Is it Safe to Take Testosterone Boosters?
You’ve almost likely seen advertisements and advice for testosterone boosters if you’ve ever looked into increasing your testosterone levels. Testosterone boosters are dietary supplements that promote testosterone production, a male sex hormone important in physical health and sex drive. The majority of them are made with herbs and other natural components and are offered over the counter. Because testosterone boosters contain a range of different components, their effectiveness and safety might vary greatly from one pill to the next.
We’ve outlined what testosterone boosters are and the most recent studies on their impact on the human body below. We also looked into the safety of many common testosterone-boosting chemicals found in over-the-counter supplements.
Finally, if you’re interested in enhancing your own testosterone production and improving your sexual health, we’ve offered some more choices to consider.
What Is Testosterone and How Does It Work?
Androgens, or male sex hormones, include testosterone. It is crucial to your physical well-being as a man. Testosterone helps you gain muscle mass and strength, create red blood cells, and keep your bone density in check. Although testosterone is well known for its physical impacts, it also affects your mental health in some ways. Testosterone improves your mood, increases your energy levels, and even influences your sexual drive.
Testosterone is important in the development of male characteristics including a deep voice and body hair during childhood and adolescence.
Testosterone is essential for a man’s health and well-being. However, as you get older, it’s usual for your testosterone levels to drop, which can have a negative impact on your physical and mental health.
Increased body fat, decreased muscular mass, and feelings of exhaustion and lethargy are all common symptoms of low testosterone. Low testosterone can also create difficulties like depression and erectile dysfunction, as well as limit your enthusiasm in sex (ED).
Because testosterone is a prescription drug, testosterone boosters don’t usually contain testosterone.Rather, they’re usually prepared using herbal compounds that have been linked to greater testosterone levels in research. Magnesium, zinc, fenugreek, Tribulus terrestris, and boron, to mention a few, are common constituents in testosterone boosters. Testosterone boosters are popular, and most male health, sex, and physical fitness websites have promotional content for them. They can be purchased from a variety of internet suppliers as well as health food stores, drug stores, and other supplement retailers.
Are Testosterone Supplements Effective?
It’s difficult to give a straightforward “yes” or “no” answer to the question of whether testosterone supplements are beneficial because there is no one-size-fits-all formula.
Overall, research on the chemicals commonly found in testosterone boosters is conflicting. Some are backed by scientific proof that they can help enhance testosterone, while others have little to no evidence.Vitamin D, for example, has been shown to raise testosterone levels in men in studies. Increased ashwagandha, zinc, and magnesium intake has also been linked to higher testosterone levels in studies.
There’s also evidence that Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a steroid hormone precursor that your body uses to make testosterone, boosts free testosterone levels in physically active men when they exercise hard.The research findings on other active components in testosterone supplements are mixed. While certain “must-have” compounds are backed up by research and may be useful, many “must-have” ingredients are more hype than substance.
Is it Safe to Take Testosterone Boosters?
Many testosterone boosters are marketed as safer and healthier alternatives to medical therapies like testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).Artificial testosterone injections, patches, gels, and/or creams are used to boost testosterone levels in testosterone replacement treatment. It’s a prescription-only procedure that you’ll need to discuss with your doctor.
TRT has a lot of potential benefits, but it also has a lot of possible adverse effects. These include an increased risk of prostate cancer, fluid retention, and cardiovascular issues such high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack.
It’s impossible to make a fair comparison between an over-the-counter testosterone booster and a prescription medication like artificial testosterone because testosterone boosters have different formulas. The majority of testosterone booster active components haven’t been related to any severe adverse effects or safety concerns. Many products containing these substances are used by hundreds of thousands or millions of men all over the world without incident:
The herb ashwagandha, which is found in natural testosterone supplements, is generally regarded safe and has few adverse effects. However, those who utilised goods containing this chemical have had a few rare occurrences of liver problems.
When consumed in reasonable levels, zinc, another prominent element in testosterone supplements, is generally safe. Excessive zinc use, on the other hand, can induce nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, diarrhoea, and other unpleasant symptoms. Magnesium, in regular dosages, is usually considered safe. High dosages of magnesium in dietary supplements, on the other hand, may cause diarrhoea. Magnesium toxicity, a hazardous illness that can lead to death, can occur in rare situations when very large dosages of magnesium are taken.
Is it safe to use testosterone boosters?
It’s vital to remember that testosterone boosters aren’t subjected to the same lengthy and comprehensive clinical trials as pharmaceuticals to uncover adverse effects and determine safety.
This implies that there’s still a lot we don’t know about some of the active substances used in many over-the-counter testosterone boosters. For example, animal research on the possible toxicity of Tribulus terrestris — a plant extract extensively used in testosterone tablets, capsules, and powders advertised to improve sexual function — have dominated.
Although rare, this means that certain testosterone booster components may have health concerns that we aren’t aware of. Other components in testosterone boosters have been investigated more thoroughly, but they have known adverse effects that you should be aware of before using them. Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, a common element in testosterone booster supplements, is known to interact with a variety of medications, including antidepressants, cancer therapies, and estrogen-controlling medications.