Do Testosterone Boosters Work? When to Take Testosterone & Benefits

Testosterone supplements are a staple sports nutrition supplement for many men. These supplements don’t actually contain the hormone testosterone. Instead, they have a mix of vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts. These products are formulated to support a natural increase of testosterone levels within the healthy normal range for adult males. The best testosterone boosters, like the P6 lineup, are formulated to optimize conditions that support natural and free testosterone production and include natural ingredients that help to inhibit estrogen formation, minimize DHT conversion and support increased energy levels.

We’re going to be covering some of the basics behind why someone gets started using a testosterone booster in their workout routine.

Why Take a Testosterone Booster

Testosterone is an anabolic hormone that is found in our bloodstream, it exists in 3 forms: strongly bound to sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), weakly bound to albumin, and unbound.[1] A small percentage of testosterone that enters the blood stream is unbound. Testosterone can also be broken down into several byproducts by different enzymes including estradiol by aromatase and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by 5-alpha-reductase. [2,3]

#1 Experiencing Low T

One of the most common reasons that someone may look into trying a testosterone booster is because they think they’re experiencing symptoms of low testosterone levels. Testosterone plays a variety of important roles in the body impacting our organs and skeletal muscles. Similarly, a decrease or deficiency of this hormone can result in a variety of physiological effects. Testosterone deficiency is associated with a lack of libido, fatigue, loss of concentration, reduced muscle mass, decreased strength, and sleep disturbances.[4]

#2 Decrease Fat Faster

For many men that hit a plateau with their fat loss, testosterone boosters are supplements they normally seek out to help them with their goals. Low testosterone predisposes men to obesity, decreased energy expenditure, and other metabolic issues.[5] In men, a large decrease in testosterone is associated with greater levels of fat mass.[6] There also appears to be a difficult cycle to break out of for many men, where obesity lowers testosterone levels and low testosterone levels leave one more susceptible to increased fat mass.[7] Research on obese men with low to low-normal testosterone levels who partake in weight loss program combined with administration of the hormone testosterone show decreased levels of total fat mass and visceral adipose tissue.[8]

#3 Looking to Increase Muscle Mass

One of the most common reasons men try using testosterone boosters is because they’re trying to increase their muscle mass. This is due to testosterone’s role as an anabolic hormone and its association with increased levels of lean muscle mass. Research on men being administered the hormone testosterone shows that it can support an increase in muscle mass. [9,10,11] One of the mechanisms that testosterone is thought to increase muscle mass is through the activation of satellite cells, satellite cells are precursor cells to muscle tissue.

How to naturally boost testosterone levels

You can use several healthy habits to boost your testosterone levels naturally. However, it’s important to remember that most of these methods will only temporarily and acutely increase your testosterone levels and they won’t increase them to supraphysiological levels. What this means is, these habits can positively impact your testosterone levels, but their effect won’t increase them past a healthy normal range of what your body would be capable of producing.

Get quality sleep

The time when we sleep is when we generally release the greatest amount of testosterone in a 24-hour cycle. However, there’s a sleep-dependent increase in testosterone that requires at least 3 hours of short-wave sleep. [12] In one study, a week of sleep restriction to 5 hours per night decreased the testosterone levels in young healthy men by 10-15%. [13]Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs: Research generally shows that smoking, alcohol use, and recreational drug consumption are linked to lower testosterone levels and altered function of reproductive hormones.[14,15] o, if you’re looking for ways to maximize your testosterone levels, you’ll likely want to avoid chronic use of these substances.

Eat a well-balanced diet

You’ll want to fuel your body with a diverse diet of unprocessed foods rich in macronutrients and micronutrients. In one study, the researchers evaluated the dietary patterns of individuals tracking the frequency of food they ate that was processed or take out. They found that individuals who consumed more processed foods and ate less homemade meals were more likely to have unhealthy body composition and lower testosterone levels.[16] systematic review compared the effects of low-fat vs high-fat diets on sex hormones in men. The researchers noted that low-fat diets appeared to decrease testosterone levels in men. [17] different systematic review evaluated the effects of low-carbohydrate diets on testosterone and cortisol levels in men. The researchers noted that low-carbohydrate high-protein diets caused large decreases in the testosterone levels of subjects.[18]

Do strength training and cardio

Being physically active is associated with positive effects on testosterone levels, blood samples show elevated levels of free testosterone following recovery from exercise.[19]

While resistance training is most often associated with increasing testosterone levels, both endurance style aerobic exercise and high intensity anaerobic exercise show promise for increasing testosterone levels.[20].

And if you do resistance training, make sure to incorporate compound lifts using free weights. Free weight exercises induce a greater increase in testosterone levels than machine weight exercises.[21]

How long does it take for testosterone boosters to work?

For best results, we recommend using our testosterone boosters for 8 consecutive weeks in conjunction with an effective resistance training and diet regimen. Follow the instructions on your product’s label for directions on when to take your testosterone booster. In general, testosterone boosters recommend taking the daily serving in a split dosing schedule of one time in the morning and one time in the afternoon.

Takeaway on Testosterone Timing

For best results, make sure you’re reading the label on your testosterone booster and following the directions. This includes the timing and appropriate dosages. You’ll also want to create a positive anabolic environment so in addition to supplements make sure you’re also getting adequate sleep, eating a balanced diet, and being physically active.

References

[1] https://www.jssm.org/vol11/n3/1/v11n3-1text.php

[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453012000303?via%3Dihub

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5079177/

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573939/

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5286727/

[6] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.21092

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3955331/

[8] https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-016-0700-9

[9] https://eje.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/eje/174/3/R99.xml

[10] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.915309/full

[11] https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpheart.00010.2021

[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3955336/

[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4445839/

[14] https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-4/282-287.htm

[15] https://rbej.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12958-018-0320-7