SynthesisAdvances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.)2021
Examining the Effects of Herbs on Testosterone Concentrations in Men: A Systematic Review.
Synthesis in Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 51 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of oral fenugreek-derived preparations on testosterone-related outcomes in adult men: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- Dietary Supplements for Erectile Dysfunction: Analysis of Marketed Products, Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Rational Use.Nutrients · 2023Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Acute and Repeated Ashwagandha Supplementation Improves Markers of Cognitive Function and Mood.Nutrients · 2024Trial
- Exploring the efficacy and safety of a novel standardized ashwagandha (Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2023Trial
- A proprietary blend of standardizedInternational journal of medical sciences · 2022Trial
- Cognitive response to testosterone replacement added to intensive lifestyle intervention in older men with obesity and hypogonadism: prespecified secondary analyses of a randomized clinical trial.The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2021Trial
- Long-Term Safety and Tolerability of a Physician-Formulated Hair Growth Supplement: A Retrospective Review of 508 Patients.The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology · 2026Article
- The interplay of Ashwagandha with hormonal dynamics and gut microbiota in women with breast cancer: a tri-axial perspective.Journal of natural medicines · 2026Review
- Protective effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) against chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced testicular damage in adolescent rats.Journal of molecular histology · 2026Article
- Understanding the Secular Decline in Testosterone: Mechanisms, Consequences, and Clinical Perspectives.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Review
- Review
- Biopsychological Effects of Ashwagandha (Muscles (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Understanding the intricate impacts and mechanism of actions of adaptogens on reproductive function.Cell biochemistry and biophysics · 2025Review
- Gender-specific negative association between serum vitamin B12 and testosterone levels in females: the modifying role of BMI in a US adult population.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- Botanical drug preparations for alleviating hair loss in menopausal women: a global ethnopharmacological mini-review.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Review
- Ashwagandha-Induced Programmed Cell Death in the Treatment of Breast Cancer.Current issues in molecular biology · 2024Review
- Article
- A narrative review on inflammaging and late-onset hypogonadism.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Testosterone concentrations in males tend to decline with advancing age. Low testosterone, also known as androgen deficiency (AD), is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Currently, the primary treatment for AD is testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which may exacerbate pre-existing medical conditions. Therefore, the use of alternative options, such as herbs, spices, plants, or their extracts, has been explored as a potential treatment option for AD. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize and critically evaluate randomized controlled trials published on the efficacy of single herbal ingredients on testosterone concentrations, in addition to its fractions or binding proteins, in men (≥18 y). From the 4 databases searched, there were 13 herbs identified in 32 studies, published between 2001 and 2019. The main findings of this review indicate that 2 herbal extracts, fenugreek seed extracts and ashwagandha root and root/leaf extracts, have positive effects on testosterone concentrations in men. Also, some evidence exists for another herb and herbal extract, Asian red ginseng and forskohlii root extract. Overall, 9 out of 32 studies demonstrated statistically significant increases in testosterone concentrations. Moreover, 6 studies out of 32 were judged as having a low risk of bias. Current evidence is largely based on young, nonclinical populations, with 16 out of 32 studies using men <40 y of age. Conclusions are moderated by the paucity of research for many herbs, the variation in dosages and extracts used, small sample sizes, and the heterogeneity of study characteristics. Also, further research is required before definitive conclusions on efficacy and safety can be made. This systematic review was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42020173623.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.