Testosterone boosters

Does it work?

• -Mostly no. The two ingredients these products are built on — Tribulus terrestris and D-aspartic acid (DAA) — do not reliably raise testosterone in healthy men, and where they fail hardest is exactly the group buying them: trained men with normal hormone levels. In controlled trials they produce no strength or muscle benefit, and one study found 6 g/day of DAA actually lowered testosterone.

The catch

• -Tribulus: a 2025 systematic review found 8 of 10 trials showed no change in androgens at 400-750 mg/day. The only weak signals came from men who were already hypogonadal — not the target market.
• -DAA: in resistance-trained men it didn't change testosterone or improve strength over 12 weeks, and at 6 g/day it actually reduced testosterone. Early hype came from sedentary, untrained subjects.
• -Even if these nudged testosterone within the normal range, that wouldn't build muscle. Day-to-day T fluctuations in healthy men don't drive hypertrophy or strength — only clinical deficiency or actual anabolic drugs do.

Better option

• -Skip them entirely — train hard, eat enough protein, and sleep; if you genuinely suspect low testosterone, get a blood test and see a doctor rather than buying a booster.

Safety

• -If your testosterone is truly low (fatigue, low libido, mood changes), that's a medical issue — get tested, don't self-treat with supplements.
• -Some 'test booster' blends are under-labeled proprietary mixes; a few have been found spiked with unlisted compounds. Stick to third-party-tested products if you buy anything at all.
• -Tribulus has been linked to rare case reports of liver and kidney toxicity at high doses; not worth the risk for zero benefit.

Key research

• Do "testosterone boosters" really increase serum total testosterone? A systematic reviewInt J Impot Res · 2024 · Systematic review
• 'Testosterone Boosting' Supplements Composition and Claims Are not Supported by the Academic LiteratureWorld J Mens Health · 2020 · Systematic review
• A systematic review on the herbal extract Tribulus terrestris and the roots of its putative aphrodisiac and performance enhancing effectJ Diet Suppl · 2014 · Systematic review
• Effects of Tribulus terrestris L. on Sport and Health Biomarkers in Physically Active Adult Males: A Systematic ReviewInt J Environ Res Public Health · 2022 · Systematic review
• The effects of d-aspartic acid supplementation in resistance-trained men over a three month training period: A randomised controlled trialPLoS One · 2017 · RCT

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