Ranked by evidence within the category
Men's health supplements: what the evidence says
This category covers 35 supplements for testosterone, sexual health and the prostate, and none has strong evidence: 5 are rated moderate and 30 limited. The best-supported are the prostate options, pygeum, beta-sitosterol and nettle root, which modestly improve urinary symptoms, and tongkat ali, the one testosterone herb with a positive meta-analysis, mainly in older or hypogonadal men. Most of the rest, including tribulus terrestris, D-aspartic acid, maca root, saw palmetto and testosterone booster formulas, has limited evidence.
Evidence last reviewed: September 2026
Moderate evidence (5)
Tongkat ali is the one testosterone-booster herb with a positive meta-analysis behind it, though the effect is clearest in older or hypogonadal men rather than healthy young ones.
Yohimbine is a real alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist with genuine effects — modest evidence for erectile dysfunction, thin evidence for fat loss, and a substantial adverse-event record.
Bark extract of the African cherry, one of the better-studied prostate herbs: pooled trials show men are about twice as likely to report symptom improvement, with roughly 19% less nocturia and 23% higher peak urine flow.
The single most-studied plant sterol for prostate symptoms, with pooled trials showing a genuine ~4.
The root, not the leaf, has repeated randomized trials for prostate symptoms.
Limited evidence (30)
D-aspartic acid is sold as a natural testosterone booster on the strength of one small 2009 study that later, better-controlled trials failed to replicate.
Tribulus is one of the most popular testosterone boosters and one of the least supported: controlled trials in healthy men consistently show no increase in testosterone, strength or lean mass.
Popular for libido and "hormone balance", but every systematic review reaches the same verdict: a handful of small trials, largely from the same research groups, too weak to conclude anything.
Nettle root produced a statistically significant but clinically trivial improvement in prostate symptom scores in its largest trial, with no change in urine flow or residual volume.
Saw palmetto is the best-studied prostate supplement and the trials are consistently negative: 32 randomized trials in over 5,600 men show it performs no better than placebo for urinary symptoms, even at double and triple the standard dose.
The one large, year-long, placebo-controlled trial of pumpkin seed for BPH missed its primary endpoint.
Horny goat weed (Epimedium) has no credible human trials for erectile dysfunction — the entire premise is in-vitro PDE5 inhibition by icariin that is orders of magnitude weaker than sildenafil.
Most of the ingredients in over-the-counter testosterone boosters have no human evidence for raising testosterone, and several have evidence they do not.
Brazil's most famous aphrodisiac bark has no controlled trial of catuaba alone for sexual function — the only human data come from Catuama, a four-herb combination, and they concern burning mouth syndrome and basic safety.
The 'potency wood' of the Amazon has decent rodent memory and antidepressant data and a clean 28-day tolerability record as part of a combination product, but not a single controlled human trial of muira puama alone for libido, erections, or cognition.
Marketed as a natural testosterone booster on the basis of trace androgens present at roughly nanogram-per-gram levels.
A West African shrub that became a testosterone-booster trend on the strength of a single 2005 rat study — with zero human trials of any kind.
A standardised rye-grass pollen extract with a long European history in prostate care: it improves self-reported symptoms and nocturia but consistently fails to change any objective measure — urine flow, residual volume, or prostate size.
The typical prostate blend is built around saw palmetto — the one ingredient a large, well-run trial showed does nothing, even at triple the standard dose.
An Ayurvedic root sold for libido and vitality.
A traditional Chinese seed whose coumarin osthole is well characterized in the laboratory and untested in people for erectile function.
A yang tonic sold for libido and stamina, with no human trials for either.
A Thai tuber root traditionally used for male sexual function.
A South African herb sold as a testosterone booster on the strength of rat studies.
A brown seaweed rich in phlorotannins.
A zinc-rich shellfish concentrate sold for testosterone.
An iron-free daily formula that covers nutritional gaps.
Multi-herb aphrodisiac blends.
Whole bark from the African tree Pausinystalia yohimbe, sold as a natural alternative to pharmaceutical yohimbine.
A traditional Chinese tonic made from mountain ants, marketed for vitality, stamina and libido.
Saw palmetto-based blends sold to block dihydrotestosterone and slow hair loss.
Over-the-counter blends sold to restart natural testosterone after a prohormone or steroid cycle.
A flavone from honey and propolis sold as a natural aromatase inhibitor to raise testosterone.
An aromatic African root (white ginger) used traditionally as an aphrodisiac and appetite stimulant.
A parasitic desert plant used in Chinese medicine as a yang tonic for stamina and sexual function.
Comparison guides for this category
Standard, men's, women's, senior, children's, prenatal or postnatal?
Nettle root extract or stinging nettle leaf products?
Yohimbine hydrochloride, whole yohimbe bark or rauwolscine?
Saw palmetto or beta-sitosterol for BPH symptoms?
Goals these supplements are ranked for
An evidence-ranked guide to prostate supplements: which ones modestly ease BPH urinary symptoms, and why saw palmetto and prostate blends…
An evidence-ranked guide to supplements for libido and erectile function: the few that beat placebo, who they suit, and the many to skip.
Our verdict
For urinary symptoms, get the prostate checked first; after that, pygeum or beta-sitosterol are the most reasonable herbal options. Be sceptical of testosterone boosters and libido blends, and treat yohimbine as the drug it is: its benefits are modest and its adverse-event record is substantial.