2024 | Does Ashwagandha Increase Testosterone & Libido? ⚠️Warnings & Benefits

I get a lot of questions about Ashwagandha. So, today I’m going to quickly discuss:

  • What ashwagandha is and how it works
  • Benefits and side effects
  • Does it really work for increasing testosterone
  • What’s the correct form and dosage
  • How to make it work better and safer.

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb.

An adaptogen is defined as “a nontoxic substance, typically a plant extract, that increases the body’s ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promotes or restores normal physiological functioning

Ashwagandha

For example, Ginseng is another well-known adaptogen.

Simply stated, adaptogens create better balance in the body.

Why Does Someone Use Ashwagandha?

When it comes to Ashwagandha, it’s usually utilized for two main reasons:

  1. Improving testosterone levels and all the potential benefits that come with that – such as higher libido and sex drive, muscle mass, strength, fat loss…
  2. Decreasing stress hormones such as cortisol and all the benefits that come with that – better mood, sleep, fat loss, less anxiety, improved overall health…

Today, I’m going to focus on the former, which is testosterone – does ashwagandha really improve testosterone levels, and what are the potential negative effects and warnings?

Does Ashwagandha Really Increase Testosterone?

There have been a few good clinical studies about Ashwagandha.

  • There is one study that showed a 15% increase in testosterone in healthy men who lifted weights.
  • Another study with regular men aged 40-70, also showed an increase in testosterone by about 15%
  • A different study showed improvements in muscle strength, size, and recovery from the increase in testosterone.
  • Another study showed a 5x high level of testosterone than the placebo. Which doesn’t seem realistic to me.
  • Other studies show an increase in testosterone levels by as little as 10% to as high as 40%.

Ashwagandha and testosterone

Additional Benefits

In addition to the testosterone-raising benefits, there are also a lot of studies about infertility and how ashwagandha can help improve sperm count, motility, and quality.

And what about erectile problems – does ashwagandha help with this? Well, studies have given mixed results – some yes, some no difference.

But if you mix Ashwagandha with other herbs (see below), then there is for sure a dramatic improvement in better, harder and fuller erections

Correct Form & Dosage

Over the years, I’ve noticed mixed results with Ashwagandha – both clinically and empirically (in the real world).

Selecting the correct form (see below) will make a huge difference if the product works or not.

First off, forget about taking liquid forms. They are never as potent and can go bad quickly.

Never take the “root powder”. It’s a dead powder with no active ingredients.

Ashwagandha root

It always has to be the extract, which is where are all the benefits are. So, please read the labels.

What you want is a high extract dose. Ideally, it would be something high, such as 32% oligosaccharides and 10% withanolide extract.

The higher the extract percentage, the higher the active ingredients, potency, and positive effects.

Also, there are two clinically proven versions of Ashwagandha that have dozens of human trials proving the potency, form, and positive benefits.

The two best ones are KSM-66® + Sensoril® – They’re patented and these are the two I use personally. I mix them together to ensure I get the best of both.

Ashwagandha extract

As far as the dose, studies show the ideal amount would be between 125-600 mg daily of the extract. Remember, the higher the extract, the lower the dose you need.

If it’s 10% extract, 125-250 mg daily is fine. If it’s 2.5% extract, you’ll need 800 mg daily. You’re paying for the active ingredient.

This is why I use both KSM-66® + Sensoril® – they have the highest extract percentage, which means I need a lower dose to get more benefits.

How To Make Ashwagandha Work Better

Utilizing Ashwagandha extract to boost testosterone levels is a good start.

However, it should never be the only one ingredient.

Hormones are complicated. Your body will quickly adapt if you only use 1 ingredient.

There are other mechanisms and ways to improve both total and free testosterone levels. You also want to optimize other hormones such as estrogen and DHT.

So if you want to maximize your testosterone levels, it’s best to use Ashwagandha with other testosterone-boosting, hormone-balancing herbs such as

  • Testofen® Fenugreek Extract
  • Tongkat Ali Extract
  • Horny Goat Weed
  • Maca
  • Tribulus Terrestris
  • And a few other herbs and minerals.

Of course, this can get expensive and inconvenient if you have to buy a dozen different products.

This is why I’ve been using AlphaViril for over 22+ years – because it contains all of the best testosterone-boosting herbs, in addition to the two best forms of ashwagandha extractKSM-66® + Sensoril®

Summary & Conclusion

The two main reasons to use ashwagandha are for boosting testosterone levels and sperm product … or to lower stress and cortisol levels.

In clinical studies, ashwagandha has been shown to increase testosterone levels by 10-40%

The ideal dose is 125-500 mg daily. Select one with a high extract percentage.

The two best versions that are clinically proven and patented are KSM-66® + Sensoril®

Utilize ashwagandha with other testosterone-boosting, hormone-balancing ingredients to dramatically increase the positive benefits & safety.