The 7 Best Testosterone Supplements of 2023, According to a Sports Dietitian

Is a Testosterone Boosting Supplement Beneficial?

Most healthy individuals do not need a boosting testosterone boosting supplement. “The supplement industry is loosely regulated, so testosterone-boosting supplements carry many risks. One review looked at 109 different types of testosterone-boosting supplements and found that less than 25% had research showing an increase in testosterone,” says Manny Prieto, RDN, CSCS.

Ultimately, ensuring you are not deficient in certain nutrients including vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins, can best help support adequate testosterone levels. Additionally, there is some limited research showing that adaptogens, including ashwagandha, may have testosterone boosting effects which is why we did include this. 

There are certain populations that may benefit from testosterone boosting supplements such as the older men and women, and those that are deficient in certain vitamins and minerals including vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins.  Additionally, individuals with an obese BMI may be more susceptible to low testosterone, as research shows that high body fat percentages correlate with lower testosterone levels, possibly as a result of higher estrogen levels. Also, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is higher in obese populations, so checking your levels may be beneficial to see if vitamin D supplementation is indicated. 

Who May Not Benefit From Testosterone Boosting Supplements

In general, healthy individuals with normal vitamin and mineral levels likely will not benefit from a testosterone boosting supplement. Additionally, some populations may not benefit from ashwagandha supplements, specifically, including:

• Diabetes. If you have diabetes and are taking medications that lower your blood glucose or are at risk for low blood glucose, then you shouldn’t take Ashwagandha or testosterone-boosting products containing this herb, as it may cause blood sugars to drop.
• High blood pressure. If you’re taking blood pressure medications, Ashwagandha supplements may not be suitable because they may cause hypotension or low blood pressure.
• Thyroid issues. Ashwanga may increase thyroid activity, so if you know of a thyroid issue or are at risk for thyroid disease, follow up with an endocrinologist before taking this supplement.

How We Select Supplements

Our team works hard to be transparent about why we recommend certain supplements; you can read more about our dietary supplement methodology here. 

We support supplements that are evidence-based and rooted in science. We value certain product attributes that we find to be associated with the highest quality products. We prioritize products that are third-party tested and certified by one of three independent, third-party certifiers: USP, NSF, or ConsumerLab.com. 

It's important to note that the FDA does not review dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they go to market. Our team of experts has created a detailed, science-backed methodology to choose the supplements we recommend.

Experts we interviewed for best testosterone supplements include:

• Elizabeth Ward, MS, RDN, co-author of The Menopause Diet Plan, A Natural Guide to Managing Hormones, Health, and Happiness
• Emily Werner, Ph.D., RD, CSSD, sports dietitian specializing in disordered eating  
• Manny Priteo, RDN, CSCS, personal trainer and sports dietitian

What to Look For in Testosterone Supplements

Third-Party Testing

Supplements that are third-party tested are sent to a lab where they are tested to ensure they contain what they say they contain and are not contaminated with specific high-risk, common contaminants. However, it’s important to note:

• Third-party testing does not test to see if a product is effective or safe for everyone, and it does not ensure the supplement will not interact with other supplements or medications.
• Not all third-party testing is created equal. It is not uncommon for supplement companies to pay labs for certificates after conducting minimal to no testing. 
• The third-party certifications we can trust are ConsumerLab.com, NSF, and USP. However, these certifications are difficult to obtain and/or expensive for manufacturers, so many companies choose not to get their products tested by one of these three organizations. 
• Sometimes products tested by these three companies are more expensive to try to offset the cost they pay for certification.
• Just because a supplement is not tested by one of these three companies, it does not mean it’s a bad product. We recommend doing some research on the reputability of the manufacturer and calling up the manufacturer and their testing lab to determine their protocols and decide if you feel comfortable consuming the supplement.

Form

Testosterone supplements can contain many different vitamins, minerals, or herbs, The following nutrients are ones we have included in supplements we recommend because they have the most research showing they benefit healthy testosterone levels. Further, we recommend these nutrients in the following forms.

Vitamin D:  Compared to Vitamin D2, D3 is more efficacious at raising Vitamin D levels in the blood.

Zinc: Compared to zinc citrate and zinc gluconate, Zinc picolinate is absorbed the best into the body.

Magnesium:  Magnesium in the aspartate, citrate, lactate, and chloride forms are easily absorbed versus magnesium's oxide and sulfate versions.

Vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 has three forms pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine. Although some research shows that the active form is more bioavailable, in general, Vitamin B6 is highly absorbable in any form.

Ashwangdha: There is not enough evidence on the best form of Ashwangdha to take. 

Ingredients & Potential Interactions

It is essential to carefully read the ingredient list and nutrition facts panel of a supplement to know which ingredients and how much of each ingredient is included, relative to the recommended daily value of that ingredient. Please bring the supplement label to a healthcare provider to review the different ingredients contained in the supplement and any potential interactions between these ingredients and other supplements and medications you are taking.

Ashwagna has interactions with medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune depressants, and hormones.

Vitamin D has interactions with some weight loss drugs, statins, and diuretics.

Zinc supplements interact with antibiotics medications and medications used for Wilson’s Disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Magnesium supplementation has interactions with potassium-sparing diuretics, antibiotics, and medications used for osteoporosis.

Vitamin B6 could have interactions with cycloserine, an antibiotic.

Supplements We Don’t Recommend

DHEA

DHEA, or Dehydroepiandrosterone, is a hormone produced by the body that is a precursor for hormones including testosterone. They peak in early adulthood and then taper off as you get older. However, there is no evidence that shows that supplementation is safe or effective treatment for any disease. The United States Anti-Doping Agency, The World Anti-Doping Agency,  and National Collegiate Athletic Association bans its use in and out of sport season.

Prohormones

Prohormones are another supplement that is banned by most athletic organizations. Prohormone supplements may claim to help boost testosterone, but they can have side effects and can cause some undesired hormonal changes.

Testosterone Boosting Dosage

The below are the daily recommended intakes for key testosterone related vitamins and minerals. It is important to note that if you are diagnosed with a deficiency in any of these nutrients, a healthcare professional may recommend a higher dosage to correct the deficiency.

Vitamin D: 600 IU for men and women

Zinc: 11 mg for men and 8 mg for women

Magnesium: 400-420 mg for men and 310-320 mg for women

Vitamin B6: 1.3 mg for men and women

Ashwagandha: The National Institutes of Health doesn’t have a recommendation for the intake of herbal supplements. Research suggests up to 600 mg per day, but more research is needed for specific populations.

How Much is Too Much?

Below is a list of the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for the vitamins and minerals covered in this article. Note that the UL for magnesium is from supplements only, while the others are from both food and supplements. 

Vitamin D: 4000 IU (from both food and supplements combined). High intakes of Vitamin D can cause high calcium levels in the blood resulting in nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, pain, loss of appetite, dehydration, excessive thirst, and kidney stones.

Zinc:  40 mg (from both food and supplements combined). Too much zinc may cause copper deficiency and neurological diseases.

Magnesium: 350 mg (from supplemental magnesium only). Consuming too much magnesium may cause low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, depression, and lethargy before progressing to muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, and in severe cases, cardiac arrest. If you have kidney issues, the toxicity of magnesium in the blood will occur quicker.

Vitamin B6 - 100 mg (from both food and supplements combined) - Toxicity is unlikely because Vitamin B 6 is a water-soluble vitamin. Long-term use of 1000 mg per day is the only likely chance that it will cause toxicity. Symptoms include the inability to control your body. Other symptoms include lesions on your skin, stomach and intestinal issues, nausea, and heartburn.

Ashwangdha - 4-6 grams/day—Excess amounts may cause stomach or intestinal issues, vomiting, diarrhea, and in rare cases, liver injury.

Why Trust Verywell Fit

Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDCES, CPT, has been a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified personal trainer for eight years. He has also been on the nutrition and fitness medical review board for VeryWell Fit since 2019 and is an avid runner and tennis player.

When examining and recommending supplements he always looks for third-party testing that’s easily visible such as USP, NSF, ConsumerLabs.com, or Informed Choice. 

His favorite product brand is Nature Made because it’s affordable and mostly all of the products have USP certification.