Learn what to look for and avoid when shopping for a safe, effective testosterone-boosting supplement.

Many men begin noticing a dip in their testosterone production sometime in their 30’s. Muscle becomes harder to develop—but not impossible. There are plenty of guys in their 50s and 60s getting jacked (naturally) and they’re doing it with the help of testosterone supplements.

You’ve probably seen the t-booster ads that promise to make you look like Arnold, but what they don’t share are the nasty side effects that come years later from their proprietary blends. That’s why it’s important to find a supplement that not only uses proper ingredients but also lists their doses on the label. 

Here, we analyzed dozens of clinical studies on muscle building and testosterone before creating this guide. You’ll learn what ingredients work and which ones to avoid along with our top picks. 

The Relationship Between Testosterone and Muscle

To build muscle, enough stress needs to be placed on the body to produce muscle-protein synthesis—a foundational building block of muscle mass.

In addition to muscle-based stress through exercise, maintaining healthy t-levels also aids in building muscle mass. Testosterone supports healthy levels of hormones like IGF-1, which play a significant role in promoting muscle-protein synthesis and in turn, increased muscle.

With these factors maintained, you’re effectively stimulating the elements required to increase overall muscle size and strength.

A Quality Testosterone Supplement Can:

• Increase Physical Performance
• Decrease Body Fat
• Increase Muscle Mass
• Maintain a Healthy Sex Drive
• Aid Memory Recall
• Support Mood

Maintaining Testosterone

It’s normal for t-levels to drop as you age, but there are steps you can take to maintain adequate hormone levels.

• Get Enough Sleep Each Night
• Stay Active
• Maintain a Healthy Diet
• Find a Quality Testosterone Supplement
• Avoid Drugs & Alcohol Abuse

Results: What to Expect From a Quality Muscle-Building Supplement

• Muscle Mass & Strength: Certain ingredients promote healthy male hormones or block detrimental ones, which can have a huge effect on your size and strength with training over time.

• Drive & Stamina: As blood flow increases to your brain and muscles with the right nutrients, you may become more motivated with your goals as well as in the bedroom.

• Mood & Stress: While you may not think of a muscle-building supplement as a stress reducer, many of the same ingredients that target muscle growth also help you relax and think clearly.

There’s no shortage of ingredients that claim to boost testosterone, but we narrowed the list down to those that have shown positive results in human clinical studies.

Best Ingredient to Boost Free Testosterone

Cis-9,Trans-11: The most effective free testosterone booster, according to the medical literature, is a double-bonded fatty acid isomer called cis-9,trans-11. The isomer is found naturally in dairy products and safflower oil but you’d have to consume on the order of 10 gallons of milk or 5 gallons of safflower oil to ingest an efficacious, testosterone-boosting dose. Thus, supplementation is warranted.

Recent scientific research shows Cis-9,Trans-11 can help you naturally boost free testosterone levels by increasing your testosterone to cortisol ratio. In a 2022 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers concluded that “after Cis-9,Trans-11 supplementation, there was a large increase in total testosterone. These findings suggest that Cis-9,Trans-11 supplementation may promote testosterone synthesis through a molecular pathway that should be investigated in the future.”

Other ingredients such as Tongkat Ali, Tribulus Terrestris, Testofen (a fancy name the Nugenix supplement uses for basic Fenugreek seeds, which are most commonly used by menopausal women to treat hot flashes) and zinc have shown promise, but we lean toward ingredients like Cis-9,Trans-11, which have been shown to increase free testosterone levels in healthy men in at least 10 peer-reviewed published studies.

What Ingredients To Avoid:

Androstenedione: Androstenedione gained popularity as the supplement used by the baseball homerun hitter Mark McGwire and other professional sports players. In January 2005 legislation went into effect in the United States called the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004. This reclassified androstenedione from a dietary supplement to an anabolic steroid, which is a schedule III controlled substance. What’s more, recent research shows it may enhance estrogen levels in men more so than it does testosterone. Some supplements made in China still include Androstenedione, which should be avoided.

Fenugreek: Fenugreek is native to the Mediterranean, Europe, and Asia. Fenugreek seems to slow sugar absorption in the stomach and stimulate insulin. Both of these effects lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. Fenugreek might also improve levels of testosterone and estrogen, helping to improve libido. However, the side effects may outweigh the small benefits in most individuals, which include diarrhea, stomach upset, bloating and gas. It may also cause allergic reactions in some people.

3 Tips For Results:

• Real Results Take Time: Even with the best muscle-building supplement in the world, dramatic changes won’t happen overnight. But if you add it to your regimen not expecting miracles, you may be pleasantly surprised to see “night and day” differences in the mirror. Stick with it for at least 3 months for best results.

• Clinically Studied Doses: Some brands use quality ingredients, but skimp out on doses to cut costs. Even if you’re getting the right ingredients, you won’t reap the full benefits with weak doses.

• Money-Back Guarantee: A money-back guarantee shows the company’s faith in its product. Look for brands with at least a 60-day refund period — so you get 2 months to try it risk-free.

Top 5 Testosterone Supplements of 2023

We’ve compiled a list of what we’ve found to be the top five testosterone supplements on the market today.

First, here’s a side-by-side comparison of how industry-leading testosterone supplements stack up against each other.

---

---

---

---

---

References Cited

1. “Effect of Tongkat Ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subject,” Talbott, et al.  J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 2013 May 26;10(1):28.
2. “Tongkat Ali as a potential herbal supplement for physically active male and female seniors–a pilot study,” R. Henkel, et al.  Phytother. Res. 2014 Apr;28(4):544-50.
3. “Efficacy of Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) on erectile function improvement: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial,” Complement. Ther. Med. 2015 Oct;23(5):693-8.
4. “Review on a Traditional Herbal Medicine, Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali): Its Traditional Uses, Chemistry, Evidence-Based Pharmacology and Toxicology,” U. Rehman, et al.  Molecules 2016 Mar 10;21(3):331.
5. “A 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate the effect of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) and concurrent training on erectile function and testosterone levels in androgen deficiency of aging males (ADAM),” A. E. Leitão, et al. Maturitas, 2021 Mar;145:78-85.
6. “Effects of chronic Rhodiola Rosea supplementation on sport performance and antioxidant capacity in trained male: preliminary results,” A. Parisi, et al.
   J. Sports Med. Phys. Fitness. 2010 Mar;50(1):57-63. 
7. “The effects of deer antler velvet extract or powder supplementation on aerobic power, erythropoiesis, and muscular strength and endurance characteristics,” Int. J. Sport. Nutr. Exerc. Metab. G. Sleivert, et al. 2003 Sep;13(3):251-65.
8. Feuer L, Logrady N, Gottsegen A, et al. Anabolic-weight-gain promoting compositions containing isoflavone derivatives and method using same. United States Patent 3,949,085. April 6, 1976.
9. Feuer L, Farkas L, Nogradi M, et al. Metabolic 5-methyl-isoflavone-derivatives, process for the preparation thereof and compositions continuing the same. United States Patent 4,163,746. August 7, 1979.
10. Incledon T, Gammeren DV, Antonio JA. The effects of 5-methylisoflavone on body composition and performance in college aged men. Med Sci Sports Exer. 2001;33(5 suppl):S338 [abstract].
11. “Effects of a Novel Zinc-Magnesium Formulation on Hormones and Strength,” L.R. Brilla, et al. Exercise and Sports Science Laboratory, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA.
12. Wilborn CD, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. Effects of Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA) Supplementation on Training Adaptations and Markers of Anabolism and Catabolism. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2004;1(2):12-20.