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Top 9 Best Ways To Increase Testosterone (2026)

Updated Jul 27, 2026 · by Felix Hesse · 9 solutions ranked

Natural ways to raise testosterone — from clinically dosed adaptogens to sleep, training, and lifestyle protocols that actually move serum T.

Ranked Solutions

Ranked by how much each one actually moves the needle — our SAC Efficacy Score™. Supplements, protocols and gear compete in ONE ranking.

  1. Sleep (7–9 h, consistent)

    Protocol

    short sleep is costing you 10–15% of your daytime T — this lever gets it back (Leproult 2011, JAMA)

    ⚑ pays out only if you currently under-sleep
    8.5/10SAC Efficacy Score™
    Your toolkitSlot 1 of 9
    Sleep & Recovery goal#1GoalSleep & RecoveryEvery option, one pageRanked solutions →
    1. GoalSleep & Recovery
    2. Best ofMagnesium for Sleep
    3. Best ofSleep Trackers
    4. Best ofSleep Masks
    5. Best ofMouth Tape
    6. Best ofWeighted Blanket
    7. Best ofWhite Noise Machine
    8. Best ofBlue Light Glasses
    9. Best ofSunrise Alarm Clock
    • Effect size45%Large
    • Evidence40%Very strong
    • Reliability15%Works for most
    Why these numbers?

    Effect size: Seven 5-hour nights cut daytime T by 10–15% — a bigger absolute swing than the +143 ng/dL the best supplement trial managed. Capped at 8.2/10 because sleep restores your baseline; it cannot push above it.

    Evidence: A controlled University-of-Chicago lab protocol published in JAMA (Leproult 2011), consistent with the wider circadian literature. One small cohort and a one-week window hold it at 9.0/10.

    Reliability: Deficit-dependent by design: any man running short sleep is in scope, but at a solid 7–9 h there is nothing left to reclaim — 8.2/10.

    The biggest lever on this list is free.

    5 hnights × 1 week−10–15%daytime testosterone+10 yrshormonal aging
    measured in healthy young menJAMA 2011 ↓

    Fix this first.Every supplement below sits under the ceiling your sleep sets.

    Sleep (7–9 h, consistent) · 8.5

  2. Tongkat Ali

    Supplement

    +10–15% free testosterone in stressed and older men over 8+ weeks

    ⚑ strongest in stressed or aging men
    8.1/10SAC Efficacy Score™
    Go deeper on tongkatSlot 1 of 12
    9 Best Tongkat Ali Supplements#2Best ofTongkat Ali SupplementsThe ranked buying guide9.3 top pickOpen ranking →
    1. Best ofTongkat Ali Supplements
    2. Best ofTestosterone Boosters
    3. CompareTongkat vs. Fadogia
    4. CompareTongkat vs. Shilajit
    5. CompareTongkat vs. Boosters
    6. CompareTongkat vs. TRT
    7. CompareTongkat vs. LJ100
    8. CompareTongkat vs. Fenugreek
    9. CompareTongkat vs. Tribulus
    10. CompareTongkat vs. Yohimbe
    11. ReviewDouble Wood LJ100 Tongkat Ali
    12. LearnWhat is Tongkat Ali?
    • Effect size45%Large
    • Evidence40%Strong
    • Reliability15%Works for many
    Why these numbers?

    Effect size: +143 ng/dL serum T at 200 mg/day over 8 weeks in the meta-analysis' strongest included trial — the largest verified supplement effect on this page: 7.8/10.

    Evidence: Nine studies reviewed, five RCTs pooled (Leisegang 2022): significant total-T gains in BOTH healthy and hypogonadal men. Small trial cohorts keep it at 8.6/10 instead of higher.

    Reliability: The trials recruit stressed and aging men — where the deficit lives. Young, rested lifters have less headroom to fill: 7.6/10.

    The strongest human free-T evidence on the shelf.

    200–400 mgdaily × 8+ weeks+10–15%free testosterone
    standardised extract · stressed & aging menMeta 2022 ↓

    If you add one supplement, it's this one.On top of the free levers — never instead of them.

    Tongkat Ali · 8.1
    Felix, founder of Super Achiever Club
    Founder's Pickpersonal experience
    The testosterone bump is subtle — but the libido kick is what you actually feel. That part is not subtle.
    FelixFounder, Super Achiever Club

  3. Ashwagandha (KSM-66)

    Supplement

    ~15% testosterone rise, indirectly via cortisol reduction in stressed men

    ⚑ mainly chronically stressed men
    7.1/10SAC Efficacy Score™
    Pick your extractSlot 1 of 6
    Best Ashwagandha for Testosterone#3Best ofAshwagandha for TestosteroneThe ranked buying guide9.2 top pickOpen ranking →
    1. Best ofAshwagandha for Testosterone
    2. Best ofTestosterone Boosters
    3. CompareKSM-66 vs. Sensoril
    4. CompareAshwagandha vs. Tongkat
    5. ReviewToniiq Ultra High Strength Ashwagandha
    6. LearnWhat is Ashwagandha?
    • Effect size45%Moderate
    • Evidence40%Strong
    • Reliability15%Works for many
    Why these numbers?

    Effect size: −27% serum cortisol in 64 chronically stressed adults on 600 mg/day for 8 weeks (Chandrasekhar 2012); a separate 16-week crossover in overweight men 40–70 measured ~15% higher T (Lopresti 2019). Indirect pathway = 6.2/10.

    Evidence: Two independent double-blind RCTs agree on the stress axis — but testosterone is a secondary endpoint in both, which caps Evidence at 8.4/10.

    Reliability: The mechanism runs through cortisol, so it needs elevated cortisol to work on: stressed men respond, calm sleepers see little — 6.6/10.

    Not a booster — a cortisol brake that pays out in T.

    600 mgKSM-66 × 8 weeks−27%cortisol~+15%testosterone, indirect
    chronically stressed menRCT 2012 ↓

    Choose this over tongkat when stress is the loudest symptom.

    Ashwagandha (KSM-66) · 7.1

  4. Resistance Training (heavy, short)

    Protocol

    acute T response + less aromatase via bodyfat — chronic resting-T shifts are modest

    ⚑ biggest payoff comes from losing excess bodyfat
    7/10SAC Efficacy Score™
    Build the habitSlot 1 of 4
    Muscle Growth goal#4GoalMuscle GrowthThe full muscle-growth rankingRanked solutions →
    1. GoalMuscle Growth
    2. Best ofMuscle-Building Programs
    3. Best ofHome Gym Equipment
    4. Best ofCreatine
    • Effect size45%Moderate
    • Evidence40%Strong
    • Reliability15%Works for many
    Why these numbers?

    Effect size: The acute T response peaks around minute 20 of heavy compound work, but the 2020 review (Riachy) finds chronic resting-T shifts stay modest — the durable win is less bodyfat feeding less aromatase: 6.0/10.

    Evidence: A structured review across exercise types, intensities and populations, directionally consistent — yet few long-term resting-T trials exist: 8.0/10.

    Reliability: Splits hard by modality: big-muscle resistance work raises T while chronic endurance volume can push resting T below sedentary levels. The 7.2/10 assumes you train the right kind.

    Hard, heavy, short — then go home.

    ~20 mininto hard trainingpeakacute T response−fat= less aromatase long-term
    free weights, big muscle groupsReview 2020 ↓

    Train for the physique — the hormones follow.

    Resistance Training (heavy, short) · 7.0

  5. Zinc (for testosterone)

    Supplement

    restores testosterone in deficient men (Prasad 1996); little effect once replete

    ⚑ only if deficient
    6.5/10SAC Efficacy Score™
    Shop this pick, rankedSlot 1 of 3
    Best Zinc for Testosterone#5Best ofZinc for TestosteroneThe ranked buying guide9.2 top pickOpen ranking →
    1. Best ofZinc for Testosterone
    2. ReviewThorne Zinc Picolinate 30 mg
    3. LearnWhat is Zinc?
    • Effect size45%Moderate
    • Evidence40%Strong
    • Reliability15%Specific cases
    Why these numbers?

    Effect size: Twenty weeks of dietary zinc restriction significantly cut serum T in young men; 3–6 months of ~30 mg/day restored it in nine deficient elderly men (Prasad 1996). Expected gain once replete: zero — hence 5.8/10.

    Evidence: A depletion-repletion experiment plus a 40-man cross-section where cellular zinc tracked T (r = 0.43, p = 0.006). A single-digit interventional n holds Evidence at 7.8/10.

    Reliability: Only deficient men respond — classically vegan, low-meat and hard-sweating-athlete diets. For replete men the honest expectation is nothing: 5.0/10.

    A repair, not a booster.

    low Zndeficient menrestoredtestosterone±0once replete
    the classic repletion findingPrasad 1996 ↓

    Test first — only worth money if you're actually low.Vegan, low-meat and hard-sweating-athlete diets are the classic deficient groups.

    Zinc (for testosterone) · 6.5

  6. Vitamin D3

    Supplement

    modest rise when correcting a real deficiency; mixed results in already-replete men

    ⚑ only if deficient or low on sun
    5.7/10SAC Efficacy Score™
    Shop this pick, rankedSlot 1 of 3
    Best Vitamin D for Testosterone#6Best ofVitamin D for TestosteroneThe ranked buying guide9.1 top pickOpen ranking →
    1. Best ofVitamin D for Testosterone
    2. ReviewThorne Vitamin D + K2 Liquid
    3. LearnWhat is Vitamin D3?
    • Effect size45%Modest
    • Evidence40%Moderate
    • Reliability15%Specific cases
    Why these numbers?

    Effect size: In the year-long RCT behind the hype (Pilz 2011), deficient men on daily supplementation raised total T — while trials in already-replete men run mixed-to-null. The 4.4/10 prices in both outcomes.

    Evidence: One positive RCT plus robust low-D-low-T correlations, standing against several null trials in replete cohorts — a genuinely split literature: 7.4/10.

    Reliability: Hinges entirely on baseline status: deficient or sun-starved men respond, everyone else does not — 5.0/10.

    Low D, low T — sunshine bookkeeping.

    4,000–5,000 IU/day with K2 for any man not getting 20+ minutes of midday sun; results are modest and only where a real deficit existed.

    Correct the deficit, don't chase a boost.

    Vitamin D3 · 5.7

  7. Shilajit

    Supplement

    ≈20% total-T rise in one 90-day RCT of men 45–55 (Pandit 2016); needs replication

    ⚑ small evidence base; buy purified, lab-tested resin only
    5/10SAC Efficacy Score™
    Shop this pick, rankedSlot 1 of 5
    Best Shilajit#7Best ofShilajitThe ranked buying guide8.5 top pickOpen ranking →
    1. Best ofShilajit
    2. CompareTongkat vs. Shilajit
    3. CompareShilajit vs. Ashwagandha
    4. ReviewDouble Wood Shilajit Capsules
    5. LearnWhat is Shilajit?
    • Effect size45%Modest
    • Evidence40%Limited
    • Reliability15%Narrow
    Why these numbers?

    Effect size: ≈+20% total testosterone after 90 days of 250 mg twice daily in men 45–55 (Pandit 2016) — free T and DHEAS rose too, while LH/FSH held steady. Strong number, single source: 5.2/10.

    Evidence: One double-blind placebo-controlled trial and essentially nothing since — an unreplicated result stays at 5.0/10.

    Reliability: Shown only in healthy men 45–55, with no data in younger men and real heavy-metal risk in unpurified resin: 4.6/10.

    Promising — and honestly thin.

    90 dayspurified resin≈+20%total testosteronen = 1small RCT — needs replication
    men 45–55Pandit 2016 ↓

    A bet, not a staple — size it accordingly.

    Shilajit · 5.0

  8. Cistanche

    Supplement

    steroidogenesis effects shown in rats; human testosterone data essentially absent

    ⚑ unproven in humans
    3.8/10SAC Efficacy Score™
    Shop this pick, rankedSlot 1 of 3
    Best Cistanche#8Best ofCistancheThe ranked buying guide9.3 top pickOpen ranking →
    1. Best ofCistanche
    2. ReviewCistanche tubulosa Tablets
    3. LearnWhat is Cistanche?
    • Effect size45%Small
    • Evidence40%Preliminary
    • Reliability15%Narrow
    Why these numbers?

    Effect size: Steroidogenesis effects exist in rodent studies; no human trial has measured a testosterone change. The 3.8/10 is mechanism-only credit.

    Evidence: Rodent data plus tradition, zero human T endpoints — 3.8/10.

    Reliability: Without human data, responder breadth is unknowable: 4.0/10 by default, not by merit.

    Trending — on rat data.

    If you experiment anyway: standardisation to echinacoside is the only real quality lever.

    An experiment, not a protocol — wait for human trials.

    Cistanche · 3.8

  9. Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium)

    Supplement

    no human evidence for raising testosterone; best human RCT is for bone density (Zhang 2007)

    ⚑ traditional use; T claims unproven
    3.2/10SAC Efficacy Score™
    Shop this pick, rankedSlot 1 of 3
    Best Horny Goat Weed Supplements#9Best ofHorny Goat Weed SupplementsThe ranked buying guide9.1 top pickOpen ranking →
    1. Best ofHorny Goat Weed Supplements
    2. ReviewToniiq Super Strength Horny Goat Weed (40% Icariins)
    3. LearnWhat is Horny Goat Weed?
    • Effect size45%Small
    • Evidence40%Preliminary
    • Reliability15%Narrow
    Why these numbers?

    Effect size: Its best human RCT is a 24-month bone-density trial in postmenopausal women (Zhang 2007) — no measured human testosterone effect: 3.2/10.

    Evidence: Icariin raises T in rodents at high doses; human hormone endpoints are missing entirely — 3.0/10.

    Reliability: With no human effect established, 3.6/10 covers little more than the traditional-use benefit of the doubt.

    No human T evidence — save your money.

    Its one solid human RCT is about bone density, not testosterone.We rank what fails, too.

    Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium) · 3.2

Build My Stack

Turn the ranking into your protocol: pick your parts and the sheet fills in dose, timing, cost, cautions and our top pick for each — nothing invented, nothing added up.

Foundation · free

Set your ceiling first. Everything else works inside it.

8.5Sleep (7–9 h)free
7.0Resistance Trainingfree

Amplifiers · supplements

Ranked by the SAC Efficacy Score. The ones not worth your money say so.

8.1Tongkat Ali$38/mo
7.1Ashwagandha KSM-66$32/mo
6.5Zinc$14/mo
5.7Vitamin D3$22/mo
5.0Shilajit 
My stackNothing equipped yet

Pick your parts on the left — start with the free levers, then add the supplements that fit your baseline.

▸ The Problem

Average male testosterone has fallen ~1% per year since the 1980s. Most men under 35 today carry the T-levels of men in their 60s a generation ago — and that bleeds into energy, muscle, libido, mood, and recovery.

  • −22%
    drop in average male T since 1987
    JCEM, Travison 2007
  • 63%
    of men aged 25-40 carry suboptimal free-T
    T Trials, 2024 meta
  • +143
    ng/dL serum T uplift from Tongkat Ali (200 mg/d, 8 weeks)
    PMID 36013514
  • −27%
    cortisol drop with KSM-66 Ashwagandha 600 mg/d, 8 wk
    Chandrasekhar 2012

Our Methodology

How every score on this page is calculated — transparent and free to cite.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I increase testosterone naturally?

Before any supplement, the four levers with the strongest human evidence are behavioural — and they set the ceiling everything else works within. Fix these first, then add a validated single ingredient and measure whether it moved your numbers. 1. Get your levels tested first: You cannot fix what you have not measured. Get a morning (before 10am) total + free testosterone panel, plus SHBG, 25(OH)D and serum zinc. Two of the most popular supplements only work if you are actually deficient — the blood test tells you which lever is even worth pulling. See our normal-range-by-age chart to read the result. 2. Sleep 7–9 hours — it is the biggest free lever: Testosterone is made largely during sleep; a single week of 5-hour nights cut daytime testosterone 10–15% in healthy young men (Leproult 2011, JAMA). No supplement out-earns fixing your sleep. 3. Lift heavy and keep bodyfat in check: Resistance training acutely raises testosterone, and carrying excess bodyfat lowers it (aromatase converts T to oestrogen in fat tissue). Losing meaningful weight if you are overweight is one of the most reliable ways to raise your own T. 4. Correct nutrient gaps (zinc, vitamin D, magnesium): Zinc and vitamin D are cofactors for testosterone production — correcting a real deficiency restores T, but doing little once you are replete (Prasad 1996; Pilz 2011). Whole-food sources and honest food framing are covered in our testosterone-foods guide. 5. Add ONE validated supplement, then re-test: Tongkat Ali and KSM-66 ashwagandha have the only repeatable human free-testosterone evidence. Run one at the trial dose for 8 weeks, then re-test — keep it only if the number actually moved. Skip proprietary 'test-booster' blends: they are these same ingredients, underdosed and marked up.

What is a normal testosterone level for my age?

Total testosterone in healthy young men typically runs roughly 300–900 ng/dL, and average levels decline about 1% per year after age 30. Because assays and reference ranges vary, always read your result against your own lab's range and a morning draw — see our testosterone-levels-by-age chart for the decade-by-decade picture.

Do testosterone booster supplements actually work?

A small number of single ingredients do: Tongkat Ali and KSM-66 ashwagandha have repeatable human-trial evidence for raising free testosterone, and zinc + vitamin D restore T when you are deficient. Most branded 'test-booster' blends (Nugenix, TestoFuel, Prime Male) bury below-trial doses of those same ingredients in proprietary blends at 2–4× the price — buy the validated single ingredient instead.

How can I increase testosterone naturally without supplements?

Sleep 7–9 hours, lift heavy 3–4×/week, keep bodyfat in a healthy range, and fix nutrient gaps (zinc, vitamin D, magnesium) through food. These behavioural levers have the strongest evidence and set the ceiling any supplement works within.

How long does it take to raise testosterone?

Lifestyle changes (sleep, training, fat loss) can shift levels over 4–12 weeks. Supplement trials for tongkat ali and ashwagandha run 8 weeks before a measurable serum change. The honest protocol is: change one variable, hold it 8 weeks, then re-test.

What are the symptoms of low testosterone?

The more specific signs are low libido, fewer morning erections, and unexplained loss of muscle or drive; less specific ones include fatigue, low mood, and higher bodyfat. Because these overlap with many conditions, a morning blood test is the only way to confirm it — see our low-testosterone-symptoms guide.

Research & Sources

The key human trials behind the rankings above — every PMID verified against its primary source.

  1. Tongkat AliTalbott 2013 — Effect of Tongkat Ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · PMID 23705671
  2. Tongkat AliTambi 2012 — Standardised water-soluble extract of Eurycoma longifolia, Tongkat Ali, as testosterone booster for managing men with late-onset hypogonadism · Andrologia · PMID 21671978
  3. Ashwagandha (KSM-66)Lopresti 2019 (testosterone) — A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study examining the hormonal and vitality effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in aging, overweight males · American Journal of Men's Health · PMID 30854916
  4. Ashwagandha (KSM-66)Lopresti 2019 (stress + sleep) — An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study · Medicine (Baltimore) · PMID 31517876
  5. Zinc (for testosterone)Prasad 1996 (testosterone) — Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults · Nutrition · PMID 8875519
  6. Zinc (for testosterone)Hemilä 2017 (cold meta-analysis) — Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage · JRSM Open · PMID 28515951
  7. Vitamin D3Holick 2007 — Vitamin D deficiency · New England Journal of Medicine · PMID 17634462
  8. Vitamin D3Pludowski 2018 — Vitamin D supplementation guidelines · Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology · PMID 28216084
  9. ShilajitPandit 2016 (testosterone RCT) — Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers · Andrologia · PMID 26395129
  10. ShilajitKeller 2019 (fatigue/strength RCT) — The effects of Shilajit supplementation on fatigue-induced decreases in muscular strength and serum hydroxyproline levels · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · PMID 30728074
  11. SleepLeproult & Van Cauter 2011 — Effect of 1 week of sleep restriction on testosterone levels in young healthy men · JAMA · PMID 21632481
  12. Tongkat AliLeisegang et al. 2022 — Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) Improves Serum Total Testosterone in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials · Medicina · PMID 36013514
  13. Horny Goat WeedZhang et al. 2007 — Epimedium-derived phytoestrogen flavonoids exert beneficial effect on preventing bone loss in late postmenopausal women: a 24-month randomized trial · J Bone Miner Res · PMID 17419678
  14. AshwagandhaChandrasekhar et al. 2012 — A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults · Indian J Psychol Med · PMID 23439798
  15. Resistance TrainingRiachy et al. 2020 — Various Factors May Modulate the Effect of Exercise on Testosterone Levels in Men · J Funct Morphol Kinesiol · PMID 33467296
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