Ashwagandha, fenugreek, and other herbs

What the research found

A 2021 systematic review in Advances in Nutrition examined 32 randomized controlled trials of single herbal ingredients and testosterone in men.

• Nine of the 32 trials reported statistically significant increases in testosterone.
• The review concluded that fenugreek seed extracts and ashwagandha root and root/leaf extracts had positive effects. It found some evidence for Asian red ginseng and forskohlii root extract.
• Only six of the 32 trials were judged to be low risk of bias, and half of them enrolled men under 40.

A 2026 meta-analysis of ashwagandha trials, published in Planta Medica, pooled 23 trials with 1,706 participants. It found ashwagandha increased testosterone in men, with a mean difference of about 57 ng/dL, but not in women. It also found lower cortisol.

Putting 57 ng/dL in context

The AUA guideline uses 300 ng/dL as a reasonable cutoff for low testosterone. A rise of around 57 ng/dL on average is real but modest. It is unlikely to turn a clinically low level into a normal one, and it does not tell you how any individual man will respond.

Limits and safety

• Trial quality is mixed. Many trials are small and short, and quality varies across studies.
• Products vary. Supplements are not approved by the FDA before they are sold. Look for standardized extracts and independent testing by USP, NSF, or Informed Choice.
• Safety. Case reports of liver injury have been described with ashwagandha. Check with a clinician first, especially if you have liver or thyroid conditions or take regular medications.

What to do with this

• Get the basics right first: sleep and, if relevant, weight loss.
• If you want to try a supplement, discuss it with a clinician and choose a third-party tested product.
• If you have symptoms of low testosterone, get tested rather than self-treating.