Does Garlic Increase Testosterone Levels? Know Science!

When it comes to boosting testosterone, a lot can depend on what you include in your diet. A healthy diet is one of the fundamental elements in your quest to keep yourself healthy and augment your lifestyle. Garlic, often considered a superfood, is believed to improve testosterone levels significantly.

While it comes with a pungent smell, garlic forms an important ingredient in numerous dishes. Aside from adding flavour to the food, it offers a wide range of health benefits. Of late, it has garnered substantial interest for its proven ability to balance testosterone levels by increasing its production. We have examined whether there is any substance to these claims, the scientific research involving its connection with testosterone, and more. Let’s Find out below in detail.

Connection Between Garlic And Testosterone: Scientific Studies

Several studies have concluded that garlic has a direct correlation with testosterone. It can raise testosterone levels prominently and its impact is attributed to the powerful constituents present in its shallots. Aside from a wide range of vitamins and minerals like potassium, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and B-complex, garlic is packed with bioactive compounds like allicin, alliin, ajoene, S-allyl-cysteine, diallyl sulfide, and other allyl derivatives. All these compounds work together to alleviate the underlying causes of testosterone deficiency thus increasing and preserving its levels.

The most comprehensive research on this subject is a clinical intervention from 2001 which was divided into two phases.

The first phase was to evaluate the impact of garlic on testicular testosterone in animal subjects. It shows that after almost a month of garlic supplementation, researchers found that there was a significant rise in testicular testosterone levels in male rats.

In the second phase, the effects of garlic’s sulfur compound – diallyl disulfide were studied. The findings suggested that administration of diallyl disulfide was able to increase the luteinizing hormone (LH) in the pituitary gland substantially which is key to regulating testosterone levels. The research also concluded that garlic triggers protein biosynthesis by elevating testosterone levels.

Another study from 2015 showed that consumption of garlic cloves can lead to Leydig cell regeneration in the testicles thus promoting healthy testosterone production. Delving further into the available data, We came across a very recent study (from 2021) on S-allyl Cysteine (one of the bioactive compounds present in garlic). The findings from this intervention confirmed that an increased amount of S-allyl Cysteine can raise testosterone levels significantly.

Effect Of Garlic On Other Sexual Parameters

Now while these studies so far demonstrate garlic’s tremendous potential to improve testosterone output directly, certain clinical trials have also exhibited its positive effects on secondary aspects that result from a balanced testosterone.

For instance, garlic is rich in antioxidants which reduce cellular damage caused by oxidative stress and also promote cell regeneration in the testicles. A study on the role of antioxidants on serum testosterone found that antioxidant treatment can improve testosterone levels in men by lowering oxidative stress. This has been proven to be beneficial in improving sperm quality, mobility, and fertility which are associated with testosterone health.

In another current study, allicin, the key component of garlic has been proven to control body weight by promoting lipid metabolism, fat-burning, and improving energy balance. This helps bring down body mass and fight obesity which is essential for improving testosterone production.

All these studies prove that garlic consumption can not only have a positive influence on testosterone levels but also boost overall health.

What Is The Optimum Daily Dosage Of Garlic

Garlic is a versatile herb that can be used in multiple ways. You can take a few cloves and chew them up raw for maximum benefits. However, many may not like it this way because of its eccentric flavor. You can alternatively use it as an ingredient in various dishes or even take it as a supplement. Now it is important to follow the right dose for optimum benefits. Also, like any other ingredient, overconsumption of garlic can adversely affect the body leading to discomfort.

So how much garlic is right for you? If you are taking fresh garlic cloves, then 2-5g (which is equivalent to 1-2 cloves) per day should suffice, or 2-5mg garlic oil daily. When talking about supplements, most of them use a standard dose of about 3000 to 3500 mcg of dried garlic for maximum effect. However, it is important to ensure that the supplement that you are taking is of the highest quality and 100% natural without any additives.

While garlic may not have any major, life-threatening side effects, over-intake of this herb can cause mild stomach upset, bloating, or burning sensation in the heart. That said if you are already taking a blood thinner, or about to undergo surgery, then it is best to avoid garlic. Its blood-thinning property can lead to a higher risk of bleeding.

Various Other Health Benefits Of Garlic Consumption

Aside from boosting testosterone levels, garlic offers a range of other health gains, some of which can indirectly influence testosterone health as well. Below are the key advantages of consuming garlic:

Regulates Blood Pressure

High blood pressure seems to be a common issue among people today – the most common reasons being unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle. But if left untreated, it can lead to serious health issues like strokes and other cardiovascular ailments among others. Surprisingly, garlic consumption can help lower the blood pressure and choleterol levels significantly when taken regularly. This in turn supports healthy testosterone production.

You can take it in any form but if you are not comfortable with its strong smell, you can also take garlic supplements from a reliable brand.

Strengthens Immune System

Making garlic a part of your daily diet will boost your immune functioning and increase the body’s ability to fight against ailments. This effect is due to its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulation effect. A study shows that garlic’s ability to improve immunity makes it a potent alternative medicine to fight against diseases like cardiovascular issues, various microbial infections and even malignant tumors.

Lowers Cholesterol Levels

Another crucial benefit of garlic consumption is keeping the cholesterol levels in check. While not all kinds of cholesterol is harmful for the body, LDL, which is called the bad cholesterol can have adverse effects on health when in high levels. Garlic helps eliminates LDL from the body by bringing down serum triglyceride level without affecting the good one- high-density lipoprotein (HDL). A study shows that adding just about half to one clove of garlic can lower a person’s cholesterol by 10%.

Antioxidant And Antibiotic Effect

Allyl derivatives found in garlic like allyl cysteine and allyl disulfide are powerful antioxidants that minimize the effects of free radical in the body which can otherwise cause oxidative damage at the cellular level. This is beneficial during strength training as it would for one, cause less physical fatigue, and secondly, aid faster post workout muscle recovery. This means your physical endurance increases allowing you to train harder resulting in testosterone boost.

As for the antibiotic properties, garlic acts as a potent natural antibiotic, thanks to the presence of Allicin. This compound help the body shield against growth of illness causing microbes and even boosts the body’s ability to fight against them. Intake of garlic connsistently along with your prescribed medicines for any bacterial, viral or fungal infection thus can help you recover faster.

Elimination Of Toxins

Our body consistently gathers a lot of unwanted and/ or harmful substances (toxins) through food, the air we breath in, water etc. These include chemicals, micro-plastics, pesticides, or even harmful radiation from machines, electronic gadgets etc. Although, these sunstances in smaller amount cannot do much, if they do not come out on a timely manner, they can lead to serious health conditions including testosterone imbalance.

Adding garlic to your daily dishes can help flush away these toxins from the body thus saving your time and money going behind treatments once the body gets affected. It does this by triggering the production of glutathion, an antioxidant that is made by the sulphur-rich components in garlic. This in turn activates the enzymes in the liver which detoxifies the body by eliminating the toxic substances.

Improves Muscle Functionality And Endurance

One of the lesser known fact about garlic is that it can enhance the effects of the amino acid-rich foods in the body, be it protein, lean meat, fat, carbs or anything else. This helps the muscles extract the maximum benefits from these foods which increases muscle growth and functioning. An improved muscle functioning leads to better athletic performance, allows you to perform high intensity workouts more efficiently, which is important for those who are looking to boost testosterone levels through exercise.

Conclusion

All the scientific research and evidences concludes that garlic is an exceptional food for boosting testosterone levels. However, while it has numerous health benefits, garlic works best when combined with a healthy lifestyle, good diet and regular exercise. Packed with powerful antioxidants, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties, garlic supplementation regulates testosterone and also counters various associated issues like low sex drive, fatigue, etc. by supporting better blood flow in the body.

It is best to take garlic in the raw form to obtain the most out of it, but, you can also alternatively look for a testosterone booster with garlic in its formula for an overall health benefit. It will not only support the body processes in its own way but also enhance the effectiveness of the other nutrients for better absorption and maximized benefits.