Ashwagandha and fenugreek for raising testosterone in men
What it found
In men, ashwagandha root and fenugreek seed extracts raised testosterone levels in several controlled trials, though some fenugreek trials found no change.
The authors say both can significantly raise testosterone in men.
What they found
Studies in people
Ashwagandha raises testosterone
In several randomized controlled trials, ashwagandha root or root and leaf extracts raised testosterone in men. One trial found a 17% increase, another found a 14.7% greater increase than placebo, and another found an 11.4% increase in men.
Fenugreek raises testosterone
Some randomized controlled trials of fenugreek seed extracts found increases in total or free testosterone in men. For example, one trial found free testosterone rose from 17.76 ng/dL to 35.29 ng/dL, and another found total testosterone rose by 124 ng/dL.
Fenugreek with no effect
One randomized controlled trial in men with benign prostate hyperplasia found no differences in total or free testosterone after 12 weeks of fenugreek. Another trial found only a small but significant difference in the change from baseline for testosterone and free testosterone.
Animal and lab studies
Animal study concerns
In animal studies, fenugreek seed extract caused degenerative changes in the testes and sperm parameters of rodents, and negatively affected the oxidative state in the testicles.
Studies in people and animals
How ashwagandha may work
The authors say ashwagandha may work by lowering the effects of cortisol and prolactin on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and may directly affect the hypothalamus. In lab tests on rat hypothalamus cells, ashwagandha stimulated GnRH release.
Other findings
How fenugreek may work
Fenugreek seeds contain diosgenin, which is a precursor for sex hormone synthesis. The authors say this is believed to be the main way fenugreek raises testosterone.
What the authors conclude
“Both can significantly raise T concentrations in men, which may be useful in clinical practice.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that ashwagandha root and root extracts/leaves and fenugreek seed extracts have the best documented positive effects on testosterone levels in men.
- They say both can significantly raise testosterone concentrations in men, which may be useful in clinical practice.
- They advise that athletes should be aware that taking these products can lead to positive results in doping control because of adulteration or unintentional contamination with prohibited substances.
How it was done
The authors wanted to find out which dietary supplements actually have scientific proof of raising testosterone, since many products claim to do so.
They looked at published studies from 2013 to 2023 on supplements that affect testosterone. They focused on 2 crossover studies and 4 randomized controlled trials of ashwagandha, and 5 randomized controlled trials of fenugreek, in men.
What it can’t tell you
- This is a review of published studies, so it cannot show what happens in people who take these supplements outside of a trial.
- The trials used different doses, extracts and lengths of time, so it is hard to compare them directly.
- Animal studies cannot show what happens in people.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Wroclaw Medical University, Poland; Medical University of Warsaw, Poland
The paper
- Title
- Withania somnifera and Trigonella foenum-graecum as ingredients of testosterone-boosting supplements: Possible clinical implications
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Skrzypiec-Spring M, Pokrywka A, Kuliczkowska-Płaksej J, Szeląg A, Bolanowski M (2025). Withania somnifera and Trigonella foenum-graecum as ingredients of testosterone-boosting supplements: Possible clinical implications. Advances in clinical and experimental medicine. doi:10.17219/acem/185743Free full textPubMed 38628109DOI
Summary written 29 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error