The 9 Best Supplements For ED and Boosting Testosterone
Disclaimer: Remember if you have medical questions or concerns, please talk to one of our healthcare providers. All of the facts below are researched and backed by Peer-reviewed, but they don’t present the complete picture. These facts should not be used as a substitute for real, professional medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment.
Table of content (links to sections)
What Is Ed and Low T?
ED, or erectile dysfunction, is a common condition that affects millions of men and often is directly connected to low testosterone (Low T). There are a number of common causes of ED, as well as a number of potential symptoms. To read more on the causes of erectile dysfunction read more here: https://www.performancecenterformen.com/10-causes-of-erectile-dysfunction
If you’ve been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction, or ED, it may help to know that you aren’t alone. In fact, as many as 30 million men in the United States experience ED, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Introduction
Today we are sharing the best supplements for men that can improve your hormone health and even boost your testosterone levels. Now, we're not talking about testosterone replacement-like effects to boosting your testosterone levels, like our TRT treatments, but research has definitely shown that taking these supplements can increase your testosterone levels, and you may experience benefits such as improved libido, overall wellbeing, improved mood. It can decrease depression and you may even experience some lean mass gains from taking these supplements.
You may require some supplements that we’re not recommending today that can improve your overall hormone health, if you are deficient in them. But if you're not, you won't be needing to take them. And If you're deficient from the nutrition that you're consuming in your diet, you may need to add those nutrients through supplements as well, especially if you're looking for vitamins to help testosterone or best vitamins for testosterone.
So now let's get to the best supplements for men’s testosterone.
Vitamin D3
The first supplement we want to talk about is vitamin D3. And for me personally, we believe that this is the most important supplement that most men should start consuming more of.
Now, vitamin D3 is actually a hormonal precursor, and some scientists actually believe that it is a hormone itself. Now, vitamin D3, through research, has shown that increasing vitamin D3 levels has been associated with increased testosterone levels. As a dietary supplement, vitamin D3 is fantastic for improving your overall immune health and metabolic health. If you are under stress, you burn through vitamin D3 in your system at a much faster rate, making it even more important to consume this dietary supplement during stressful times.
Now, in the US and Canada, the upper limit for vitamin D3 consumption is recommended 4,000 to 5,000 IUs per day. But according to research, they're kind of showing that more of the upper limit is closer to 10,000 IUs per day.
And a lot of people are prescribed even higher than that. Now, if you are deficient in vitamin D3, it can take a very long time for you to work yourself back up to normal optimal levels for yourself. So you may not experience the benefits immediately. You may not notice a difference right away. It may take some time with your increased vitamin D3 intake.
Again, consult with your physician or ours, and they may even prescribe a little bit higher for you, but definitely talk to your physician first before upping your dosage there. We are a huge proponent of vitamin D3 as a dietary supplement for men for your overall hormone health. And yes, it's going to boost your testosterone. It may not make a drastic difference in your muscle gains if that's what you're hoping to get out of it, but higher testosterone levels are associated with so many more benefits than just lean muscle mass. Associated with your overall well-being. Your mental health is a big thing. If your testosterone is low, you may experience brain fog. It's definitely going to affect your mood. It can even cause some mild depression. So keeping your testosterone levels high by using a supplement like vitamin D3 is crucial for us men for your overall wellbeing.
When considering the efficacy and risk of any dietary supplement, including vitamin D3, it's important to understand that while it can offer significant health benefits, individual responses may vary. Therefore, ongoing consultation with your healthcare provider is essential to manage any potential risks and ensure the best outcomes for your health.
Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
Studies looking at heart disease have shown that daily folic acid dietary supplement can reduce the hardening of arteries and allow for better circulation. Because cardiovascular disease and hypertension can be major risk factors in sexual dysfunction, some experts believe that improving heart function with vitamin B9 could also help improve erectile function. After all, good blood flow and circulation to the penis are essential for achieving and maintaining an erection.
A daily dose of folic acid dietary supplement may also act as a mood stabilizer and may help both stress-related erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation during sexual intercourse. However, more research is necessary to really understand its efficacy.
Foods that are great sources of B9 include:
Green, leafy vegetables like spinach and kale
Legumes, such as beans, peas, and lentils
Avocados
Asparagus
Eggs
Citrus fruits
Beets
Brussels sprouts
Bananas
Broccoli
Papaya
Cereals, rice, and pasta
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Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Vitamin B3, otherwise known as niacin, is one of the few vitamins with promising research some efficacy in boosting erectile function. That said, the sample size of the existing studies has been very small. Research with larger sample sizes is required.
Niacin is known to help decrease high blood pressure, and is sometimes used to treat hardening of the arteries and high cholesterol, all of which are known causes of impotence. If these health problems are the underlying cause of your ED, niacin may help increase circulation to your penis so you can achieve an erection.
To naturally up your intake of vitamin B3, try eating more:
Liver
Chicken breast
Tuna
Turkey
Avocado
Green peas
Mushrooms
The most common side effect of niacin is flushing of the skin. Starting at a lower dose and slowly increasing the dose may help; some people find that taking aspirin (if tolerated) helps with the flushing as well. Other side effects of consuming too much niacin include blurred vision, nausea, liver issues, and gout.
Ginseng
Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine have long relied on this root to enhance vitality, and Western science supports this use. Some experts believe Panax ginseng’s libido-lifting power comes from its ability to help the body adapt to stress. Research suggests ginseng may also improve sexual performance as well as sperm count and quality, meaning it can help with infertility. Ginseng also shows promise for treating erectile dysfunction.
In a study where men who had been clinically diagnosed with erectile dysfunction were given either 900 mg of Korean red ginseng a day or a placebo, those who took ginseng experienced significantly better penetration, rigidity, and erection maintenance compared to the placebo group. Just remember that the type of ginseng with these effects is Panax ginseng (often called Chinese or Korean Ginseng). Panax ginseng is a different species with unique effects while Siberian Ginseng is a different plant altogether so be very careful when doing your shopping.
Fish Oil
And we take this with vitamin D3, because vitamin D3 is fat-soluble. So you either need to consume it with a meal or fats like in a fish oil capsule here. Now for me personally, we consume, we’re looking at two to three grams of it combined EPA DHA. So don't just look at if your fish oil is one gram and it's got a low EPA DHA, you're going to need to take a lot more of those capsules in order to get that two to three grams of combined EPA DHA. So you want to find a fish oil capsule that has a high concentration of that. The one we use is a triple strength Omega, so it's got a combined EPA DHA of 900. There are 600 EPA in there, 300 DHA in each capsule, and we take three of these capsules. So we’re looking at 2.7 grams, which is in that two to three-gram dosage recommendation there.
Now, there's a huge list of benefits for men to consume fish oil on a regular basis. There's improved joint health, metabolic health, heart health, brain health. Taking fish oil on a daily basis will improve the overall function of every cell in your body, and it will improve your insulin sensitivity as well. Just a supplement we can't recommend enough, just a solid recommendation for us men.
Magnesium
Now, a lot of us men are deficient in magnesium and this is one of the many vitamins that help testosterone.
So supplementing with it can help get us back up to optimal levels and optimal levels of magnesium have been shown to help improve muscle tissue repair, bone health. It also has a calming effect on your body, so it can help kind of reduce stress, anxiety a little bit, and it may even help improve your sleep. Now, it's not something you'd take before bed and all of a sudden it's going to help you sleep better. We'd still take it in the morning with the rest of our supplements. It doesn't have a huge impact on sleep, but it can have, because that calming effect, it may help you sleep better.
The recommended dose is 200 to 400 milligrams per day. we personally take 300 milligrams per day. Just one of those supplements because a lot of us men tend to be deficient in it. We think it's a solid recommendation and can have a positive impact on your overall wellbeing and performance throughout the day.
Different types of Magnesium supplements
Magnesium supplements approved by the food and drug administration can have various effects and benefits. Here are some common types and their specific uses:
Mg Citrate
Helps with constipation, muscle relaxation, and can improve sleep quality. Highly bioavailable and often used as a mild laxative.
Mg Glycinate
Supports sleep, reduces anxiety, and promotes muscle health. Gentle on the stomach and has calming effects, making it ideal for those with a sensitive digestive system.
Mg Oxide
Used to treat migraines, indigestion, and constipation. Less bioavailable but useful for short-term relief of digestive issues.
Mg Malate
Boosts energy, reduces muscle pain and fatigue. Often recommended for conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome due to its energy-boosting properties.
Mg Taurate
Supports heart health and regulates blood pressure. The combination with taurine is beneficial for cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of hypertension.
Mg L-Threonate
Enhances cognitive function and supports brain health. Known for its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, making it effective for improving memory and learning.
Mg Chloride
Boosts overall magnesium levels and supports detoxification. Often used in topical forms like oil or bath flakes.
Mg Sulfate
Relieves muscle aches, reduces inflammation, and detoxifies. Commonly known as Epsom salt, used in baths for muscle relaxation and pain relief.
Mg Carbonate
Helps with heartburn and indigestion. Converts to magnesium chloride in the stomach and acts as an antacid.
Mg Aspartate
Supports athletic performance and energy production. Sometimes used in sports supplements to reduce muscle fatigue and enhance physical performance.
ashwagandha
Now, ashwagandha has been shown to decrease stress and anxiety, reduce cortisol levels, and some studies show that it may increase testosterone, but more research is needed on ashwagandha, especially in that area of study in regards to boosting testosterone levels. Now, if you've been following us for any length of time, you know that the two most important factors that we encourage men to focus on is sleep and stress management, which is why we recommend magnesium and ashwagandha among our top four supplement recommendations. It's absolutely crucial, but again, it's a supplement.
You can't just expect to take a supplement and it fix everything if your lifestyle is absolutely insane. If you are working ridiculous hours, you are stressed to the nines and you are sleeping like crap. You can't expect just to take supplements and it just to fix everything. You need to improve your overall lifestyle at the same time and improve your nutrition as well, because that can help reduce your stress and anxiety and help get up all these vitamins and minerals up to a normal, healthy, optimal level as well.
Now, in regards to ashwagandha, We recommend you take 300 milligrams twice a day on an empty stomach. So first thing in the morning, typically with a cup of coffee, and then later on in the day, typically before lunch, so 600 milligrams total. Some of the research shows higher levels of that.
So focusing on lifestyle improvements, overall lifestyle and adding these supplements in addition to that, in addition to improving the overall quality of our nutrition can improve overall wellbeing and hormonal health to that next level.
Maca
Maca has been shown to improve overall hormone health by increasing your libido, decreasing fatigue, decreasing cortisol, and increasing your performance and energy. We recommend you consume 1,500 milligrams of maca before breakfast and 1,500 milligrams of maca before lunch.
Definitely would love to see even more research on maca. But so far, it has been very promising. Once again, consult with your physician before consuming this. And in regards to ashwagandha, the supplement before, definitely consult with your physician before that. Also some people can be allergic to it as well. So just a concern that you should be consulting your physician with too.
Creatine Monohydrate
Not any fancy form of creatine, just go with the bare bones, tried and true supplement here, which is dirt cheap. 1,000 grams, can run just barely over $20 and will last me a good four months for sure. Try five grams on a daily basis.
That's kind of the standard dose. We think they recommend based on research, 0.3 times your body weight in kilograms, but most people find that increasing it to five, they experience better benefits from it.
Some people are non-responders to creatine and they find that by increasing the dosage a little bit, more above five, maybe even up to 10 grams per day, that's when they start to experience the benefits. But you do have to pay attention to gastric distress. Some people when they start consuming it in higher doses, they may experience diarrhea, some constipation, bloating, gas, so pay attention to that.
Benefits of creatine. It’s a long list!
This is probably the most studied supplement out there for decades and decades. It's mainly been studied in the bodybuilding arena, sports performance arena for a long time as it's been shown to improve your power output in the gym. You recover faster from using creatine. It also makes your muscles look fuller because it's holding that water in the muscle cells. A lot of people are worried that it's going to bloat them, hold water subcutaneously and kind of wash them out. It doesn't do that. It's holding that water in the muscle cell. So actually makes your muscles look for and kind of stretches your skin a little bit more. So if anything, it's going to make you look leaner.
And some studies have shown that it may increase testosterone as well. Mainly take it for the performance in the gym, but more and more research is coming out on brain health and heart health. So not only do we recommend this supplement for men to help you perform better in the gym and recover better from your workouts, but heart health and brain health are a huge factor for us men to consider, especially when they're looking at research in regards to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
So this is a supplement you don't have to cycle on and off of. we wouldn't even recommend a loading phase. We would just get right into the five grams per day and go from there. It may take a little longer, may take two weeks to four weeks to fully saturate your body with creatine by taking only five grams per day, but we do find that initial loading phase, that's usually when a lot of people can experience that gastric distress.