“75% testosterone booster supplements contain ingredients with unproven effectiveness.“
This conclusion was reached by a group of researchers from the University of South Carolina in Los Angeles, who studied the composition of 50 popular dietary supplements on the US market.
Testosterone boosters are one of the popular types of sports nutrition among athletes in strength sports (primarily amateurs) and dietary supplements “for men over 30.”
They are believed to help the first group stimulate muscle growth; the second group aims to support the quality of sexual life, which gradually declines after 30…
Along with their high popularity, these dietary supplements also hold the status of “most poorly researched.”
This is confirmed by the results of one of the latest studies 1 on the effectiveness of their active ingredients, which is discussed in this article and on the basis of which we compiled the 2019 testosterone booster ranking.
Main thoughts:
The unpleasant truth about testosterone… for men over 30
The level of testosterone in men’s bodies steadily declines after the age of 30 at an average rate of 0.4-2.0% per year 2. This means that the concentration of testosterone in the blood of a 70-year-old man is approximately 30% lower than that of a 30-year-old.
There are many reasons for this unfortunate fact.
Among them are: natural aging of the body, accompanied by a decline in testosterone production by the testes, ecology, medications (the consequences of chemotherapy, for example), which become more prevalent in the diet of the average person after 30, and of course, lifestyle factors (obesity, smoking, lack of physical activity) 2.
We recommend: 10 symptoms of low testosterone in men.
And why, by the way, “sad”? Of course, this epithet “does not apply to everyone”.
The loss of male dignity and appearance concerns far from many, judging by the prevalence of the type of man with low testosterone, described by the symptoms mentioned above, in our society. The most characteristic visible signs include: beer bellies with a simultaneous lack of muscle mass.
In addition to increased fat mass, other known problems associated with decreased testosterone in the body include:
- decreased libido or sexual desire;
- loss of muscle mass (testosterone is the main hormone responsible for its growth and maintenance);
- reduced physical activity and increased physical fatigue;
- hair loss, etc.
For those who are still concerned about the inevitability of decreased testosterone after 30, we recommend reading this article to the end and then exploring the section Testosterone Boosters on our website.
According to some data, about 50% of adult American males take various testosterone boosters to increase/maintain its level 2,4.
This method is perceived by many as the most natural and simple to implement compared to hormone therapy, for example, where hormones are most often administered via injections.
About 50% of adult American males take testosterone boosters
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About testosterone boosters…
Many ingredients of modern testosterone boosters have been used/are used since ancient times by practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine for treating sexual dysfunction and protecting against aging.
It should be acknowledged that modern man is increasingly becoming fond of everything traditional, ancient, and shrouded in mystery. This also explains the popularity of yoga, religious cults, and of course, various dietary supplements from corresponding geographical regions.
Despite the popularity, the effectiveness of the active ingredients in the overwhelming majority of testosterone boosters lacks scientific confirmation.
A striking example is the booster Tribulus terrestris, which has remained at the top of sales for several decades, despite a considerable number of scientific evidence of its uselessness.
In addition to the lack of scientific basis, it is important to understand that testosterone boosters, as dietary supplements, are outside the control of the relevant regulatory organizations (in the case of the USA, this is the FDA – Food and Drug Administration).
This, in turn, means that the absence of harm to health, as well as effectiveness, is not guaranteed by anyone.
According to the internal regulations, the FDA initiates the safety review process of certain dietary supplements only in the case of numerous reports of harm.
Moreover, dietary supplements, including testosterone boosters, according to FDA principles, should not contain marketing claims on their packaging such as “reduces pain,” “treats a certain disease,” etc. This is the prerogative of drugs.
Nevertheless, the packaging of testosterone boosters is filled with slogans about treating various medical conditions, either explicitly or implicitly.
The practical conclusion: experiment only with those testosterone boosters whose ingredients have some scientific evidence of effectiveness.
The effectiveness of the active ingredients of the overwhelming majority of testosterone boosters has no scientific confirmation. The fact that they are present on store shelves does not mean that their effectiveness and safety have been verified by competent organizations.
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2019 Study on the Effectiveness of the Most Popular Testosterone Boosters
Essence
Researchers from the University of South Carolina in Los Angeles selected based on Google search results 50 of the most popular testosterone boosters 1, studied the marketing claims on the packaging, compiled a list of active ingredients, which amounted to about 109, and conducted a search in the PubMed scientific database for information on the benefits/harm/uselessness of each of them.
FDA recommendations regarding available active substances, including maximum allowable doses, were also studied.
Results
In the selected 50 testosterone boosters for the study, the average number of active ingredients varied from 1 to 29 (on average ~8).
The most popular among them are: zinc, fenugreek, vitamin B6, tribulus, magnesium, boron, diindolemethane (a substance found in cruciferous vegetables), long-leafed eurycoma (a plant from Asia with presumed aphrodisiac properties), and maca root extract (from South America with presumed aphrodisiac properties).
The marketing claims on the packaging of the studied products were as follows:
- “increases testosterone levels”;
- “effective for gaining muscle mass”;
- “increases sexual desire or libido”;
- “enhances the feeling of muscle strength”;
- “boosts energy”;
- “burns fat and prevents its accumulation”;
- “accelerates recovery”;
- “has anti-estrogenic effects” (estrogen – a female sex hormone – has effects that are somewhat opposite to testosterone);
- “improves sleep”;
- “improves mood”;
- “increases levels of growth hormone and luteinizing hormone”;
- “lowers cortisol levels”;
- “improves erection”;
- “enhances cardiovascular function”;
- “has anti-aging effects”;
- “improves bone and joint health”.
As can be seen – a complete arsenal of what is needed for male happiness and health.
The results of the search for information regarding the effectiveness, benefits/harm/uselessness of individual ingredients in scientific databases showed a lack of any data for 67 out of 109 active substances (about 62%).
- For 19 active substances (~17%), only 1 scientific study on effectiveness was found.
- For 13 active substances (~12%) – only 2 studies.
- For 3 active substances (~3%) – only 3 studies.
- For 4 active substances (~4%) – only 4 studies.
- For 1 active substance (~1%) – 5 studies.
- For 1 active substance (~1%) – 6 studies.
The scientific evidence, i.e., its practically complete absence for all substances, is evident.
Based on this scant scientific material, it was shown that 27 out of 109 active ingredients in the most popular testosterone boosters cause an increase in testosterone levels, 11 lead to a decrease, and 20 have no effect on it.
Note: we deliberately emphasize the fact of the lack of available scientific data. The indicated effectiveness should not be misinterpreted as an unequivocally proven fact and perceived as a guide to action.
Most active substances in popular testosterone boosters have no more than 1-2 scientific studies on effectiveness
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Testosterone Booster Ratings 2019
The effectiveness rating of testosterone boosters (more precisely, their active ingredients), based on the results of the study in question, is presented in the table.
- green – some positive effect in increasing testosterone levels;
- yellow – conflicting data;
- red – no effect or suppressive action on testosterone.
| Rating of Popular Testosterone Boosters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Increase in testosterone levels | Decrease in testosterone levels | No effect | Conflicting results | |
| Anacyclus pyrethrum – a plant from the daisy family | + | – | – | – |
| Bulbine natalensis – a plant from Southern and Southeastern Africa | + | – | – | – |
| Epicatechin – the tannin juice of the Acacia catechu – a plant found in tropical Asia (India, Pakistan) | + | – | – | – |
| Eurycoma longifolia extract – a plant from Asia used to treat many diseases | + | – | – | – |
| Fenugreek extract – a plant from Central Asia with a strong aroma, used as a spice and in medicine | + | – | – | – |
| Horney goat weed extract (the same as Epimedium) | + | – | – | – |
| L-arginine | + | – | – | – |
| L-carnitine | + | – | – | – |
| Mucuna pruriens – a plant from the legume family, found in tropical regions | + | – | – | – |
| Pantothenic acid or Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) | + | – | – | – |
| Selenium | + | – | – | – |
| Shilajit – waste from rodents and bats | + | – | – | – |
| Tongkat ali extract (the same as Eurycoma longifolia) | + | – | – | – |
| Magnesium | + | – | – | – |
| Caffeine | + | |||
| Ashwagandha (extract) – a plant traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine | + | – | + | + |
| Boron | + | – | + | + |
| Calcium | + | – | + | + |
| D-aspartic acid | + | + | + | + |
| Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) – a natural steroid hormone produced from cholesterol in the adrenal glands | + | – | + | + |
| Garlic | + | + | – | + |
| Ginger | + | – | + | + |
| Maca extract – extract from Peruvian Maca, a plant from the cabbage family found in Bolivia, Peru, Argentina | + | – | + | + |
| Melatonin – a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle | + | + | – | + |
| Resveratrol – a substance synthesized by some plants for protection against parasites such as bacteria or fungi | + | – | + | + |
| Vitamin D | + | – | + | + |
| Zinc | + | – | + | + |
| Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) – a plant from the legume family | – | + | + | + |
| Green tea extract | – | + | + | + |
| Apigenin – a substance found in many plants, particularly in red vegetables | – | + | – | – |
| Astragalus – a plant from the legume family | – | + | – | – |
| Bioperine – an extract from black pepper responsible for its spiciness | – | + | – | – |
| Broccoli | – | + | – | – |
| Rosemary extract | – | + | – | – |
| Vitamin B6 | – | + | – | – |
| Chrysin – a substance found in honey, propolis, and some plants (geranium) | – | – | + | – |
| Epimedium – a plant mainly found in China, other Asian countries, and the Mediterranean | – | – | + | – |
| Ginkgo biloba – a relict plant used in traditional Chinese medicine and cuisine | – | – | + | – |
| Quercetin – a substance found in red and purple plants | – | – | + | – |
| Red clover | – | – | + | – |
| Rhodiola rosea extract | – | – | + | – |
| Saw palmetto – a plant of the palm family | – | – | + | – |
The attentive reader should notice that this list does not include tribulus – one of the most popular testosterone boosters on our market. The authors of the study somehow did not include it in the ranking, only noting its wide prevalence: 17% of testosterone boosters contain it in their composition.
All interested parties can familiarize themselves with the scientific studies on the effectiveness of tribulus terrestris here.
And finally, in some testosterone booster preparations, there was an excess of the recommended daily norms of certain vitamins and minerals:
- vitamin B12 – by 1291%;
- vitamin B6 – by 807.6%;
- zinc – by 272%;
- vitamin B5 – by 200%;
- vitamin B3 – by 187.5%.
In some of them, the content of vitamins and minerals exceeded the upper permissible limit by several times.
In some testosterone boosters, the content of vitamins and minerals exceeds the recommended daily norms by several times
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Conclusion
The majority of popular testosterone booster preparations today are very poorly studied.
Despite this, statistical data indicate their widespread use among men, primarily over the age of 30.
“`
A common belief is that testosterone boosters help increase the level of this hormone in a way that is natural for the body and do not pose health risks.
However, scientific reality calls both claims into question.
There is very little scientific research on the effectiveness of the active ingredients in popular testosterone boosters, and in some cases, it is completely absent. Moreover, the safety and lack of harm to health of these substances are not guaranteed by any competent regulatory organization, due to the classification of testosterone boosters as dietary supplements.
Cases of bilateral pulmonary embolism (blockage of the lung arteries) as a side effect of taking testosterone boosters based on fenugreek extract have been documented in the scientific literature 5.
In 2014, the FDA issued an official warning about the risk of stroke and heart attack when taking testosterone-boosting medications 6, which repeatedly emphasized that
“Hormone therapy is intended exclusively for men with testosterone production disorders for medical reasons, such as as a result of chemotherapy.
No FDA-approved medications should be used by men with low testosterone in any cases other than medical ones.“
It is clear that the FDA does not endorse attempts by men to manipulate testosterone levels when they “feel” that their libido has decreased or when they wish to stimulate muscle mass growth.
In another study aimed at testing the effectiveness of red clover on the quality of sexual life in men, it was found that this plant has no effect on it; moreover, its consumption increases the level of certain liver enzymes, which may indicate its toxicity 7.
Interestingly, red clover is one of the leaders in phytoestrogen content – a plant analogue of the female sex hormone estrogen, whose action is opposite to that of testosterone. (We mentioned this in the article about the harm of soy protein isolate). How it made it into the ranking of testosterone boosters is a mystery…
All of this together reaffirms once again that “natural” does not always mean “beneficial” and “safe.”
This statement applies not only to testosterone boosters but also to other popular dietary supplements – natural fat burners. Check out our material on the harm of fat burners.
