Natural test booster – which one works best?

Many people look recently for information about natural test boosters. Which one is the best? Are there any supplements made purely from plants? There has been a lot of confusion about natural test boosters, because this term is often associated with taking testosterone or steroids and risking unpleasant side effects. In this article I’m going to shed some light on natural test boosters, Tribulus and ZMA, made entirely from natural ingredients and recommended by many bodybuilders who use it regularly.

Tribulus Terrestris

Tribulus Supplement is made of tribulus terrestris, a vine native to warm regions of the Old World. Nowadays tribulus can be also found in Americas and Australia, being considered an invasive species and a noxious weed. Tribulus terrestris has been used across cultures for centuries, it is known in traditional Chinese medicine and in Ayurveda practice. Tribulus has been popularized as a modern natural test booster by a bodybuilder Jeffrey Petermann in the early 1970s. Tribulus benefits include increasing testosterone and energy level, supporting agility and speed and encouraging muscle tone.

The results of clinical studies of tribulus vary. A Bulgarian study conducted in 1970s found that tribulus elevated blood levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH). In other studies on humans tribulus failed to raise testosterone levels and to enhance strenght. However several animal studies proved that tribulus enhance sexual behaviour by stimulating androgen receptors in the brain. If you are considering to buy tribulus supplement to increase your sex drive, well it is definitely worth giving a shot.

ZMA

What is ZMA? ZMA, actually zinc monomethionine aspartate and magnesium aspartate, is a combination of zinc (30 mg), magnesium (430 mg) and vitamin B6 (10mg). Most of us get enough zinc and vitamin B6 in our diet, however according to this study more than 50% of Americans don’t get enough magnesium. As with tribulus, the results of clinical studies vary. A study conducted in 1998 on NCAA football players during 8 weeks confirmed the beneficial effects of ZMA as a natural test booster. Other studies didn’t confirm the ZMA effectivity. However positive ZMA reviews show that many bodybuilders are satisfied with this supplement.

ZMA benefits include supporting healhy blood levels of testosterone, strength and size gains. ZMA is safe and can benefit both men and women, a popular brand of this supplement is Optimum Nutrition ZMA. ZMA dosage is once a day before bedtime on empty stomach, which may give you better sleep and recovery. By the way, a general rule is not to take zinc supplements like ZMA with calcium as calcium blocks the absorption of zinc.

Fermented Cod Liver Oil

Tim Ferriss in his best selling book 4 Hour Body recommended consuming a blend of fermented cod liver oil with high vitamin butter oil as a natural test booster. Cold liver oil was known and used in Europe for centuries as a natural supplement, rich in omega-3 fat acids. Essential fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docasahexaenoic acid) are necessary for the health of the brain and the nervous system and of course for the testosterone production. The blend of cod liver oil and butter oil should be consumed twice a day, either as a single product (Tim Ferriss recommended the brand Blue Ice Cod Liver Oil from the manufacturer Green Pastures), or as cod liver oil consumed together with butter. The dosage of cod liver oil is four capsules a day, two capsules upon waking up and two before bedtime. Another benefit of taking cod liver oil is getting a supply of healty, “good” fats.

Lifestyle choices

What else can you do to raise your testosterone levels naturally? The following list of natural test boosters which may help you:

• Did you know that sleep is a natural test booster? Get enough sleep, both in terms of length and quality. Testosterone is produced by your body during REM sleep, a phase of sleep when eyeballs move rapidly. This phase of sleep takes place in the morning, so a short nap in the afternoon won’t help your testosterone. If you don’t get healthy 8 hours sleep a day, it may and would affect your hormone levels.
• Reduce stress. Prolonged stress is not healthy for your body as a whole and will affect your testosterone level. Stress hormone cortisol and testosterone have opposite influence on the body, with cortisol mobilising the body to escape danger. The both hormones compete with each other, if you have too much cortisol, the influence of testosterone will be blocked to some extend. Even if you take some of the above mentioned natural test boosters, they won’t be working as expected if you suffer from stress.
• Maintain a balanced diet with all the micro- and macronutrients your body need.
• Avoid overtraining. Too much endurance training (more than an hour) would increase your cortisol level, which has catabolic properties, and lower your testosterone level. As with stress reduction, you don’t want to have too much cortisol in your blood. On the contrary, proper resistance training is one of the best natural test boosters.

Other test boosters

• Eat brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are one of the best dietary sources of trace mineral selenium, which is a potent antioxidant and a natural test booster. Brazil nuts are also a source of the amino acid arginine, which is a vasodialator i.e. a substance increasing blood and oxygen flow to your muscles. Brazil nuts were also a part of testosterone boosting program of Tim Ferriss.
• Take vitamin D3. A study has found that increased intake of vitamin D3 can increase testosterone levels. Vitamin D3 has been recommended also in the book 4 Hour Body by Tim Ferriss as a natural test booster.
• Take calcium. Another research indicates that calcium supplementation also increases testosterone levels.