Best Testosterone Supplements: What Actually Works (And What Doesn't)

Before reaching for supplements, make sure your diet is dialed in. See our 12 foods guide.

The testosterone supplement market is large and loosely regulated, and much of the marketing outpaces the evidence. Walk into any supplement store and you will find shelves of products promising to raise your testosterone, usually backed by cherry-picked studies, proprietary blends, and before-and-after photos that prove nothing.

The T-maxing community is full of supplement claims, but the reality is more nuanced. A small number of supplements have some human research suggesting modest effects on testosterone, often in small trials or in men who are deficient in specific nutrients. Most have little or none. This guide separates the options with some evidence from the marketing noise, and tells you how small the evidence often is.

How We Evaluate Supplements

For each supplement, we looked at the number and quality of human clinical trials (not animal studies), consistency of results, size of the studies, safety information, and whether the mechanism is understood. We then assigned a rating from 1 to 10. Treat this rating as an editorial judgment, not a validated scale: it summarizes how much human evidence we found, not how well a supplement will work for you.

Supplements With Some Human Evidence

These supplements have the most human research we could find on testosterone or closely related markers. Even so, studies tend to be small, short, and often in specific groups (older, overweight, or deficient men), so effects should not be assumed for everyone.

1. Ashwagandha

Among herbal ingredients, ashwagandha has some of the most consistent human data on testosterone. A systematic review of randomized trials of single herbs identified ashwagandha extracts (alongside fenugreek) as having positive effects on testosterone in men, while noting that trials were small, used varied extracts and doses, and were often in young, non-clinical populations^[2].

Two examples: in a crossover trial of 57 overweight men aged 40 to 70 with mild fatigue, an 8-week course of a standardized extract (Shoden beads) was associated with a 14.7% greater increase in testosterone and an 18% greater increase in DHEA-S than placebo. There was no significant difference in cortisol, fatigue or sexual well-being, and the authors called for larger studies^[3]. In an 8-week trial in 57 young men doing resistance training, 300 mg of root extract twice daily was associated with a larger testosterone increase than placebo (96.2 versus 18.0 ng/dL)^[7].

Doses used in trials: an extract delivering 21 mg of withanolide glycosides per day in one trial and 300 mg of root extract twice daily in the other, each for 8 weeks. These are not recommendations; ask a doctor what is appropriate for you.

Safety: Five cases of liver injury attributed to ashwagandha-containing supplements were reported in one case series, with symptoms starting 2 to 12 weeks after beginning, and liver tests normalized in four of the five within 1 to 5 months^[4]. Ashwagandha has also been reported to change thyroid hormone levels in people with subclinical hypothyroidism^[8], so people with thyroid conditions or liver problems, or who take medications, should not use it without medical advice. Stop and seek care if you develop yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine or severe itching.

2. Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia)

Tongkat ali has been used in Southeast Asian traditional medicine for centuries. A 2022 meta-analysis of five randomized trials reported a significant increase in total testosterone with Eurycoma longifolia supplementation, but the authors concluded that more research is needed before use in clinical practice^[9]. An uncontrolled study in 76 men with symptoms of late-onset hypogonadism found that a 200 mg standardized water-soluble extract taken for one month was followed by improved symptom scores and a higher share of men with normal testosterone, but without a placebo group it cannot show that the extract was responsible^[10].

Dose in studies: 200 mg per day of a standardized extract in the study above; products vary widely in how they are standardized. Safety: long-term safety data are limited, and supplement quality varies, so choose products with third-party testing and check with a doctor first. Tongkat ali is often paired with fadogia agrestis in popular stacks. Read our fadogia agrestis safety and evidence review before combining them.

3. Vitamin D3 and Zinc (Correcting Deficiency)

We group these together because both mainly matter if you are deficient. If you are already sufficient, additional supplementation is unlikely to push testosterone higher.

Vitamin D deficiency is common: about 41.6% of U.S. adults had serum levels of 20 ng/mL or lower in a national survey^[11]. Results on testosterone are mixed. In a trial of overweight men on a weight-loss program with low vitamin D, about 3,332 IU daily for one year was accompanied by a rise in total testosterone (from 10.7 to 13.4 nmol/L), with no change in the placebo group^[5]. But in a randomized trial of 94 healthy men with low testosterone (average age 47), 20,000 IU per week for 12 weeks had no effect on testosterone^[6].

Zinc evidence comes from small experiments: in four young men, restricting dietary zinc was followed by a fall in testosterone, and in nine marginally zinc-deficient older men, about 30 mg per day for 6 months was followed by a rise in testosterone^[12].

Dosing: The best approach is to test first and dose with a clinician. Upper intake limits exist for both nutrients (commonly cited adult limits are about 4,000 IU per day for vitamin D and 40 mg per day for zinc), and long-term high zinc intake can deplete copper. Our vitamin K2 article covers a nutrient often paired with vitamin D.

4. Boron

Boron is a trace mineral with a very small human evidence base. In one study of eight healthy men, 10 mg of boron daily was followed after one week by higher free testosterone and lower estradiol, and acute dosing was followed by lower SHBG and lower inflammatory markers. There was no parallel placebo group^[13]. That is intriguing but far too small to draw conclusions from.

Dose in the study: 10 mg per day. We do not recommend a dose on this evidence; ask your doctor. For more context, see our article on boron and testosterone.

Another mineral-rich compound gaining attention is shilajit, an Ayurvedic resin. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of healthy men aged 45 to 55, 250 mg of purified shilajit twice daily for 90 days significantly increased total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEA-S compared with placebo^[14]. It is one trial from one group, so the evidence is still early.

Supplements With Mixed Evidence

Fenugreek

A systematic review of herbal trials listed fenugreek seed extracts among the herbs with positive effects on testosterone in men^[2]. Studies are small, though, and some of the benefit reported is in libido rather than hormones: in a 6-week randomized trial in 60 healthy men aged 25 to 52, 600 mg per day of a fenugreek extract and mineral formula improved self-reported sexual arousal and orgasm scores compared with placebo^[15].

Verdict: Some positive signals, small studies, and different extracts used. Check with your doctor before trying it, especially if you have diabetes or take blood-sugar-lowering medication.

D-Aspartic Acid (DAA)

D-aspartic acid generated excitement when an early study reported increases in LH and testosterone in men taking it for 12 days^[16]. Later trials in resistance-trained men did not replicate this: a 14-day study found that 6 g per day was followed by lower total and free testosterone^[17], and a 12-week randomized trial of 6 g per day found no change in testosterone^[18].

Verdict: Initial results were not replicated in trained men. Not a good candidate for a primary testosterone supplement.

Supplements Without Good Evidence for Testosterone

These are heavily marketed but have not shown meaningful testosterone effects in the human studies we found.

Tribulus Terrestris

Tribulus terrestris is among the most common ingredients in testosterone booster products. In a placebo-controlled trial of 21 healthy men aged 20 to 36, four weeks of tribulus extract had no significant effect on testosterone, LH or androstenedione^[19].

DHEA

DHEA is a precursor hormone that declines with age, and it is a hormone, not a food supplement like the others here. In a two-year randomized trial of 87 older men with low DHEA-S, DHEA raised DHEA-S levels but did not improve physical performance or body composition compared with placebo^[20], and in a one-year trial of adults aged 55 to 85, testosterone rose in women taking DHEA but not in men^[21]. We did not find good trial evidence that DHEA raises testosterone in younger men. Because it is a hormone precursor, it should only be used under medical supervision.

Maca Root

Maca is often marketed as a testosterone booster, but in a 12-week placebo-controlled trial of men aged 21 to 56, maca improved self-reported sexual desire without changing serum testosterone or estradiol^[22]. If your goal is libido, it may be worth a conversation with your doctor, but it is not a testosterone supplement. Similarly, turkesterone has generated significant hype, yet its human evidence is minimal.

How to Choose Quality Supplements

The supplement industry is poorly regulated, and product quality varies enormously. In the 50-product review above, products contained a median of 1,291% of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin B12 and 272% for zinc, and 13 products exceeded upper intake limits for zinc, niacin or magnesium^[1]. Here is how to protect yourself:

• Third-party testing: Look for certifications from NSF International, USP, Informed Sport, or ConsumerLab. These organizations verify that what is on the label is actually in the bottle.
• Standardized extracts: For herbal supplements, choose products that state the extract type and active compound content, and that match the form used in the research.
• Avoid proprietary blends: If a product hides individual ingredient doses behind a proprietary blend, you have no way to verify effective dosing. Reputable brands disclose exact amounts.
• Beware of outrageous claims: Any supplement claiming to multiply your testosterone is not supported by the research we found.

Supplements vs. Lifestyle: The Real Priority

The best-documented influences on testosterone are not pills. In a lab study, one week of 5-hour sleep lowered daytime testosterone by 10 to 15%^[23], and weight loss in men with obesity was associated with higher testosterone in a meta-analysis^[24]. Good nutrition, managed stress, regular activity and daylight support overall health, which is why they come first.

Supplements, if used at all, should be the finishing touch, not the first thing you reach for. For a practical example of how supplements are layered into a broader lifestyle framework, see the Huberman testosterone protocol. If your sleep is poor, your diet is mostly processed food, and your stress is unmanaged, no supplement is likely to make up for it.

Key Takeaways

• Most “testosterone booster” products lack human evidence for the claims they make.
• Ashwagandha has some of the most consistent small trial data, but also documented liver and thyroid cautions.
• Tongkat ali has promising but limited clinical evidence; quality and long-term safety are open questions.
• Vitamin D3 and zinc are mainly relevant if you have a verified deficiency, and trial results on testosterone are mixed.
• Boron and shilajit have only very small, early studies behind them.
• Tribulus, DHEA, maca and D-aspartic acid have not shown reliable testosterone benefits in the human studies we found.
• Creatine is well studied for performance and muscle, but does not appear to raise testosterone. Take it for strength, not as a T supplement. For men exploring more advanced interventions beyond supplements, our guide to peptides for men's health covers the emerging research.
• Talk to a doctor before starting any supplement, and get evaluated if you have symptoms rather than self-treating.

How Thrive Helps

Thrive helps you build the lifestyle foundation that makes any supplement decision better informed. Track your daily habits across sleep, exercise, nutrition, and stress management, and log supplements you take alongside them so you and your doctor can review the picture. If you are deciding between the two most popular adaptogens, our ashwagandha vs. tongkat ali comparison breaks down the differences. Every habit in Thrive includes an evidence grade so you can see what the research supports. Thrive is a wellness app, not a medical device. For the complete habit framework, see our T-maxing complete guide. Try Thrive free and build habits grounded in research, not marketing.