To amplify their masculine performance, many men turn to T-boosters to increase the production of testosterone. Testosterone boosters are popular dietary supplements, but they are not without controversy. This article takes a look at some testosterone booster supplements pros and cons that may help you decide if taking a T-booster is right for you.
Table of Contents
Testosterone Booster Pros
PRO: T-Boosters are often natural
T-boosters have many forms and they often have multiple health benefits. But one overarching theme is that testosterone boosters are usually natural in origin.
Natural testosterone boosters come in forms that may include:
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Plant extracts
- Amino acids
- Oysters
Because they are natural, testosterone boosters are believed to work in harmony with the body. Rather than the harsh nature of synthetics and steroids, T-boosters help to optimize your natural testosterone production capacity — which leads into our next testosterone booster “pro”.
PRO: Many T-boosters are safe and well-tolerated
As natural dietary supplements, T-booster do not force the body to perform beyond human limits. Unlike steroids, which directly add testosterone to the body, T-boosters promote the body’s natural production of test. This makes testosterone boosters a lot more tolerable and safe than other more harsh, unnatural or controversial options that are available to men.
CON: Not all T-Booster supplements are safe and well-tolerated.
The best testosterone supplements will take steps to ensure effectiveness in combination with safety and tolerability, such as:
- Avoiding notoriously cheap and harsh zinc forms like Oxide, known for metal-in-mouth taste and indigestion side effects
- Using high-potency herbal extracts that concentrate a botanical’s T-boosting power into a smaller, and more tolerable, dosage
- Limiting or completely removing any synthetic colors, preservatives, allergens, and other undesirable ingredients (like soy) to men who are working on improving their test levels
Choosing a quality testosterone supplement is the first and most important step if you want to avoid unpleasant side effects and potential risks.
PRO: Testosterone supplements are legal
T-boosters are dietary supplements, widely available and legal to use. If you can go to your local chain vitamin store or a big online retailer and buy a test supplement, you have good assurances that the product is not only safe, but legal. T-boosters are even allowed during competitions because they only support and enhance the normal male body functions.
There are two key exceptions to T-booster legality, however:
- Sometimes T-booster supplement may include masculinity- or performance-enhancers that may not be legal or allowed for use in competition. One example is DHEA, which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List for 2018 and is not a very good T-booster, anyway.
- Low-quality testosterone booster supplements that do not manufacture their products the right way are sometimes tainted with illegal substances.
For both of these reasons, it is important to choose a T-booster supplement carefully, and always look for high-quality products. Our Best Testosterone Boosters page is a great starting point on finding a clean, legal T-booster supplement.
PRO: Testosterone boosters increase muscle mass and strength
Masculinity comes from adequate levels of testosterone in the body. This means that with low levels of testosterone, muscle mass increase and strength may be impaired. Testosterone is greatly important for masculine characteristics such as muscle mass and strength.
PRO: Testosterone boosters increase athletic competitiveness
Based on research, high levels of testosterone increase athletic competitiveness.3 High levels of testosterone motivate an athlete during competitions and promotes better performance during competitions.
PRO: Test supplements may enhance male sexuality
T-boosters are popular for increasing libido or sex drive in men. Not only do T-boosters affect the body physically, but it also helps with overall male sexuality. One symptom of low testosterone is low libido, and this can be reversed by supporting testicular health by the use of T-boosters.
Higher test levels may also be associated with overall improvements in erectile function and male sexual performance in the bedroom.
PRO: Higher test levels boost cognitive ability
In men, testosterone affects behavior and cognitive ability. This means that in men, testosterone helps with decision making and general mental function. In aging men, reduced cognitive ability is sometimes linked to low testosterone levels.
Testosterone shapes men’s thinking towards different situations, especially during the stressful ones.
T-boosters enable men to think rationally or be more competitive with the right amount of testosterone production. In a sense, testosterone is a hormone that may act like a brain-boosting nootropic in men.
Another reason why testosterone is greatly important for men is because it is inversely proportional with the stress hormone called cortisol. High levels of stress can greatly cloud judgment and if testosterone is low, cortisol is probably high.
PRO: Natural T-Boosters Do not decrease testicular size, unlike anabolic steroids
Testosterone boosters promote the normal function of the testes without adding any additional synthetic testosterone to the body. Thus, the testes are stimulated to continuously produce testosterone so testes size remains the same when taking T-boosters even after long-term use.
- Decrease in testicular size is a common side effect of anabolic steroids.
The body detects anabolic steroids as testosterone and treats it as such, so the Leydig cells in the testicles are prevented from secreting more testosterone to the system and eventually decreases the size of the testes with regular use. This side effect will never be experienced with the use of T-boosters.
T-Boosters vs. TRT vs. Steroids – Pros and Cons
This table shows the top 3 most famous masculinity enhancers in the market today. Here is a side by side comparison of how testosterone booster supplements pros and cons compare with other testosterone health options:
Testosterone booster | Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) | Anabolic-androgenic Steroid (AAS) | |
Ingredients | Natural | Synthetic | Synthetic |
Increases muscle mass and strength | Yes | Potentially Yes | Yes |
Additional health benefits | Yes | Yes | No |
Pros | – Increases muscle mass and strength – Increases athletic competitiveness – Enhances male sexuality – Boosts cognitive ability |
– Replaces testosterone effectively – Boosts cognitive ability – FDA regulated |
– Immense increase in muscle mass and strength – Appealing muscle appearance |
Cons | – May lead to too much testosterone production – May cause certain allergies – Some products are unregulated |
– Increased risk of heart attack and stroke – May cause difficulty in breathing – Injections can be a pain |
– Has potentially life-threatening side effects – Illegal to use during competitions – Some products are unregulated |
Testosterone Booster Cons
CON: Extremely high levels of testosterone may lead to unwanted side effects
Too much of everything may lead to unwanted side effects. Too much T-booster does not cause severe or life-threatening side effects unlike anabolic steroids, but too much testosterone production may lead to these minor conditions:
- Oily skin
- Acne breakouts
- Premature baldness
- Increased aggressiveness
CON: Does not increase muscle size to extreme proportions unlike anabolic steroids
Testosterone boosters are for boosting masculinity and not for extreme muscle gain beyond human proportions. Muscle gain is possible with T-boosters, however the effects of anabolic steroids on muscle is greater that that of testosterone boosters. Anabolic steroids are able to increase muscle size very quickly beyond natural proportions even when compared to high levels of testosterone. This is not an effect of testosterone alone, but its amplified derivatives.
CON: Some T-boosters may cause allergies to certain individuals
There are different kinds of testosterone boosters and they contain different ingredients that my cause allergies to certain individuals. Always check the ingredients list before buying any T-booster and avoid any substance that you’re allergic to, especially with T-boosters with plant extracts.
More about T-booster ingredients
CON: Some dietary supplements declared as T-boosters are unregulated
Since T-boosters are classified as dietary supplements and not drugs, most products are unregulated and improperly labeled. These products may have harmful side effects if the list of ingredients is incorrect. Always check the list of ingredients of the supplements that you are taking.
CON: Some T-boosters are laced with unlisted anabolic steroids
Natural T-boosters are not supposed to contain anabolic steroids or its derivatives in any way. FDA warns the public that certain brands declared as T-booster dietary supplements contains anabolic-androgenic steroids or its derivatives that are not listed in the ingredients in the product label.
These tainted dietary supplements are harmful and must be avoided. FDA is also taking certain steps to protect the public from these types of substances disguised as dietary supplements.
Conclusion on Testosterone Booster Supplements Pros and Cons
This Pros and Cons article will help you decide whether T-boosters will be enough for you or if you need other types of therapy to go with it. In our opinion:
- The benefits of testosterone booster supplements outweigh their cons in many ways, as long as you buy a good, high-quality formula.
Just be cautious for new products that might contain unlisted ingredients that may be dangerous to your health. Only purchase reputable brands of T-boosters to avoid unwanted side effects. T-boosters are not drugs, but they are dietary supplements that help improve and enhance masculinity.
References
- Menelaos L. Batrinos Testosterone and Aggressive Behavior in Man Int J Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Summer
- Beauchet O Testosterone and cognitive function: current clinical evidence of a relationship. Eur J Endocrinol. 2006 Dec;155(6):773-81.
- Carré JM et al. Motivational and situational factors and the relationship between testosterone dynamics and human aggression during competition. Biol Psychol. 2010 May;84(2):346-53. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.04.001. Epub 2010 Apr 8.
- Peter Celec et al. On the effects of testosterone on brain behavioral functions Front Neurosci. 2015; 9: 12.
- Hyun Jin Jung et al. Effect of Testosterone Replacement Therapy on Cognitive Performance and Depression in Men with Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome World J Mens Health. 2016 Dec; 34(3): 194–199
Leave a Reply