Looking to support your testosterone levels in a natural way? Want to avoid costly injections and visits to your doctor? Let’s review five proven testosterone boosters that are safe and effective.
1. ZMA (Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin B6)
Famous as a sports recovery supplement, ZMA is also a safe and effective testosterone booster.
Each individual ingredient in ZMA (zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6) has been shown to support healthy testosterone levels on their own. When combined, ZMA offers a wide range of benefits that help promote proper hormone health.
ZMA has been shown to enhance the quality of sleep, allowing you to stay in R.E.M. cycles longer. In turn, this helps the body release more growth hormone during the night. This is why it is such a fantastic sport recovery support that also happens to increase testosterone levels. [1] [2] [3]
2. Saw Palmetto
While saw palmetto is typically recommended for guys looking to support their prostate health, it has another benefit that is often overlooked: saw palmetto can support healthy testosterone levels.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) has been shown to play a key role in the development of prostate issues in men. What’s more, men who have prostate issues have higher levels of DHT and lower or only average levels of testosterone. Why? Testosterone gets converted into DHT, which robs you of elevated t-levels while promoting prostate issues.
Saw palmetto is highly effective at combating DHT levels, which in turn helps to boost testosterone levels. [4] [5]
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that supports the production of sex hormones in the body. It’s no coincidence that seasonal depression coincides with a decrease in testosterone levels. When you aren’t getting outside in the sunshine, your body isn’t producing as much testosterone.
Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to be a natural and effective way to promote healthy testosterone levels.
In a study published in Hormone and Metabolic Research demonstrated that subjects who were supplied with a Vitamin D supplement showed a significant increase in total testosterone levels, bioactive testosterone, and free testosterone levels. [6]
4. Tongkat Ali
A tree that is native to Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, Tongkat Ali has been a hot topic t-booster for several years. Also called Longjack Root, Tongkat Ali began as a natural way to increase libido and sexual desire. It wasn’t until one popular study was introduced that Tongkat Ali began showing up in a variety of testosterone boosters.
A study published in Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition showed that Tongkat Ali was able to decrease the catabolic hormone, cortisol, while improving testosterone in the body. [7]
5. Ashwagandha
Commonly referred to as Indian Ginseng, Ashwagandha has long been used within Ayurvedic medicine for a variety of ailments. Aside from helping to alleviate the damages of stress while boosting immunity, Ashwaganha may also be just what you need to increase testosterone levels.
Studies show that Ashwagandha can help to promote healthy hormone levels and as a result will increase libido, sperm count, and sperm mobility. This is why it’s often used as a natural treatment for infertility and one of the best side benefits is that it boosts your t-levels. [8]
References
1. Netter A, Hartoma R, Nahoul K. Effect of zinc administration on plasma testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and sperm count. Arch Androl. 1981 Aug;7(1):69-73.
2. Cinar V, Polat Y, Baltaci AK, Mogulkoc R.Biol. Effects of magnesium supplementation on testosterone levels of athletes and sedentary subjects at rest and after exhaustion. Trace Elem Res. 2011 Apr;140(1):18-23. doi: 10.1007/s12011-010-8676-3. Epub 2010 Mar 30.
3. Symes EK, Bender DA, Bowden JF, Coulson WF. Increased target tissue uptake of, and sensitivity to, testosterone in the vitamin B6 deficient rat. J Steroid Biochem. 1984 May;20(5):1089-93.
4. Angwafor F, Anderson ML. An open label, dose response study to determine the effect of a dietary supplement on dihydrotestosterone, testosterone and estradiol levels in healthy males. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2008 Aug 12;5:12. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-5-12.
5. Di Silverio F, Monti S, Sciarra A, Varasano PA, Martini C, Lanzara S, D’Eramo G, Di Nicola S, Toscano V. Effects of long-term treatment with Serenoa repens (Permixon) on the concentrations and regional distribution of androgens and epidermal growth factor in benign prostatic hyperplasia. Prostate. 1998 Oct 1;37(2):77-83.
6. Pilz S, Frisch S, Koertke H, Kuhn J, Dreier J, Obermayer-Pietsch B, Wehr E, Zittermann A. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Horm Metab Res. 2011 Mar;43(3):223-5. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1269854. Epub 2010 Dec 10.
7. Talbott SM, Talbott JA, George A, Pugh M. Effect of Tongkat Ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2013;10:28. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-10-28.
8. Ahmad MK, Mahdi AA, Shukla KK, et al. Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile males. Fertility and Sterility. 2010;94(3):989–996.
