Pass The Testosterone

It’s a key hormone for both your muscle-building and your sex drive–but do testosterone supplements give you the boost you need?Here’s MF’s guide to the best ways to get your T

There are many supplements on the market claiming to enhance testosterone. In fact many of them are herbal supplements that, while improving libido and boosting confidence, do very little for testosterone levels. These libido enhancers include herbs such as tribulus terrestris, maca and fenugreek, all of which have a noticeable effect on sex drive but none on testosterone.

Other ingredients, such as eurycoma and ginger, can only increase testosterone when taken by men who are infertile or have testicular damage. Others, such as horny goat weed, haven’t been studied in humans so there is no reliable evidence for their effects.

Bottom line: most “testosterone” supplements on the market have no effect on testosterone levels. But there are a few proven to work, thanks to a research review from examine.com, especially if you have a vitamin or mineral deficiency.

ZINC

Zinc is a dietary mineral that is often promoted for boosting testosterone. In fact, it only helps in people with a zinc deficiency, but that could be you – athletes and people who exercise a lot are prone to this because zinc is lost through sweat. Zinc deficiencies are associated with lower testosterone levels, so if supplementation brings zinc levels back into the normal range, testosterone levels will rise accordingly. However, increasing zinc levels above normal body levels will not increase testosterone any further, and high doses of supplementary zinc can irritate the intestines and cause liver and kidney damage. Over time, high doses of zinc can also result in a copper deficiency.