Testosterone is the driving hormone behind size, strength, libido, and performance. All guys experience a decrease in T as we age, and it starts earlier than you’d think. After age 30 your level of testosterone drops about one percent every year. By your mid-40s you have between 80-85 percent of the testosterone you had in your 20s. By 50 that number is around 70 percent.
- T Levels
For weight lifters and fitness buffs, the drop in T can be a challenge. Testosterone is integral in developing strength and building bulk. It’s also super important for sturdy bones and for maintaining endurance. Studies have shown that the more testosterone you have, the more muscle you gain, regardless of differences in exercise, weight-training practices, or nutrition. Let’s be honest. The more muscle you gain, the better you look. And the stronger you are, the easier it is to get through your day, especially if your job keeps you active.
Testosterone Boosters entered the marketplace as a suitable option for testosterone replacement for guys wanting to maintain optimal levels of performance, throughout mid-life and beyond. But with so many options available, how do you know which one to choose? Below we review the top supplement and food-based strategies for raising your T, as well as benefits and side effects of doing so.
What are Testosterone Boosters?
Testosterone boosters are supplements that increase testosterone levels in the blood. Some boosters directly support the development of testosterone in your body by stimulating the nutrients, proteins, and hormones that fuel its production. These include amino acids like D-Aspartic Acid, or minerals, like zinc. Other testosterone boosters work indirectly. For guys, a small amount of T is converted into estrogen by enzymes through a process called aromatase. This happens for women too, only the percentage of T converted into estrogen is higher. Some testosterone boosters support T levels by preventing this conversion of testosterone into estrogen, therefore leaving more active T in your body. This includes herbs like maca and fenugreek.
Main Types of Testosterone Booster Supplements
Testosterone boosters come in a variety of forms, including patches, pills and injections. Patches and injections are generally prescribed to guys with male hypogonadism, a condition where the body just doesn’t produce enough. If you’re looking for supplementation to boost your libido or enhance athletic performance, we prefer the natural stuff. There are a variety of herbs, vitamins and minerals that are perfectly safe and will support you naturally. We’ll cover some of our favorites below.
Testosterone Boosters Benefits
The benefits of boosting your T can’t be understated. But let’s focus on the impact it will bring to your lifting, your workouts, and your energy levels. Testosterone improves your body composition by increasing lean muscle mass and decreasing fat. Having enough T can reduce the number of fat cells you have, and increase the size and strength of your muscles. I don’t know any guy who wouldn’t like more muscles and less fat. That’s why we’re lifting, right? With enough T, your workouts are just that much more effective. One study found that guys who got weekly injections of testosterone gained 13lbs of muscle in 10 weeks, just from lifting 3 days a week!
If cardio is more your thing, T boosters can help with that too. In one study of men with heart disease, the addition of testosterone helped them increase the distance they were able to walk. They could walk 30 percent further after taking the testosterone booster than they did before.
T also supports bone density, meaning you’re less likely to break, sprain or strain them. It also means you can go harder in your workout, for longer.
Whether you’re a hardcore gym buff or you run 3 miles a week, you know that exercise improves your mood, your stamina, your sleep, and the energy you have available for your job, family, or whatever matters to you. The benefits of physical activity are wide-ranging and affect your entire life. We’re here to make working out easier on you so you can live your best life.
Testosterone Boosters Side Effects
Testosterone boosters do come with a variety of side effects. These side effects are more likely if you’re taking it for normal age-related decline rather than treatment of a specific condition.
Side effects include:
- Worsening of sleep apnea
- Acne
- Enlarged breasts
- Testicular shrinkage
If you notice any of these signs, you should stop taking the supplement immediately and contact your physician.
Natural Testosterone Boosting Supplements
Tribulus Terrestris is the most popular of the T-boosters. This is a medicinal herb that has demonstrated effectiveness at increasing T in animal studies. A study in men with erectile dysfunction found a 16 percent increase in testosterone levels after 90 days.
D-Aspartic Acid
D-Aspartic Acid is a natural amino acid that increases several hormones in the body that are integral in producing testosterone. After 12 days of supplementing with D-aspartic acid, an increase in these two T producing hormones can be found. One research study found that for men taking D-aspartic acid, sperm count doubled in 90 days.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb, meaning it adapts to your body’s needs. It also helps you adapt to whatever you’re facing by reducing the impact of stress through reducing levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Levels of testosterone are significantly impacted by the release of cortisol, and ashwagandha can help. In one study, guys taking 5g of ashwagandha over three months had a 10-22 percent increase in T levels. Other research has shown that ashwagandha increases, strength, exercise performance and fat loss in addition to boosting T.
Maca
Like ashwagandha, maca is another adaptogenic herb. Maca, long recognized for its ability to boost your libido, impacts testosterone levels indirectly. Maca is an effective aromatase inhibitor. This means that it reduces the conversion of testosterone into estrogen, thereby leaving more free T in your blood.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek is an herb used in Chinese medicine for skin conditions, but it has also been shown effective at boosting testosterone. Like maca, it increases testosterone by preventing it’s conversion into DHT. Fenugreek is a known libido enhancer, and rumor has it, it will make your urine smell like maple syrup! A study of men doing 4 sessions of weightlifting found that taking fenugreek was associated with a reduction in body fat and an increase in testosterone after 8 weeks.
Natural Testosterone Boosting Foods
To understand what foods boost testosterone naturally, there are two key nutrients you need to know about: zinc and vitamin D.
Zinc is super important for a healthy immune system. It helps enzymes break down food & other nutrients, and protects you from the germs that are rampant on those gym machines. Zinc is also incredibly important in facilitating the recovery from high-intensity exercise. Zinc is required for that activity of nearly 300 enzymes, including those that build proteins which trigger development of T. Zinc deficiency can lead to low T, possibly because zinc may affect the cells that produce it. A recent study showed that men who received 30mg of zinc per day had increased levels of free T in their blood. Research has also shown that restricting zinc intake from the diet is associated with lower levels of testosterone. In wrestlers, daily zinc helped reduce the decline in T following a high-intensity training regimen.
Foods that are high in zinc include:
- Tuna is high in zinc but also high in vitamin D, another precursor for the production of testosterone in the body. One serving of tuna per day should fulfill your daily Vitamin D needs. Other fish may also be considered, such as salmon or sardines.
- Oysters have more zinc per serving than any other food.
- Shellfish are very high in zinc. Alaskan king crab has 43 percent of your daily zinc needs in just one serving!
- Beef is a great food for supporting testosterone levels. Beef liver is very high in zinc, as are ground beef and chuck roast.
- White, kidney and black beans are all essential sources of D, zinc, and magnesium, another supplement shown to boost testosterone.
Like zinc, Vitamin D is an important precursor to your body producing adequate levels of testosterone. Getting enough sunlight is the best way to boost your D, but that can be hard to do, especially in winter. Many foods are fortified with vitamin D to combat this problem. Good sources of vitamin D include:
- Fortified cereals
- Vitamin D milk
- Beans: white, kidney and black beans are all essential sources of D
- Fortified plant milk – many plant milks contain about 25% of the RDA for Vitamin D
Making sure to eat enough potassium is an easy and cost-effective approach to increasing T. Potassium aids in testosterone synthesis, and is found in high quantities in bananas, beets, and spinach. Likewise, magnesium supplements have been shown to increase T. Foods high in magnesium include leafy greens, nuts, seeds and beans.
There are so many ways to boost your testosterone, from supplements, herbs and foods, to gels, patches and injections. It’s critical to check out all the options available to you in order to determine what works best for your particular situation. If you’re confused or want some advice, just reach out. We’re happy to help!
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