Update 7/21/22. Ageless Male is a testosterone enhancer for men over 40 that you may have seen advertised on Fox and Friends and elsewhere. Its bottles claim it to be a “worldwide best seller.” Since I first reviewed Ageless Male, its ingredients have changed quite a bit, so this updated review will first list the new ingredients and their research and after that, I'll show you the ingredients in the original formula. Does Ageless Male really work? Does It raise testosterone levels or improve libido? Does it have any side effects? Let's look at the ingredients in this testosterone booster and see what we can discover.
What Is Ageless Male?
Ageless Male is a supplement primarily marketed to men over 40 who have low testosterone levels – or who think they do. According to the supplement's website, Ageless Male is alleged to have these benefits:
- Boost Healthy Testosterone Levels.
- Increase libido, drive and performance.
- Helps Promote Energy Metabolism.
- Promotes Muscle as Part of Strength Training.
All of these claims contain an asterisk that refers readers to the statement that “these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.”
Ageless Male Ingredients
A bottle of Ageless Male has 60 tablets. Each 1 tablet of Ageless Male has the following ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount Per Serving | Percent Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B 6 (pyridoxine HCL) | 4.9 mg | 245% DV |
| Magnesium (magnesium oxide) | 16 mg | 4% DV |
| Zinc (zinc acid chelate) 15 mg | 15 mg | 100% DV |
| Fenugreek seed extract (as Testofen) | 300 mg | N/A |
N/A = no daily value established
Other Ingredients in Ageless Male that are listed are:
- calcium carbonate
- microcrystalline cellulose
- stearic acid
- croscarmellose sodium
- magnesium stearate
- coating (hypromellose & polyethylene glycol)
- silica
I don't believe these other ingredients play any role in the effects of Ageless Male.
Ageless Male Vitamins And Minerals
While I normally don't review the vitamins and minerals in supplements (because I don't think they do anything), there is some evidence on the nutrients in Ageless Male so here is a quick review of them to help you better understand why they are present.
Zinc
Ageless Male contains the mineral zinc. Zinc is also found in other testosterone enhancer supplements too. The reason for this is probably because of a study from 1996 that looked noted zinc supplementation raised testosterone in both younger and older men who were lacking this mineral.
In this study, the older men were naturally lacking zinc but it had to be induced in younger men. In other words, the younger men were not deficient in zinc.
While older adults might be deficient in zinc, becuase they might not eat so well, Im not convienced younger men need more of this mineral.
Foods naturally rich in zinc include seafood, pumpkin seeds, chicken and beef nuts, and beans to name a few.
Does Zinc Raise Testosterone?
watch on my Youtube channel if you prefer
Vitamin B6
In rats, a lack of vitamin B6 might reduce testosterone production. But what about people? Does B6 raise testosterone in humans? If that evidence exists, it could not be located for this review. Foods high in vitamin B6 include meats, chicken, fish, chickpeas, and potatoes.
Can Vitamin B6 Alleviate Anxiety?
Watch on my Youtube channel if you prefer
Magnesium
One study involving 30 men (18-22), noted that magnesium (10 mg per kilogram of body weight), raised both free testosterone and total testosterone. For a man weighing 180 pounds (81 kilograms) this comes to 820 mg. Both exercise alone (carried out to exhaustion) and exercise + magnesium increased testosterone levels.
The highest levels were seen in those who exercised to exhaustion and took magnesium supplements. No significant changes were seen in those who took magnesium but did not exercise.
Two tablets of Ageless Male (recommended amount to take) contain 30 mg of magnesium. This study used much more than this. The men in this study used 10 mg per kilogram of body weight. So, a 180 pound man (82 kg) would have recieved 818 mg of magnesium per day.
Regimen is another popular low T supplement. See that review for more information.
What Is Testofen?
Testofen is the name given to a trademarked form of the herb fenugreek. The scientific names for fenugreek are Trigonella foenugraecum and Trigonella foenum-graecum. Keep these terms in mind as the Testofen research is reviewed below. Two other names for fenugreek are Greek hay and Greek hayseed.
Testofen is a registered trademark of the company Gencor Pacific (GencorPacific.com). In other words, Gencor Pacific created the name “Testofen” as a way to subtly drive home the message to men that this extract of fenugreek raises testosterone.
But does it?
Let's look at some the research on fenugreek and testosterone and try to find out
Searching the National Library of Medicine for:
- Testofen testosterone
- Fenugreek testosterone
- Trigonella foenugraecum testosterone
- Trigonella foenum-graecum testosterone
I located the following clinical studies.
Testofen Study 1
In a study published in 2011 in the Journal Phytotherapy Research, fenugreek was randomly given to 60 healthy males between the ages of 25 and 52 for 6 weeks. Men either received fenugreek (600 mg of Testofen) or a placebo and they rated how they felt on a sexual functioning questionnaire (called the DISF-SR) over the course of the 6-week study.
The men getting the fenugreek reported greater feelings of sexual arousal, orgasm, libido, well-being, energy, and muscular strength. There was no change in mood reported.
It is odd that the men in the study reported no change in mood, yet they reported better “well being.” To me, that does not compute. How did their well being improve, but not their mood?
Keep in mind that this study did not directly measure strength or energy levels. Rather, the men just reported that they felt stronger and had more energy. This is a drawback of the study.
While these points are interesting, the study also says that testosterone levels did not change.
In the study they say “Serum prolactin and testosterone levels remained within the reference range.” That's fancy talk for ” Testofen did not raise testosterone levels.” Even scientists tap dance around the facts sometimes—and this is an example of it.
Testofen Study 2
Fenugreek is an example of a natural 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor. The enzyme 5 alpha-reductase turns testosterone into DHT (di-hydro-testosterone). Thus, anything that could inhibit the 5 alpha-reductase enzyme might prevent DHT formation and — raise testosterone levels.
The next study looked at how well fenugreek can block 5 alpha reductase enzyme.
This study was published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism in 2010. It involved 30 college-age males who were randomly given 500 mg of fenugreek extract —or placebo—for 8 weeks.
The extract of fenugreek used in this study was called grecunin. The word grecunin looks a lot like graecum, which is part of the scientific name for fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum). Fenugreek supplements usually don't list how much grecunin they contain.
In this study, the men lifted weights for 4 days per week for 8 weeks. They took the fenugreek (or placebo) in the morning and just prior to working out. At end of the study, men who received fenugreek extract saw these benefits:
- 6.57% increase in testosterone —a significant change
- 12.26 increase in the bio-availability of testosterone —a significant change
- 1.77% decrease in body fat —a significant change
- 26.62% increase in estrogen (estradiol) — a non -significant change
- 6.10 % increase in DHT —a non-significant change
- No significant change in muscle strength in the upper or lower body
- No significant change in protein synthesis or muscle hypertrophy
It was also noted fenugreek did not completely block the action of 5 alpha-reductase. It partially blocked the action of the
enzyme—which is interesting— but did not block it completely. This study was funded by Indus Biotech, a pharmaceutical company based in India. Indus Biotech also provided the fenugreek extract. The study lists no conflicts of interest among the researchers (that's good).
This study is interesting. If you decide to try fenugreek, remember the people used in this investigation were college-age males. This doesn't necessarily mean the same results would occur in men who are in their 50s, etc.
Testofen Study 3
Researchers in 2016 published a study on Testofen that lasted 12 weeks and involved giving either a placebo or 600 mg of the fenugreek extract to 111 healthy men (43-70 years of age). Testosterone was measured before and after the study and men completed a questionnaire (called, the Aging Male Symptom Questionnaire) designed to gauge their sexual function and other feelings of low hormone levels.
Compared to those taking a placebo, men taking Testofen reported more morning erections and improvements in their andropause questionnaires. Researchers also reported a “small but significant difference” in testosterone in those taking Testofen compared to those taking a placebo.
Testofen Study 4
Researchers in India noted that a fenugreek extract supplement called Furosap raised testosterone levels between 45% and 90% and improved sperm motility. This study involved 50 men (35-65 years of age) who were given 500 mg of the Furosap supplement for 12 weeks.
Furosap is a product of a company called Cepham (Cepham.com) which is located in New Jersey. I found it odd that they went to India to do their study. A problem with the study was that there was no placebo group.
This supplement contains Furosap for those interested.
Testofen Research Summary
Research can be complicated so here is a quick rundown of the research on Testofen/fenugreek and testosterone
| Study | Amount Used | Results |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Study | 600 mg Testofen | no change in testosterone. |
| 2010 Study | 500 mg fenugreek extract | 6.5% increase in testosterone. |
| 2016 Study | 600mg Testofen | men report better morning erections |
| 2017 Study | 500 mg fenugreek | 45-90% improved testosterone. |
This is a summary. See the above sections for all the results.
My Fenugreek Experiment
While writing this review I became interested in the research I was seeing. So, just as an experiment, I purchased the Vitamin Shoppe brand of fenugreek (not the same thing as Ageless Male) and took 610 mg per day for 6 weeks to see what happens.
While I did notice a little change in erections (usually in the evening), I thought it was minimal and I would not call the effect “significant”. I did not measure my testosterone levels during this “experiment.”
Might the ingredients in Ageless Male work together better than just fenugreek alone? It's possible. I did not test drive Ageless Male so I can't say for sure.
Ageless Male Ingredients (Old Formula)
This review of Ageless Male would not be complete if I didn't mention the version of the product we see today is not the same as it originally was when I first reviewed it. Back then, the original Ageless Male formula contained only 2 ingredients, which together form a proprietary blend that was called “Re-Settin.”
The ingredients in the Re-Settin blend were:
- Saw Palmetto berry extract
- Astaxanthin (a type of carotenoid)
Re-Settin is a catchy word. I guess these ingredients were supposed to “reset” a man’s testosterone levels? Regardless, Re-Settin is a marketing word that holds no scientific meaning.
Originally, 2 capsules of Ageless Male had 10 calories and 800 mg of the Re-Settin blend of ingredients.
The version of the product today has no similarity to what was in the product previously. I have no way of knowing if how the new version of Ageless Male compares to the original formula.
Regardless, here is a review of the research I could turn up on the ingredients in the original formula.
Ageless Male Research (Original Formula)
The original formula of Ageless Male -the product itself – appeared to have no published, clinical proof that it raised testosterone in humans. No clinical studies on this supplement can be located.
There does appear to be one study on saw palmetto and astaxanthin and testosterone levels. The study was published in 2008 in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
The study did not use Ageless Male. Rather researchers were testing another supplement called Mytosterone (also called AlphaStat) made by a company called Triarco (triarco.com) which is located in Wayne NJ. Triarco funded this study but the investigation notes that none of the authors had any financial connection to the outcomes of the research (that's good).
In this 2 week long investigation, 42 healthy men between the ages of 37 and 70 were divided into 2 groups.
- Group 1 (21 men) was given 800 mg of the Mytosterone supplement
- Group 2 (21 men) was given 2000 milligrams of the Mytosterone supplement
At the end of the study, researchers noted that men who got both 800 mg and 2000 mg showed:
- Significant elevations in testosterone
- Significant reductions in DHT
However, significant reductions in estrogen were only seen in men who received the 2000 mg dose.
No significant side effects were noted but again this study lasted only 2 weeks.
If this was a study that the original Ageless Male was based on, keep in mind that it did not look at sex drive, bone growth, strength or muscle development. Myosterone may be found in other supplements also but do check the levels in supplements to make sure you are getting at least 800 mg.
This study did raise some red flags with me. For one thing, the researchers say that the men were divided into two groups. They do not say that the men were randomly divided into groups. I'm mentioning this because if you look at both groups, they have “significantly different” testosterone levels at the start of the study.
- Group 1 (whose average age was 55) testosterone level =21.64 nmol/L
- Group 2 (whose average age was 61) testosterone level =26.26 nmol/L
I’d expect that if the men were randomly assigned to each group, there would not be a significant difference in testosterone levels between groups.
Also, there was no control group either. Given the differences in testosterone between groups at the start of the study, a control group (who got nothing) would make me feel a little better about how good this study was.
Also see the reviews on Mdrive, Nugenix and TriVerex for more info on these other popular men's supplements.
Who Makes Ageless Male?
Ageless Male is marketed by a company called New Vitality (NewVitality.com) which incidentally also goes by the name NAC Vitamin Company (also called NAC Marketing company) according to the Better Business Bureau. The BBB gave NAC Vitamin Company a rating of “B+” when this review was written. Check the BBB file for updates and more information
The New Vitality/NAC Vitamin company is located at 95 Executive Drive, Suite 14 Brentwood NY 11717. This address corresponds to the Hartland Business Center.
Another address for New Vitality is 260 Smith St., Farmingdale, NY 11735. Googling this address clearly shows a building with a sign saying “New Vitality, NAC Marketing.”
It's worth mentioning that Ageless Male is one of many products New Vitality offers.
See the Super Beta Prostate review for another supplement they make.
How To Contact Ageless Male?
New Vitality, the company that markets Ageless Male can be reached at 800-675-5956.
Another phone number is 631-777-7767.
How Much Does Ageless Male Cost?
1 bottle of Ageless Male costs $49.95 and $39.95 if becoming a “super saver” (this may be where they auto ship people a bottle on a regular basis). Purchasing 3 bottles cost $89.90. There are also deals for buying more and being in the Super Saver program
Buy Ageless Male
Ageless Male can be purchased as many familiar stores like Vitamin Shoppe and GNC and Walmart. It can also be obtained directly from the NewVitality.com website too.
Ageless Male vs. MDrive
Mdrive is another popular testosterone-raising supplement. Mdrive also contains Testofen too as well as other ingredients not found in Ageless Male. At the time this review was created, there were no studies that compared Ageless Male to Mdrive to see which was better.
The Mdrive Review has other information on that product.
Ageless Male vs. Nugenix
Those investigating natural ways to increase testosterone levels have probably heard of Nugenix. Like Ageless Male, it's advertised on TV. No studies have compared their effects to each other. They contain different ingredients too.
See the Nugenix review for more information.
Ageless Male Side Effects
I believe Ageless Male is safe. I'm not aware of any bad side effects from the product. It's important to remember that a testosterone supplement like Ageless Male is likely not going to have the same side effects as taking testosterone itself.
Here are a few things to keep in mind if using this or other testosterone booster supplements. This list is not complete:
- With all-new supplements start with less than is recommended for the first week to see how you react.
- Fenugreek might lower blood sugar levels. This may be a problem for those with diabetes.
- Stop taking Ageless Male and other supplements at least 2 weeks before having surgery.
- Kids and teenagers should not use fenugreek or Ageless Male. The product is not designed for them.
- Ageless Male is not appropriate for women, especially those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Those who have any health issues or take any medications are encouraged to speak to their doctor first.
Ageless Male And Hair Loss
Since Ageless Male is touted to raise testosterone levels, some might wonder if that might lead to hair loss as more testosterone is converted to DHT (which is linked to hair loss). I'm not aware of any evidence of this. Fenugreek appears to block the enzyme that raises DHT levels.
Does Ageless Male Work?
If Ageless Male really works its effects might be best noticed in men with low testosterone levels. As for libido, this is a complicated issue. I think the results would vary.
The only way to know if it's boosting testosterone is to get your testosterone levels measured first. Then, try Ageless Male for a month. Then measure testosterone again. That is the best way to know if Ageless Male is really working.
Here it is on Amazon
What do you think?
Mustang Sally sure made a lot of sense, good post. Now, Joe, with Ageless Male not sounding so good…are their recommendations you may have that do seem to work? OK, no beer, no cigs, eat fresh veggies, stop sitting around and exercise a lot more…anyhow, any supplements to recommend that do appear to work?
Dave, when you say “works” do you mean raise testosterone? if yes, then Im not sure I can recommend any supplements. if you look closely at their ads, none of them actually say “it raises testosterone.” and none of them have shown any good proof they do this. Best advice is get T levels tested now, try a product and get them tested again in a month to see if there is a change. I doubt there will be but Im open to the possibility I am wrong.
Men normally start losing Testosterone around age 35. The hormone loss can advance more quickly in men who are under chronic stress (bad job, relationships full of drama, other disease processes going on in their body already, street drug usage, abuse of alcohol, sedentary lifestyle, etc.).
In such men, Testosterone loss is happening more quickly and they may feel poorly long before a doctor would expect them to. Also, with all of the petrochemicals men are exposed to when they work on their cars and motorcycles, plus all of the other toxins and xenoestrogens already found in our polluted environment, their waning Testosterone can seem exacerbated by the elevation of bad estrogens.
So it’s always good to address not only the loss of Testosterone, but battle the onslaught of bad estrogens (xenoestrogens) in the environment by eating increased cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, kale and others) either in raw or cooked form.
If none of these vegetables are acceptable to your tastebuds, one can try a product called “DIM” which can be found online by a few different manufacturers. DIM is a proprietary product made from broccoli that takes the active ingredient in broccoli that metabolizes xenoestrogens from the body and multiplies it several times, so it’s like eating 10 heads of broccoli to take 1 capsule. DIM alone can do a lot of make a man whose body is flooded with xenoestrogens feel a lot lighter, awake and happier, even before supplementing with Testosterone. I think Nature’s Way makes a good one that has high reviews on Amazon.
Basically, the combination of the loss of sex hormones in both men and women and the introduction of bad estrogens (xenoestrogens) in our environment eventually turns men into women, and women into men. IOW, when women age they start to get rough facial skin, manly facial features, hair in odd places, belly fat, deeper voices, depression, male pattern hair loss, etc. When men age, they get “man boobs,” are more prone to weepiness and are easily offended rather than tough and bold, have a lower sex drive, and have less energy for exercise, etc.
I guess that’s why when married couples age together, they start to look like each other! That’s all cute and funny, but it can spell disaster for both of their health profiles. Men and women who have hormone loss and imbalances are more prone to the diseases we associate with aging, AND they are more prone to the various sex diseases (breast cancer and prostate cancer). Women will get breast and ovarian cancer; men will get prostate cancer and even some of THEM get breast cancer.
Suzanne Somers puts it like this: God created us male and female in the Earth. What makes us recognizable as male or female is our hormone profile. If our hormones are missing, lost or off balance, to the universe we don’t look like men or women anymore insofar as our individual hormone profile, and when the universe sees a woman with the hormones of a man, it says, “God made her a female, but her hormones look like a male, I will push her off the planet with breast cancer in order to fulfill God’s edict that she be a female.” And the opposite is true for a man whose hormones resemble those of a woman: prostate cancer, pushed off the planet in accordance with God’s edict that he be a male.
Men and women were NEVER created to lose hormones, age, get sick or die. They were supposed to live forever in the Earth, but something went terribly wrong in the Garden of Eden and all bets were off and sickness, aging and death entered the world. One of the biggest drivers of aging, disease and death is hormone imbalance. This new(ish) knowledge we have today about hormone re-balancing is a big opportunity to sort of thwart the Fall of Man and its consequences in our bodies. Of course, nutrition, exercise, eating whole foods, avoiding junk food, alcohol, street drugs, cigarettes and toxic people goes a long way as well. Between the two, we can age gracefully and be vital and vibrant until the day we “go home.” That way we can be of the most value and help to those in our lives who we love and do what we were put on the planet by God to do, whatever that may be.
Of course, our bodies aren’t the most important part of us, our spirits are. In order the thwart the the consequences that the Fall of Man had on our spirits, we must receive Jesus. But I digress.
I am 46, have been very tired and experienced low “everything”, even the willingness to get up and work out which I used to do often. I am researching Low T and the amount of information (credible or not) is overwhelming. I am going for my physical in a month. Do I need to ask them to test my T levels or is it part of a normal test to do so? Thanks
Todd, tell your doctor about how you are feeling and ask him/her to test total testosterone and “free” testosterone levels. They usually dont test T levels unless you ask or unless they think it might be low.
Ageless Male worked for me. I am in my 40s and was 220 lbs and about 20 of those pounds were over weight. I worked out at least 3 times a week and still could not lose any weight and I started feeling really sluggish a couple of years ago. I found Ageless Male on the net and decided to give it a try. I would say for me that after 4 weeks I lost weight down to 205 now and feeling good. More stamina, focus, and yes the wife likes it too. I hope that it works for you as well.
Kevin, glad it worked for you. Judging from the comments of the people here, you seem to be one of the exceptions.
I am 62. I responded to the numerous TV commercials on this product and ordered a 3 month special deal on the agelessmale website. I have had ED symptoms for about 5 years and my annual physical showed testosterone levels were low (around 340). My PSA level at the same time was 4.0. I took the product for three months. I also engaged in weight lifting 3 times/week for 30 minutes. After three months, I had the testosterone and PSA levels checked again. The testosterone level did raise to around 420. But, my PSA shot up to 7.0. Thats 3.0 points in 3 months. My doctor advised me to immediately stop taking these.
After taking AgelessMale for 3 months I basically did not feel any different either from an energy or strength perspective or from an ED perspective. So, from my point of view it did harm to me rather than good.
The day I received the lab results, I automatically received another 3 months supply, which I was unaware would happen. Be advised that you need to look at the fine print (on the agelessmale website). You’ll see that they will automatically send another order and bill your credit card every three months.
I called to cancel this. As expected, it took over a half hour to get a human being on phone to help me stop the reordering. When I finally got someone on the phone, they informed me there was another 3 month order just sent; so now I have 6 bottles of this stuff without ever wanting it.
I will never order anything again that does automatically billing except for any ongoing prescriptions.
This is probably the 15th male enhancement kind of product I’ve tried over the last 5 years. I’ve taken so many because none of them work as advertised; so, I try another one. I guess I should finally learn my lesson.
I feel kind of awkward being the only woman to ask questions on this topic, but it’s for my husband… He’s 28, and for the last year or so has experienced weight gain, very low sex drive, low self-esteem, and really no desire to do anything at all.
We’ve seen the commercial’s on tv for Ageless Male and a few other products, and he’s mentioned to me that he would be willing to try something like this.
I’m a little concerned, however, because of his age. I don’t want anything that is mood altering, and I have no clue where to start as far as prescriptions or supplements, but he is way to young to be experiencing these things. If anyone has any advice, I’m willing to listen!
Hi Kate, your actually not the only women to ask questions here so dont feel funny. I think your husbands best first step is to speak to his doctor about this. Yes hes only 28 years old but recently I ran into a guy, the same age as your husband, who discovered that he had very low testosterone levels. Does your husband too? He wont know until he gets his testosterone levels measured. Maybe its not his testosterone and something else? Again, get him to talk to his doctor. That will give you both a faster and better answer than trying Ageless Male.
Magnesium oxide is hardly the most absorbable form of magnesium. M citrate and M threonate are superior, just like ascorbyl palmitate is a better ascorbic acid type, and benfotiamine superior to thiamine, idebenone may be preferential to ubiquinol. Does Ageless Male work? Yes, somewhat, provided the person isn’t dosing on sugary foods! And drinking from too many plastic beverage bottles! IMO plain carnosine is gonna run souped up dragster circles around Ageless Male. Something else that can top it would be colostrum. Ageless Male works best to enhance the financial profile of its Arlington Texas marketer.
Age less male may or may not work, but everyone needs to know this, it is not testosterone period. Testosterone is a hormone that can only be prescribed by a doctor and thats the correct and safe way to do it if you want real results. Its also very important to have your blood levels checked. Buying a pill over the internet for something this important is for fools.
I had started taking inject-able steroids from a clinic that was a “dare to be young” type clinic. I had taken it because of a rare allergy, predisone was even harder on my body. At 51 the steroids were incredible. My after effects of my allergy symptoms dropped dramatically Although this was a very expensive venture.
I had also tried Androgel, the results were not what I had hope for, and did not come close to the steroid use. At $49.00 I was interested in the product. But after reading all the posts, I am not so sure. (Just not sure I feel like tossing out $49.00 dollars)
About seven years ago I had thorough blood work taken as part of a thorough physical. It showed that my testosterone levels were lower than the normal range (approx 180). I had been lethargic for a few years, which I attributed to having a job that I didn’t like.
I skeptically agreed to try testosterone supplementation (by injection). An hour later I was strolling down the road and a 20-something hot woman smiled at me, giving me “the look”, something that hadn’t happened in 20 years! I felt younger, healthier and in a few weeks saw fat dropping from my frame only to be replaced with muscle.
What I can say is that if you truly believe that you might have a testosterone deficiency, that you get tested and, if needed, take direct treatment. There is a huge amount of misinformation, paranoia, even hysteria about steroid supplements that prevents men from getting appropriate medical treatment.
Good luck, whatever you do …
Probably the best approach is to see a hormone specialist (doctor) or naturopath who is on the cutting edge of this stuff. You might need to see a naturopath or hormone doctor who deals with women’s issues AND men’s issues, since the women have been studying this stuff for a long time now with good success and have now moved into dealing with men’s hormones. What they do is test ALL of your hormone levels (testosterone, DHEA, progesterone, estrogen, thyroid hormone, insulin and cortisol).
Once they determine where you are AT, then they can know what hormones and how much dosage to recommend for you. Often they will send you to a “compounding pharmacy” that creates custom made formulas based on your test results. Medical insurance will usually cover this. Sometimes they will offer pellet injections for convenience, but that’s a little scary to me because once it’s in there (buttock) it’s a little tricky to control dosage if it starts to be too high without having the pellet surgically removed.
Sublingual lozenges (“troches”) are often prescribed as well. I tend to prefer the topical cream vehicle because it’s easier to adjust dosing when your symptoms call for it. Then, after about 3-4 months, the hormones are tested again to see where you are then, and testing continues a couple of times a year. Symptoms are watched closely by the informed patient, as sometimes symptoms are more helpful than tests for the patient who knows their body well.
CORTISOL
Note that if a man has adrenal fatigue/insufficiency/exhaustion, his body will steal from the other hormones and convert some of those hormones to cortisol. You cannot live without cortisol, but you can live without the others (although you may be uncomfortable when the are low). Therefore, if you are always tired, have insomnia and brain fog, you may be suffering mostly from adrenal fatigue (lack of cortisol) and therefore supplementing with cortisol ALONG WITH the other hormones (following testing for ALL), may be helpful. In the case of advanced adrenal fatigue (Stage 3 or 4), the body has lost its ability to produce enough cortisol and supplementing is necessary, but only in the smallest dose necessary and only temporarily to allow the adrenals to REST and regain their ability to produce their own cortisol. That could take 3-9 months.
Then weaning OFF of the supplemented cortisone must be done SLOWLY, for if it is done rapidly before the body has regained its ability to produce its own cortisol, you could be in a heap of trouble (severe exhaustion). But if a man sees a hormone specialist/naturopath about all this, cortisol WILL be tested as part of the entire panel of hormone tests anyway. However, as an experiment, men who check the list of symptoms of adrenal fatigue Stage 3/4 and seem to have many of them COULD try using a TINY BIT of hydrocortisone cream topically (thin areas of skin where veins are visible, rotate sites) to see if immediate marked improvement is noticed. If it is, that would be a big clue that you ARE adrenally compromised in your ability to produce cortisol. You may indeed need to get on prescription cortisone from your doctor, in addition to whatever other hormone supplementation is dictated by the hormone test panel results.
Since men start losing testosterone around age 35, the worry that supplementing may reduce the body’s own ability to create those hormones may be a moot point since they are already being lost and the body is already losing its ability to make them. It seems that the SEX hormones are the ones that need lifelong supplementation after say age 50 because the body is shutting down the baby factory for good (but we can trick the body into thinking we are 25 sexually if we supplement with the necessary sex hormones). Conversely, hormones like cortisol are necessary throughout life and the body CAN regain it’s ability to produce corsitol on its own in cases of adrenal fatigue IF given the opportunity to REST by having cortisone supplementation given for a given period and then weaned off.
Suzanne Somers (yes, “Chrissy”) has written several books about female hormone issues and has branched out to male hormone studies/information in her books too now. All of her books are available on Amazon. She is not a ditzy blonde (that was her character on a tv show).
A full panel of hormone tests should be done (for both men and women) because merely supplementing ONE hormone while the others languish behind will still allow for imbalances of various types. The general idea is that all hormones should be at the typical level for a healthy 25 year old male, no matter what age the man currently is. Presumably, any man who balances ALL of his hormones to the level of a 25 year old man will FEEL 25. Loss of important hormones is thought to be a major contributor to all that we associate with aging (such as specific diseases we see in older folks) and the idea is that those diseases and symptoms can be kept at bay and we can stay young longer if we supplement with the right hormones we are missing in the proper amounts.
It’s important also to pay close attention to one’s A1C level regarding blood sugar. When other hormones are out of balance and that situation is exacerbated by too much sugar and refined carbs in the diet, blood sugar swings will worsen all the bad symptoms of the other imbalanced hormones. GTF chromium, cinnamon compounds and clove capsules can go a long way to help balance blood sugar and cravings for carbs.
Also, many doctors are more than willing these days to put any overweight person on Metformin/Glucophage (cheap Rx, been around forever) and that can go a long way to help normalize blood sugar and cravings as well. Rather than waiting until their patients develop Diabetes, doctors are prescribing Metformin (generic name)/Glucophage (brand name) pre-emptively at certain age levels and/or in patients with moderately high A1C levels and/or moderately blood glucose levels. This new trend should be taken advantage of, but dosing should start low and increase slowly to avoid gastrointestinal issues.
Rather than try a product like this which is a crap shoot and may not address all of your symptoms and can either be a waste of time and money or cause other hormone imbalances, just see a TOP naturopath in your area (even if you have to fly to L.A. or New York or some other large metro area) to get on the right hormones FOR YOU.
Very interesting postings. I’m 59, have had 2 heart attacks with 2 stents installed and another angio with no stent last year. The statement about small blood vessels is right on, it was the first warning sign I ignored. My testosterone level is 400, my penis is about 1/3 smaller when erect than it was 20 years ago and it only stays hard for a short amount of time. I’m going to try the lemon juice thing but I was wondering how much to drink before dilution 2oz, 4oz?
Tony, I dont think the lemon juice will hurt (ask a pharmacist/doctor if you take blood pressure meds) but I’m not sure if it will clear artery plaque. It sounds like cheleation therapy to me and from what Ive read about it over the years it probably does not work. That said, people who have done cheleation therapy (not lemon juice) have said they feel better and thats interesting. the research Ive seen though paints a different picture. Ive never seen anything about lemon juice helping heart disease plaque and if it did, I have no idea what the dilution would be.
I’m 43yrs old, never really had a ‘consistent’ sex life and have realizing my sex drive has gone down significantly over the past 2-3yrs n I’m suffering fm ED……my testosterone level is – 320 (became VERY distressed when he told me that an 18 yr old is around 1200 n a 65 yr old is around 400)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My cholesterol is (currently) at 232; I was informed by my doctor that is should be at 160 (or ideally) at 130! He prescribed my Androgel which I had to pay $70 – out of pocket but after seeing all the HARMFUL side effects on the labeling n from the information included I NEED to know of a NATURAL, SAFE n EFFECTIVE supplement, method or SOMETHING that will get me out of the doldrums!!!!!!!!!!
O, Ive not yet found any supplement that will raise testosterone like Androgel will. You mentioned that your cholesterol is a little on the high sign. did your doctor also mention that ED may be a sign of heart disease? In other words, maybe its not your testosterone that is causing ED but rather the early signs of heart disease. Heart disease often starts to show up in small blood vessels, like those in the penis. Wanted to mention this just in case it had not occurred to you.
A friend has asked me to look into Ageless Male for him. I became concerned on the very 1st page of the website. It is not FDA approved. How anyone could risk their health and well being to a product that has had NO regulatory decision by the FDA is beyond me. I am telling my friend to forget this supplement. It could most likely do more harm than good.
Ageless Male may have benefits. However, I suggest after researching the ingredients, buy them separately and make your own preparation. They’ll say it only works, or works best, if taken in their PROPRIETARY ratios of thus and such to this, that and the other. Nonsense. It’s a way to squeeze more funds from the public. This same source offers TA-65, I suggest Astral Fruit instead if available.
It’s like paying more for diamonds because you bought them at Tiffany & Company. The product, not the name of the seller, matters. May I point out that men who spend a lot of time sitting on hard chairs may be constricting the vascularization of their system, making erections more difficult? Use very soft chair (deep padding) or place your monitor up high and the keyboard too and do your computing in STANDING (“erect”) position.
One of the best circulatory enhancers is fresh lemon juice diluted in unsweetened water taken on empty stomach. And, the citric acid content will dissolve your arterial calcium. Drink fast and rinse 5x to avoid tooth enamel damage.
OUTSTANDING HUGH!!!!
Anyone out there seen positive results from Fenugreek? I know Joe was going to start but thinks came up. I’ve been reading some pretty nexative ftuff about it lately.
Roy, Im actually on week 5 of my 6 week trial. So far, no change from what I saw when I took it for 4 weeks.
I too tried AGELESS Male and it works !!!!! as long as you take it with supplemental doses of testosterone at about 500mg every other day, that should boost your test levels just like Gary to the 700’s. LOL, and for the male enhancement parts, try some viagra or cialis they will make you a Hugh Jerection too.
Try it Risk free, and if you are not 100% satisfied, call our toll free number and we will give you the run around and put you on hold a lot until you give up, because the amount you paid isn’t worth your time to fight about, or sue for false advertisements.
No Im not a PARMA-D or any other Italian food, nor am I a doctor trying to sell you to my website or trying to get you to buy my own book of BS. I just simply stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night. And sadly, my post was just as informative, and knowledgeable as 90% of the responses to this article.
Hugh Jerection, thanks for the laugh – my biggest of the day 🙂
@Rob. If you took gear til you had gyno so bad you needed surgery, then you should have done your homework, and stopped taking gear. If you stop taking gear as soon as you notice Gyno, it goes away on its own. Products like Nolvadex, (used to treat breast cancer) helps speed up the process as well.
That is a common mistake from people who read posts like this and try and follow other people’s fluffed up, obviously UNTRUE stories. Like the guy, who was saying his test levels went up in the 700’s from taking AM, yet the product for one, doesn’t raise testosterone levels, and 2nd, if you read what normal test levels are…. you will laugh at this guy.
Or re-read the article about the guys with starting levels in the 20’s, but this Gary’s level raised 200+??? yeah Ok. HAHA. I bet he bought a star in the sky that is all his, and he named it too. Maybe the problem was his Urologist had him pee in the blood tube?
@ GUY ….in case you didn’t know…your dr. was right, actually ANY supplemental testosterone will shut down the bodies natural test production.
Your body makes test according to its own readings, so naturally if it sees test levels are higher, it will shut down its own test production. there are ways around this as well. but now you are adding more chemicals to your body.
The truth is there is NO MAGIC pill that fixes anything. Yes there are vitamins that help. But the safest thing to do, is research what helps, where the vitamin comes from, and ingest it the way God intended. Risk free, or your money back, Guaranteed.
Remember anyone can make up a story about a product and say “TRY IT FOR YOURSELF AND SEE”
thats exactly what they want you to do. You never ever get your money back. Thats the American Way. CHEAT, STEAL, and MOOCH your way to success. And the people that believe such products works, are right, in they “believe” it works. YOUR mind has immense powers, you can do anything you want to.
I thought the article was very knowledgeable, I should have stopped there, because after reading the assinine morons commenting on their absurd 700 level testosterone increases from a product that DOES NOT increase test levels, will just make you as stupid as him.
But then maybe just like the SO CALLED Doctor who thinks he is posting a comment with the smooth subliminal messaging of “come buy my book”. Wow, he just thinks the readers and experimenters of products like these are stupid enough that they will buy his book and be another sucker.
I’m a PHARM-D, so I know everything too. Damn this post is just full of jack asses. Take a vitamin and do your own experiment. Every BODY is different and responds to things differently. Believing Mr. Gary and his stupid stories of unheard of test level increases is bull shit to say the least.