Ginger has been a part of traditional medicine in Chinese and Indian cultures for over 5000 years. It is believed to be an effective treatment for common ailments like colds, nausea, and migraine. But did you know that it’s also recommended for boosting testosterone production in modern times?
You’ll find ginger near the top of most lists covering ways of increasing T levels naturally, but does it really work? Let’s take a deep dive into the connection between ginger and testosterone to find out.
What’s the relationship between ginger and testosterone?
The link between ginger and testosterone is a positive one. More specifically, ginger consumption boosts T production and free testosterone availability.
We know these claims are rooted in reality thanks to a 2012 study by Mares et al. The study tested the effects of ginger supplementation on serum testosterone levels in 75 men between the ages of 19 and 40. After a 3-month test period, the test subjects showed an average 17.7% increase in T levels. Most of the men also showed an improvement in average sperm count.
Multiple animal studies also demonstrate a positive correlation between ginger and testosterone levels. Most notably, a 2013 study by Ghlissi et al. showed how T levels increased in male rats within just 30 days of supplementation. A later 2018 study by Saleem Ali Banihani reached a similar conclusion, where ginger supplementation improved blood flow to the testes — regulating testosterone production.
How can ginger help improve testosterone levels?
The primary way ginger improves testosterone levels is by boosting the production of luteinizing hormone (LH). This increases LH concentration in your blood, which in turn signals your testes to produce more testosterone.
Though it is important to note that ginger regulates and boosts testosterone production with several indirect methods as well, such as:
Improving blood flow
Leydig cells are biological factories in your gonadal glands that produce testosterone. Ginger consumption improves blood flow to these cells — giving them access to all the nutrients and hormones they need to produce more testosterone.
Reducing oxidative stress
Ginger is loaded with compounds such as gingerols, zingerone, and zingiberene. These compounds act as potent antioxidants and protect your testes from age and stress-related oxidative damage.
Increasing Nitric Oxide
Ginger is known to increase the production of Nitric Oxide (NO), which in turn boosts testosterone production and improves testicular health in general. This is because a higher NO concentration increases the secretion of the Gonadotropin hormone, an essential component of testosterone production.
Normalizing blood glucose
Irregular blood glucose levels can negatively impact testosterone production and its availability. Luckily, the aforementioned antioxidant compounds in ginger also help regulate blood glucose concentration — keeping T levels stable.
What other benefits can it provide?
As we mentioned earlier, ginger has been used for its numerous health benefits for over 5000 thousand years now. So, in addition to boosting testosterone production, you can also use ginger for the following:
Nause
Ginger seems to be an effective cure for nausea caused by food poisoning, pregnancy, or indigestion. Consuming even a couple of grams of ginger drastically reduces the symptoms of nausea and prevents them from returning. These benefits are especially effective against nausea caused by pregnancy.
Weight Loss
Ginger is surprisingly effective at reducing weight and excess fat, especially around your abdomen. These weight-reducing benefits were also observed in a recent 2020 study on obese rats and mice.
Lowering Blood Sugar
Ginger consumption can lower blood sugar levels by up to 12% in folks suffering from type 2 diabetes. Though it is important to note that this area of study includes some contradicting observations and needs more research.
How do people usually consume ginger?
The simplest way of consuming ginger is to chop it into tiny slices and swallow around a gram of it with water. But this isn’t very appealing, now is it? If you don’t like the taste or texture of raw ginger, here are other popular methods of including it in your diet.
Conclusion
From what we’ve seen so far, ginger is a safe and effective method of regulating testosterone levels. It can even prevent testosterone deficiency due to age-related oxidative damage. Not to mention its use as an effective treatment for nausea/cold or its ability to regulate blood sugar & reduce body weight.
That said, the best part about ginger is its convenience. You don’t have to go out of your way to include its supplements in your daily diet. Just add ginger to your tea, morning smoothies, salads, & curries, and you’ll get all of its health benefits.
Ginger is generally very safe for consumption, both raw and in different food items. Although taking too much ginger — more than 5 grams a day — can cause issues like heartburn and gastric irritation. Continued overconsumption of ginger can also lead to diarrhoea and other similar stomach problems.
Ginger doesn’t increase your sex drive directly. But it can improve blood flow to your reproductive organs, which might enhance your libido and satisfaction from intimate activities.
If you’re consuming ginger just by itself, stay within the 1-2 gram per day range. You can go slightly above this range if you add it to food or a drink, but going above 5 grams a day will cause stomach issues.