Do Testosterone Supplements Work? What the Trials Measured

A 2024 review of 52 studies on 27 ingredients sold as "testosterone boosters" found most did not raise total testosterone against placebo; it rated tongkat ali, ashwagandha and one purified shilajit extract possibly effective in particular groups of men. Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood, which matters where intake is low.¹ The NHS says testosterone falls about 1% a year from around 30 to 40, which is "unlikely to cause any problems in itself"; symptoms are a question for a GP.² Other goals are in the Wellgard men's health guide.

Evidence at a glance

• Reviews: 52 studies of 27 ingredients (2024); 32 randomised trials of 13 herbs, 9 finding a rise (2021).^{1, 3}
• Largest single trials of stated size: two Austrian vitamin D3 trials of 100 men each (98 and 94 completed), 12 weeks.^{4, 5}
• Strongest measured outcome: testosterone 57.43 ng/dL higher than placebo in men across 23 pooled ashwagandha trials (2026).⁶
• Not tested: any of 32 popular US testosterone or erection products as a whole product (2021 review).⁷

Sources checked on 13 October 2026.

Is the “male menopause” real, and when is low testosterone a medical problem?

Not as a menopause: testosterone falls slowly, and the fall alone rarely explains symptoms. The NHS page on the "male menopause" calls it an unhelpful term: low mood, low sex drive and tiredness often have nothing to do with hormones, and stress, depression, anxiety, poor sleep, alcohol and smoking are among the causes it lists.² Late-onset hypogonadism is different: uncommon, "not a normal part of ageing", and more likely in men who are obese or have type 2 diabetes. A GP arranges the blood test; a specialist confirms the diagnosis and may offer testosterone replacement as an injection or a gel.²

What did trials of testosterone supplements find?

Most single ingredients did not, with named exceptions in particular groups of men. In the 2024 review, HMB and betaine counted as effective in athletes; tongkat ali, a two-plant extract blend and a purified shilajit extract as possibly effective in late-onset hypogonadism; tongkat ali and ashwagandha as possibly effective in healthy men.¹ A 2021 review of 32 randomised trials of 13 herbs found a significant rise in 9; 6 were at low risk of bias.³

A PubMed search on 13 October 2026 found no trial of collagen supplements (collagen for men), or of horny goat weed alone, measuring testosterone in men.

Does vitamin D or zinc raise testosterone?

Vitamin D did not in two Austrian trials: 20,000 IU of vitamin D3 a week for 12 weeks matched placebo whether testosterone started normal or low, and a 2026 pooled analysis agreed, at low certainty.^{4, 5, 9} Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and muscle function and to the normal function of the immune system; the NHS advises considering 10 micrograms a day in autumn and winter.²¹ Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood, and its trials are about deficiency: testosterone fell on a low-zinc diet and rose in older men low in zinc who took it.⁸ The NHS says not to take more than 25 mg of zinc supplements a day unless a doctor advises it.²²

Do they change sex drive, energy or muscle?

In the ashwagandha crossover trial, fatigue, vigour and sexual well-being improved in both groups with no difference from placebo, despite the testosterone rise.¹⁰ The NHS says erection problems that keep happening need a GP or a sexual health clinic, as they may come from a condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or a hormone problem.²³ The MHRA warned on 13 February 2026 that unlicensed erection products "may contain no active ingredient, the wrong dose, hidden drugs or toxic ingredients".²⁴

How do you read a testosterone supplement label?

Ingredient by ingredient. A 2021 review of 16 popular US testosterone products and 16 erection products found 37 ingredients and no published randomised trial of any whole product.⁷ For each ingredient, compare its trial's amount, the men's age, their zinc or vitamin D status and the trial's length. Add up vitamin D across everything you take against the NHS limit of 100 micrograms a day, and zinc against 25 mg.^{21, 22} In Great Britain the only authorised testosterone wording belongs to zinc, at 15% or more of its nutrient reference value per daily serving; any other testosterone wording on a pack is not an authorised claim.

Who should not take testosterone supplements, and when should you see a GP?

Not for under-18s; anyone on prescribed medicines should ask a pharmacist first. Ashwagandha carries liver and thyroid cautions (who should not take ashwagandha), shilajit should be purified and batch-tested (side effects of shilajit), and zinc supplements stay at or below 25 mg a day.²² Low sex drive, erection problems or low mood go to a GP, who can arrange a blood test.² The NHS advises men with a low sperm count not to take anabolic steroids.²⁵

What we don't know

• The single trials on this page ran from one week to six months; none lasted a year.
• Half the herb trials in the 2021 review enrolled men under 40.³
• Whether the rises change how men feel: the one trial here that measured fatigue, vigour and sexual well-being found no difference from placebo.¹⁰
• Tongkat ali's pooled rise rests on five trials, and its reviewers call for more research before clinical use.¹²

Frequently asked questions

Which vitamin is best for testosterone?

None is ranked here. Zinc, a mineral, carries the authorised testosterone wording, and its trials were in men low in zinc.⁸ Vitamin D did not change total testosterone in two 12-week trials of 192 men.^{4, 5}

Can supplements raise testosterone after 50?

Two trials in the table included older men: ashwagandha in men aged 40 to 70 and shilajit in men aged 45 to 55.^{10, 11} Symptoms after 50 are a GP and blood-test question.²

Is creatine a testosterone supplement?

No. In a 12-week trial of 38 trained men, 5 g of creatine a day left testosterone and DHT no different from placebo; the trial had no funding and its authors declare supplement-industry advisory roles.¹⁸

Is TRT the same as taking testosterone supplements or pills?

No. Testosterone replacement (TRT) is a prescription treatment a specialist may offer, as an injection or a gel, once blood tests confirm a deficiency.² Supplements contain vitamins, minerals or plant extracts, not testosterone.

Sources

1. Morgado et al., 2024. Systematic review, 52 studies of 27 ingredients. PubMed 37697053.
2. NHS. The "male menopause". Page last reviewed 13 October 2022 (review overdue). nhs.uk.
3. Smith et al., 2021. Systematic review, 32 randomised trials of 13 herbs. PubMed 33150931.
4. Lerchbaum et al., 2017. Randomised trial, 100 men (98 completed), 12 weeks; funding not checked. PubMed 28938446.
5. Lerchbaum et al., 2019. Randomised trial, 100 men (94 completed), 12 weeks; publicly funded. PubMed 30460609.
6. Fornalik et al., 2026. Pooled analysis, 23 randomised trials, 1,706 adults; no conflicts declared. PubMed 41740946.
7. Kuchakulla et al., 2021. Systematic review, 37 ingredients in 32 US products, 105 trials. PubMed 32358510.
8. Prasad et al., 1996. Cross-sectional study, 40 men, with uncontrolled studies of 4 and 9 men; government-funded. PubMed 8875519.
9. Paez-Allendes et al., 2026. Pooled analysis, 11 trial comparisons; no conflicts declared. PubMed 42451097.
10. Lopresti et al., 2019. Randomised crossover trial, 57 men, 8 weeks per phase; funded by the extract's manufacturer, which supplied it. PubMed 30854916.
11. Pandit et al., 2016. Randomised trial, men aged 45 to 55, 90 days, size not in the abstract; supplier-funded. PubMed 26395129.
12. Leisegang et al., 2022. Pooled analysis, 5 randomised trials. PubMed 36013514.
13. Yang et al., 2026. Pooled analysis, 13 studies (6 for total testosterone). PubMed 42688439.
14. Gonzales et al., 2003. Randomised trial, men aged 21 to 56, 12 weeks; size and funding not in the abstract. PubMed 12525260.
15. Melnikovova et al., 2021. Randomised trial, 50 men, 16 weeks; university-funded. PubMed 34585449.
16. Shin et al., 2023. Randomised trial, 80 men, 12 weeks; publicly funded. PubMed 36593713.
17. Vilar Neto et al., 2025. Systematic review, 10 studies, 483 men; no conflicts declared. PubMed 40219032.
18. Lak et al., 2025. Randomised trial, 45 men (38 analysed), 12 weeks; no funding; authors declare supplement-industry advisory roles. PubMed 40265319.
19. Naghii et al., 2011. Uncontrolled study, 8 men, 1 week; funding not checked. PubMed 21129941.
20. Roshanzamir and Safavi, 2017. Systematic review, 4 human studies. PubMed 28280794.
21. NHS. Vitamin D. Page last reviewed 3 August 2020 (review overdue). nhs.uk.
22. NHS. Vitamins and minerals: zinc. Page last reviewed 3 August 2020 (review overdue). nhs.uk.
23. NHS. Erectile dysfunction (impotence). Page last reviewed 28 July 2023 (review overdue). nhs.uk.
24. MHRA. Press release, 13 February 2026. gov.uk.
25. NHS. Low sperm count. Page last reviewed 26 January 2024. nhs.uk.

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