Ranked by evidence
Best supplements for testosterone
Very few supplements raise testosterone, and mostly only in men who start low: older men, men with low baseline levels, or men with a genuine nutrient deficiency. Everything below is ranked by the evidence for raising testosterone specifically, not by marketing. If you have symptoms of low testosterone, get it measured rather than self-treating.
Picks are ranked by the strength of published evidence for this goal in otherwise healthy adults. A persistent symptom needs a clinician's evaluation, and no supplement on this list replaces treatment.
Evidence last reviewed: September 2026
Solid options
| Option | Evidence | Best for | The honest note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tongkat Ali | Moderate evidence | older or low-testosterone men | A 2022 meta-analysis found it raised total testosterone in men, most consistently in those who were older or started low; in healthy young men trials are more often null. Heavy metal contamination has been documented, so choose third-party tested products. | View |
Situational
| Option | Evidence | Best for | The honest note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zinc | Moderate evidence | a documented zinc deficiency | Correcting a genuine deficiency can raise testosterone, but supplementing men with normal status produces no meaningful change. Long-term intake above 40 mg/day can cause copper deficiency. | View |
| Vitamin D3 | Strong evidence | a documented vitamin D deficiency | Vitamin D can raise testosterone in men who are genuinely deficient, which is common. In men with normal levels it produces no meaningful change. | View |
| Magnesium | Moderate evidence | a genuine magnesium shortfall | As with zinc, correcting a real shortfall restores normal testosterone. Topping up an adequate intake does not boost it. | View |
Popular for this goal — but the evidence says skip
- Tribulus Terrestris Limited evidence
Controlled trials in healthy and trained men consistently show no increase in testosterone, strength or lean mass, and there are case reports of liver and kidney injury.
- D-Aspartic Acid Limited evidence
Better-controlled trials in resistance-trained men found 3 g/day did nothing and 6 g/day lowered testosterone.
- Fenugreek Moderate evidence
A 2024 randomised trial found no rise in total testosterone; the positive trials used proprietary extracts funded by the ingredient manufacturer.
- Fadogia Agrestis Limited evidence
There are no human trials at all, and the same lab that reported the rat testosterone effect later found liver and kidney damage at those doses.
- DHEA Moderate evidence
It does not meaningfully raise testosterone in young men, androgenic and estrogenic side effects are common, and it is prohibited in sport.
- Testosterone Booster Formulas Limited evidence
Over 60% of the ingredients in top-selling products have no human data, and some products have been found spiked with unlisted steroids.
Our verdict
Tongkat ali is the only herb with a positive meta-analysis, and its effect is clearest in older or low-testosterone men. Correcting a real zinc, vitamin D or magnesium deficiency helps; the rest of the testosterone-booster shelf, from tribulus to D-aspartic acid, can be skipped.