Testosterone boosters, despite their popularity, are still a bit of a mystery to many people. Some things remain unclear even after you read the label and the instructions.
One of the questions that keep popping up concerns the amount of time the ingredients of testosterone boosters remain in the user’s body. We’re here to give you the full answer, along with explaining the journey these ingredients go through before they leave your body.
Ready? Let’s go!
The longer you take them, the longer they last
The first thing to understand about testosterone boosters is that they are not a single product with set parameters. Rather the term “testosterone booster” refers to a whole line of products with drastically varied components.
A 2019 study by Clemesha et al. researched the extent of this variety by analyzing a large number of testosterone boosters, and it listed 109 unique ingredients. Plus, each T booster in this survey had an average of 8.3 unique ingredients.
This vast difference in the composition may affect every aspect of these testosterone boosters, including how long their effects and components remain in your system. With that said, there is some common ground between them. For instance, the longer you take a supplement, the longer its effects will last. This phenomenon was clearly observed in the 2011 study by Saad et al., which focused on the duration of effectiveness of these testosterone boosters.
According to this study, testosterone supplements can take up to 6 months to show the best results. They can then last up to 6 or more months after you stop taking them or slow down their consumption. Athletes often use these lasting effects to quickly increase their muscle mass before engaging in an off-cycle with reduced testosterone supplementation.
Timeline to becoming effective
The aforementioned 2011 study by Saad et al. shows how testosterone boosters can start working in as little as 3-6 weeks. But, the term “work” can refer to many different benefits, and not all of them manifest at the same rate. Here’s the approximate timeline for each major benefit of testosterone boosters:
Which ingredients last the longest?
We’ve already established how the benefits of testosterone boosters depend on their exact composition. But did you know that the duration of these benefits can also vary between ingredients?
One of the most prominent examples of this is a common T booster ingredient; zinc. Studies show a strong link between zinc supplementation and increased serum testosterone levels. But its effects only last a few days at max because the human body does not store zinc for future use.
The opposite of this is true as well, as some ingredients stay in your body for quite a while. The ingredients that last the longest are:
Fenugreek
Fenugreek extract is one of the most effective ingredients of testosterone boosters. The best example of its effectiveness is a 2017 study by Maheshwari et al.. In this study, 50 male participants were given 500 mg of fenugreek extract every day for 12 weeks. After the test period, 45 participants showed a 46% increase in average testosterone levels. An earlier 2016 study by Rao et al. with the same 12-week time frame showed similar results.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a fast-acting African & Indian herb with a number of testosterone-related benefits associated with it. A 2019 study conducted by Lopresti et al. tested its impact on testosterone production and showed a 14.7% increase in serum testosterone levels after just eight weeks of supplement intake. This happens because Ashwagandha increases luteinizing hormone secretion and protects Leydig cells from age-related oxidative damage.
Tribulus Terrestris
Tribulus Terrestris is a natural aphrodisiac. According to an in-depth study by Vladimir Neychev and Vanyo Mitev, regular T. Terrestris can boost libido and sexual desire in both young adults and men past their 40s. These findings are further backed by a 2017 study by Kamenov et al., which reported a significant boost in sexual satisfaction after the 12-week test period.
Do the testosterone levels persevere?
They do, but not to the extent that some might hope. The thing is, testosterone boosters are not a one-stop shop for testosterone regulation. Sure, consuming testosterone boosters will increase T production and availability. But, this boost will start fading in just a month after you stop taking the supplements if you do not change your lifestyle accordingly.
If you want consistent and long-term results from these T boosters — include exercise in your daily routine, maintain a healthy sleep schedule, and consume a healthy diet.
Check ingredient by ingredient
We cannot stress this enough; check the ingredients of the testosterone boosters you’re interested in.
This way, you can select boosters to alleviate specific issues. For example, T boosters with Korean ginseng can alleviate symptoms of erectile dysfunction by 60%.
On the contrary, checking ingredients will also allow you to avoid boosters that don’t fit your situation. The most notable examples of this are testosterone supplements with D-aspartic acid and their unsuitability for men who do weight training. This is because DAA does not increase testosterone levels when combined with resistance training.
Conclusion
From everything we’ve seen so far, testosterone boosters appear to be an effective method of increasing serum testosterone levels. They can also provide other benefits like increased energy levels, improved mood, reduced risk of infertility, and enhanced libido. Though, it is important to note that the benefits of a testo booster depend on the exact ingredients in its formula.
The list of ingredients also determines how long the effects of T boosters last, especially after you stop taking them. Some ingredients, like Tribulus Terrestris, follow the equivalent approach where the longer you take it, the longer it lasts. But other components like zinc get flushed away from your body within a week. So, make sure to check each ingredient before purchase to get your desired results.