Responsible for sperm production and muscle mass, testosterone is primarily a male sex hormone that declines after the age of 30. Besides performing resistance exercise and eating the right foods, research indicates that consuming specific supplements, ones backed by science, have proven to be effective in boosting testosterone levels. Please consult with your health care provider before taking any testosterone supplements.
Forskolin
In a 2005 study conducted by the University of Kansas and published in the journal Obesity Research, scientists investigated the influence of the compound forskolin on body fat mass and testosterone in overweight and obese subjects. Participants consumed forskolin extract or a placebo for 12 weeks. Researchers found that the forksolin group experienced significant improvements in testosterone levels compared to the placebo group.
L-Carnitine
Researchers examined the effects of L-carnitine supplementation and resistance exercise on post-workout testosterone levels, according to research reported in a 2006 issue of the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Participants took L-carnitine or a placebo while undergoing weight training. They discovered that subjects taking L-carnitine increased the amount of androgen receptors on muscle cells, which results in increased testosterone uptake.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D supplementation might have beneficial effects on testosterone levels. In a 2010 study conducted by the University of Garza in Australia and published in Clinical Endocrinology, researchers found that participants with sufficient vitamin D levels had higher testosterone levels compared to those with low vitamin D intakes.
D-Aspartic Acid
According to research published in the 2009 issue of the journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, the amino acid D-aspartic acid boosts testosterone output by enhancing the release of luteinizing hormone, which in turns stimulates the testes to produce testosterone. Scientists noted that these results have been shown in both rats and human studies.
References
- Obesity Research: Body Composition and Hormonal Adaptations Associated with Forskolin Consumption in Overweight and Obese Men
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise: Androgenic responses to resistance exercise: effects of feeding and L-carnitine
- Clinical Endocrinology: Association of vitamin D status with serum androgen levels in men
- Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology: The role and molecular mechanism of D-aspartic acid in the release and synthesis of LH and testosterone in humans and rats
