by 79%.
  3. With that in mind, it’s important to note other studies have been mixed on whether or not tribulus terrestris can treat erectile dysfunction. Research out of Brazil shows that taking 800 mg of this supplement per day may increase sexual desire, but it won’t effectively treat erectile dysfunction (which is what really counts). However, another study showed significant improvements in erections and sexual satisfaction with a 1,500 mg dose per day.

Pass Or Fail: FAIL

Horny Goat Weed

Horny goat weed has an interesting name. And it’s not “click bait” Horney goat weed actually does what the name implies—it enhances your sex life. And it does more than that, too. Because this ancient herb also boosts testosterone. Check out the studies:

  1. This rat study found out an 80 mg/kg dose was able to triple testosterone levels in rats without changing luteinizing hormone (LH) or follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. The researchers claim that horny goat weed doesn’t stimulate the hypothalamus-pituitary-testicles axis like most of the herbal testosterone boosters to do, but it works as a testosterone mimetic inside the testicles and doesn’t change the levels of LH and FSH because of it.
  2. Other studies also found that the active ingredient of horny goat weed—icariin—stimulates nitric oxide production, increases NO levels, and improves blood flow in the body (study, study). This increase in nitric oxide, combined with the inhibition of PDE-5 (the same formula for Viagra, except completely natural) means that horny goat weed definitely has some pro-erectile benefits. And one study even found horny goat weed increases blood flow specifically in the pelvic region.
  3. This study from the University of California San Francisco found that icariin is one of the few known natural PDE-5 inhibitors, and thus could be used as a natural erectile dysfunction relief. The same study was used as evidence to overturn a patent made by Viagra stating that their formula was the only source of icariin in the world.

So the bottom line—get horny goat weed, not Viagra… And if you want a supplement that contains horny goat weed, ashwagandha and more scientifically proven herbal testosterone boosters, CHECK THIS OUT.  

Pass Or Fail: PASS

Forskolin

You could call forskolin the best kept secret for high testosterone levels. Forskolin is a rare supplement you’ll almost never find in your traditional testosterone booster… However, it’s one of the most powerful on the planet because it increases androgen receptors (testosterone binding sites) in the body.

The more androgen receptors you have in the body, the higher your testosterone levels will be. Here’s what the studies say:

  1. A study done at the University of Berlin found that forskolin increases the levels of cAMP in cells and tissue (cAMP is a physiological messenger that transports signals between cells and hormones). Increased cAMP levels increase the sensitivity, amount, and activity of hormones, including testosterone, all over the body.
  2. A study published in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry found forskolin was able to raise testosterone levels by almost 200% in isolated rat Leydig cells. It’s not a direct human study—however, many scientists use forskolin in cell studies because it has positive testosterone stimulating effect on testicular Leydig cells. In other words, scientists think of forskolin as a “sure thing” for amping up testosterone.
  3. Another study published in the North American Association for the Study of Obesity divided 30 obese male subjects into two groups—the forskolin group, and the placebo group. The forskolin group received 250 mgs of 10% forskolin extract twice a day for 12 weeks, and the other group got a placebo. At the end of the 12-week period, the forskolin group had a 33% increase in testosterone when compared to placebo.

Pass Or Fail: PASS

Key Takeaways

  • OTC testosterone boosters and tribulus terrestris won’t boost your testosterone levels in any meaningful way now or in the long run.
  • The best testosterone boosting ingredients are from natural herbs that improve multiple male functions in the body like increased testosterone production, improved libido, improved blood flow, increased sexual desire, better performance and more.
  • Combining natural testosterone boosting ingredients can add up to an even greater testosterone lift.

Next Step

Listen man, having healthy testosterone levels is one of the most important aspects of being a man—because when used rightly, it’ll make you a better man 100% of the time.

So let’s answer the question from the top of this post… Is there such thing as a “magic formula” to take your testosterone to the next level?

I told you, you’d be shocked. Because the answer is YES. And I have the formula for you. It’s called Man Greens…  

The first ever all-natural testosterone-boosting greens powder. It includes ashwagandha, horny goat weed, forskolin and more important T-boosting nutrients all in one supplement. And this combination is scientifically proven to skyrocket your testosterone by 540%.

So what’s your next step? Check out Man Greens for yourself by clicking HERE.

Get after it,

-Chad

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Chad Howse

Chad’s mission is to get you in the arena, ‘marred by the dust and sweat and blood’, to help you set and achieve audacious goals in the face of fear, and not only build your ideal body, but the life you were meant to live.

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