More and more lifters are turning to testosterone boosters to up their gains.
But what makes a good testosterone booster?
The ingredients. No exceptions. Pretty marketing is one thing, but an effective product with scientifically proven ingredients is another.
This guide will teach you how to tell the difference.
How do Testosterone Boosting Ingredients work?
Natural Testosterone Boosters are used chiefly to benefit the body in three ways:
Boost Natural Testosterone: Obviously testosterone booster ingredients are going to be included, but just how does they work. Typically, these ingredients aid processes in the brain that govern testosterone levels and supply them with more components to carry out the procedure more effectively to produce more testosterone in the body.
Suppressing Estrogen: Like it or not your body does contain female hormones. These products cut their levels down significantly. The aromatase enzyme in the body is known for producing estrogen, usually by converting testosterone to get it. These ingredients inhibit the enzymes and slow their process down significantly to reduce conversions and let testosterone levels rise.
Create More Free Testosterone: Over half of the testosterone in the male body is bound to the sex hormone globulin. When bound, that testosterone is becomes unusable and loses it’s anabolic properties. Testosterone boosters reduce the globulin count and allow more testosterone become available.
Some testosterone boosters do this incredibly well. Others don’t, and it’s all down to the ingredients and how much they use.
There’s a classic warning sign that tip-off the true quality of a testosterone booster’s ingredients.
Skip straight to the Top 3 Testosterone Booster that contain these ingredients.
What makes a Bad Testosterone Booster?
Ingredient transparency is paramount when it comes to a product. You want to know what you’re getting – and how much of it. The best way to do this is to avoid proprietary blends.
Proprietary blends on the other hand, are dishonest marketing method used by supplements companies to push ineffective products or in some cases dangerous.
They look something like this:
Using this tactic, companies can push their product without revealing how much they used of each ingredient.
This usually goes two ways.
Either the product is heavy with cheap and ineffective ingredients, which saves the company money,
Or the product is very effective but dangerously dosed, so rather than deter customers, they hide the actual values inside the blend.
This type of ingredient profile is rife in the industry and affects all kinds of products, not just testosterone boosters. Do not fall into the trap.
What are the best Testosterone Booster Ingredients?
It’s a difficult question.
In the past many ingredients were thought to be effective, but have been recently been disproved by science.
Unfortunately many of them are still used based on their previous reputation.
These however are the most effective ones in modern day supplements, complete with backed studies proving their effectiveness.
Skip straight to our Top 3 Testosterone Boosters that contain these ingredients
Testosterone Production Ingredients
D-Aspartic Acid (DAA or D-Asp) – An amino acid that reacts in the brain to cause the release of luteinizing hormone, which in turn helps create testosterone in the testes and remove the rate-limits of testosterone synthesis. In addition, DAA also helps release growth hormone throughout the body. Various studies have shown that taking D-Asp over a period of 12 or more days has a significant increase in testosterone levels.
Study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19860889
Vitamin D3 – This is more than a vitamin. Technically D3 is a hormone, and is produced in the skin via the exposure to sunlight. There have been a number of reports supporting the positive impact vitamin D has on testosterone. Men with vitamin D deficiency have been shown to have lower free testosterone – and it’s more common than you think.
Studies:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21154195
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8493042.stm
Zinc – A mineral that has been proved to help increase testosterone levels, while it also has the added benefit of inhibiting the aromatase enzyme which converts testosterone into estrogen. A deficiency in zinc can cause low testosterone levels, impotence and an increase in estrogen receptors.
Study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7271365
Ginseng – This is one of the most popular herbal medicines in the world and has been linked to a number of health benefits. Research into the effects on testosterone has shown it can boost levels, while it can also help improve erectile dysfunction.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9063034
Oyster Extract – Having already seen the benefits of zinc, it is worth noting that oysters contain 10 times the amount of the mineral than you would find in steak. Oyster extract also includes all 59 trace elements needed by the body (such as amino acids, taurine and omega 3 & 6 fish oils).
Study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15041778
Mucuna Pruriens – This herb contains levodopa (L-DOPA), which is a direct precursor to dopamine. A number of studies into mucuna pruriens have linked this fact to the reasons it increases on testosterone levels and human growth hormones in the body. It also has the ability to reduce prolactin levels which prevents a drop in free testosterone levels.
Study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18973898
Vitamin K2 – One of the lesser-known members of the vitamin family, K2 can help maintain steady levels of testosterone in the testes.
Study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21894328
Ingredients that produce testosterone as a secondary quality include: Vitamin B6
Estrogen Suppressing Ingredients
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) – By stimulating the androgen receptors, vitamin B6 helps with the production of testosterone. Mainly, however, it works with suppressing estrogen. It does this via working with the C2 hormone pathways in the body and suppressing the female hormones metabolism once it’s bound to receptor.
Study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6727359
Luteolin – This is a dietary flavonoid that was compared against 1,431 other natural substances to see which best suppressed estrogen, and it was by far, the strongest aromatase inhibitor in the study. It has also been seen to contain some androgen-stimulating qualities which helps with the producing more T. It’s found primarily in foods like lemons, sage and peppermint.
Study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22838964
Ingredients that suppress estrogen as a secondary quality include: Zinc, Stinging Nettle, Boron
Free Testosterone Producers
Stinging Nettle – Nettles are great for upping testosterone levels. They work closely on the sex hormone binding globulin and bind with them instead of testosterone using the lignans which make up part of the nettle root. For an additional secondary quality, stinging nettle also has aromatase inhibitor qualities.
Study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7702715
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9463941
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074486/
Boron – A trace mineral that’s great for testosterone, but it’s difficult to find in foods that can be incorporated into most diets. It not only has the power to raise free testosterone levels by lowering globulin, it can also help produce more testosterone and decrease estrogen. In the study below it was seen to raise testosterone in men by 29% whilst decreasing estrogen by 39%
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21129941
Magnesium – A ingredient known to lower the globulin count, Magnesium has been seen to unbind the hormone and greatly increase the amount of free testosterone in the body. It responds well when working with Zinc. In addition magnesium helps to relax the muscles, while it can also combat fatigue and cramp.
Study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20352370
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24723948
Fenugreek – A key ingredient in curries, this herb is a rich source of antioxidants and has been shown to have medicinal benefits, while increasing the male libido and keeping testosterone levels stable. Fenugreek has also been seen to regulate blood sugar metabolism in the body, which has been seen to lower the sex hormone globulin which allows for more free testosterone.
Study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21116018
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7852532
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21312304
Ingredients that aid free testosterone as a secondary quality include: Mucuna Pruriens, Boron, Zinc (when working with magnesium)
Which testosterone boosters contain these ingredients?
After careful analysis of these ingredients and their abilities, I have singled out the top three testosterone boosters on the market that produce the best results and use the most of these ingredients. You can view them here:
Check out the best products in our list of
– Our Top three Testosterone Boosters –