If you’re looking to improve sexual performance then you might think testosterone boosting is the best way to do it, but where do you start?
You may have heard of a few options like steroids, powders or tablets advertised as ‘testosterone boosters’, or dietary or natural supplements
But which of these can you use and do they actually work?Sexual performance can mean a few different things. Depending on what part of your sexual performance you want to improve, testosterone boosting may or may not help. These include:
| Sexual performance issue | Affected by testosterone? | Where to get treatment? |
|---|---|---|
| Erectile dysfunction | Yes - but only if you have a deficiency | Online doctor service or GP |
| Sexual arousal | Yes | GP |
| Premature ejaculation | No | Online doctor service or GP |
| Physical endurance | Yes | GP |
Erectile dysfunction - if you are having problems getting an erection hard enough for sex, testosterone is unlikely to be the cause of the problem. Erection problems can have a number of causes and there are treatments for them, none of which affect your testosterone levels.
If you are having problems with erectile dysfunction, you can order a type of medication called a PDE-5 inhibitor which can help treat most causes of erection problems. These include:
Sexual arousal - boosting testosterone can improve sexual arousal, even if you have normal testosterone levels. Higher levels of testosterone can make it easier for you to get aroused and can boost your sex drive generally. While this doesn’t affect the physical action of your erections, if you are not getting hard because you’re not aroused then boosting testosterone could help.
Premature ejaculation - studies have shown that testosterone does not affect premature ejaculation. If you who have premature ejaculation, you probably have the same testosterone level as those who don’t have this problem. Even so, if you find you are ejaculating too quickly during sex, there are treatments available, including:
There are a few things that will boost your testosterone levels. Which one will work best for you depends on your personal circumstances. Some are easier to achieve than others, and some are safer than others. However, we recommend you talk to your doctor if you are worried about your testosterone levels.
Exercise – in particular, resistance (weights) training. Studies show that you get a short burst of testosterone whenever you do exercise that requires a lot of energy. This means when your body is forced to provide a lot of energy to your muscles, like during weight training, testosterone is released.
Diet – having more red meat in your diet can boost your testosterone levels. Having said this, we recommend you keep a balanced diet and only eat red meat in moderation.
Winning competitions – maybe an unexpected source of testosterone, studies have shown that after winning a competition your testosterone levels are boosted for a while.
Time between orgasms – studies have shown that waiting up to 7 days between orgasms can cause your testosterone levels to rise day by day. However, they then fall again from the 8th day onwards.
Anabolic steroids – these are prescription only medications that are only given to people who need them. Unless a doctor recommends them for you they aren’t a suitable way to boost your testosterone.
Puberty – this isn’t one you can have any control over, it happens naturally and at different times and speeds for different people. Testosterone helps change a male child into adult and is responsible for:
Boosting your testosterone will have a few different results. It can affect:
The effect also changes based on whether you have low or normal levels of testosterone. And there are a few myths about the effects of boosting testosterone that are good to know.
The table below shows some of the effects of boosting testosterone:
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How your body works |
How you might behave |
Your health |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | ||
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| Negative | ||
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| Other | ||
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Men with low testosterone – for men with testosterone levels below the normal range for men, a boost can have a few additional effects. These include:
Boosting your testosterone above normal levels does NOT:
Anabolic steroids are the prescription medication used to increase testosterone in some people. These medications are a mixture of natural and manmade testosterone. Anabolic steroids might be prescribed for:
Anabolic steroids should only be used as advise by a doctor. They are not suitable if:
There aren’t any supplements that are shown to naturally boost your testosterone levels. There are a few dietary supplements that are believed to help your body manage your testosterone levels better. These include:
Unless you have a deficiency of one of these vitamins or minerals in your body, then these supplements may not affect your testosterone levels.
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) extract - this is a chemical that used in your body which a ‘hormone precursor’. This means it’s the chemical used by the body to create hormones like oestrogen or testosterone. When taken as supplement it is believed to boost testosterone levels, but DHEA has not been shown to increase testosterone in men. DHEA comes in two form:
‘Testosterone boosting’ products - found online, or in health food or body-building shops, these products claim to boost testosterone levels if you buy them. The majority of these products will not have the effect you want and are not worth spending money on. Any of these products that do have a real effect may have a form of prescription medication in which is both dangerous and illegal.
Taking testosterone without a doctor’s advice can be very dangerous to your health. It can cause:
Testosterone abuse is defined as illegally giving yourself large doses of testosterone medication for reasons other than health (eg, body-building). People who are most likely to abuse testosterone are:
Testosterone abuse can also have serious legal consequences. You could sentenced to:
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