Testosterone Boosters That Really Work?

I have been a fan of Life Extension Magazine for a long time and I believe they are one of the leaders in the anti-aging industry and their supplements while expensive can be rated first class. I have several prior posts on the problem of older men, especially type 2 diabetics and lower testosterone levels as we age. I tried the AndroGel route and had very bad side effects with it, mostly in the form of very high blood pressure. My BP went from the 110/72 range to the 195/100 range almost immediately after going on AndroGel 1.62.

I took myself off from it and my BP immediately came back down to 110/62 to maybe 125/85 level on average. There were a host of other mild to very dangerous possible side effects with AndroGel, and other creams etc. that led me to believe I should either accept my current testosterone levels or find a more natural approach. Life Extension offers a Testosterone Booster called "Super Miaforte" which contains the following:

1500mg    Chrysin
15mg        Bioprene
850mg      Muira puama
282mg      Nettle root
15mg        Chelated elemental zinc
320mg      Maca
33.4mg     HMRignan Norway Spruce lignan extract

Standard price is $62 per bottle OR IF you are a Life Extension member and purchase (4) bottles at a time, price is reduced to $42 per bottle. It is listed as item #01698.

I am simply NOT qualified to speak intelligently about all of those ingredients and their effectiveness, side effects, cautions etc. so I am going to post a link here from someone who is qualified. Please open up the link and put it on your favorites if you are interested in Testosterone and anti again supplements.

Sound like it may be worth a look and might be a viable option to the creams and gels etc.

Dan

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/Miraforte_Review.aspx

EXCERPTS:

Miraforte Review

Super Miraforte is the Life Extension Foundation's libido, anti-estrogen and testosterone supplement. Life Extension is one of the oldest and most reputable of the supplement manufacturers out there, specializing in anti-aging in particular, and with Miraforte they have taken aim at many of the hormonal issue that so often accompany the middle age and beyond years.
What is interesting is that Super Miraforte is very often sold to bodybuilders, because of its powers to decrease estrogen and likely slightly increase testosterone. Chrysin has a questionable history of decreasing estrogen. However, Life Extension seems to have supercharged it with the addition of piperine for increased absorption. This is likely the reason that Super Miraforte has been very well-received and reviewed and is used by bodybuilders in many cases. (I have even read that some doctors are recommending it.)
Could Super Miraforte possibly increase testosterone? One of the key things that most older men need is Estrogen Control and Miraforte does just that. The reason that this is so critical is that, not only will estrogen "crowd out" testosterone, but it also can directly put the brakes on the testosterone output from your Leydig cells. [1][2] This means that Super Miraforte, by decreasing estrogen, could lead to a T increase for middle-aged and beyond males that are struggling with inflated levels of the female hormones.
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CAUTION: If you have any medical conditions or are on any medications, please consult with your doctor before taking any supplement. Also, some men have such low T and E that their levels of estradiol are dangerously low. See my link on Why Men Need Estrogen for more information.
Below I outline how Super Miraforte can benefit your sex life, including possibly increasing testosterone and libido and decreasing testosterone libido.
1. Chrysin. Chrysin is a known estrogen lowerer and it works by inhibiting the aromatization of testosterone to estrogen. As males age (and gain weight), an increasing percentage of their precious T is converted to E and chrysin can help.
CAUTION: Supermiraforte has been around quite awhile. However, it should be noted that one study showed Chrysin inhibiting the conversion of T4 to T3 and thus negatively impacting thyroid function. [3] This could potentially lead to weight gain, which would sabotage estrogen control.
2. Nettle. Nettle is a well-known liver protector. What is not so well known is that it also fights aromatization of testosterone to estrogen as well.

Your doctor won't give you testosterone? Show him What Low T Does.

Combine supplements for max erectile strength? Go with This Approach.

3. Zinc. Zinc remains a controversial testosterone booster as I cover in link on Zinc and ZMA. However, for those who are zinc deficient, this will likely give a boost. Remember that if you ejaculate, about a third of your zinc goes with it, so this can potentially help those who are sexually active as well.
4. Muira Puima. This herb is an aphrodisiac with a long history and some of its effects have even been documented in a few small studies. [1] Another study reported improved morning erections as well.
5. Maca. This plant is another libido booster that I cover extensively in my link on The Superpowers of Maca. Maca has actually been used as a food for centuries with an admirable safety profile.
6. Piperine. This compound from pepper, as in black, boosts the absorption of many supplements and compounds. Life Extension Foundation, by including, some piperine is essentially "supercharging" their supplement for better efficacy.
NOTE: Increasing testosterone in men can also lead to increases in nitric oxide as well as testosterone works positively on NOS (Nitric Oxide Synthase).
REFERENCES:
1. Presented at the First International Congress on Ethnopharmacology, Strasbourg, France, Jun 5-9, 1990, “Contributions to the clinical validation of the traditional use of Ptychopetalum guyanna.”
2) J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 1978 Dec, 47(6):1368-73, "Direct inhibition of Leydig cell function by estradiol"
3) Prog Clin Biol Res, 1986, 213:359-71, "Iodothyronine deiodinase is inhibited by plant flavonoids"