Over-the-counter supplement blends marketed to raise testosterone (horny goat weed, boron, ashwagandha, fenugreek, tribulus, D-aspartic acid, etc.). A 2020 study analyzed the five best-selling testosterone boosters on Amazon: three of five didn't disclose individual ingredient doses (proprietary blends), and of the disclosed ingredients, half had zero positive human studies. Per a tally-based review (see Evaluating Nutrition & Fitness Evidence for the methodology caveat), saw palmetto and boron each have 2 positive vs. 6 null studies; fenugreek has 4 positive vs. 3 indeterminate. Examine's database concludes evidence leans against a testosterone increase overall.
Ashwagandha is the most promising ingredient of the bunch — but even at its best, injected testosterone raised levels by 1740 ng/dL vs. ashwagandha's 96 ng/dL, a comparison that puts "natural" boosters in perspective relative to actual steroids.
Despite weak evidence, the top five Amazon test boosters averaged 4.5/5 stars — attributable to placebo effects and to buyers simultaneously changing training/diet and misattributing results to the pill.
Non-supplement ways to raise testosterone: 7-8 hours of sleep, maintaining a healthy body weight, sufficient dietary fat, and correcting deficiencies in zinc, magnesium, or vitamin D.
Skip most OTC test boosters if testosterone is already normal-to-high. Ashwagandha (~600mg/day) is the one ingredient worth considering, mainly for cortisol/stress benefits with a possible small testosterone bonus — not as a primary testosterone strategy. See Supplement Fraud & Quality Verification for the broader pattern of underdosed/mislabeled muscle-building supplements, and Leucine for a related debunked category (BCAAs).
Source: Jeff Nippard, "The Worst Supplements Everyone Takes For Muscle Growth" (2026).
Из тем: Diet Strategy & Body Composition