The Testosterone-Enhancement Toolkit: How Science-Backed Nutrients Restore Testosterone Balance

Healthmasters’ Testosterone-Enhancement Toolkit—Tongkat Ali, Testoplus, and Tribulus—blends long-used herbs with modern lab data. Healthmasters’ Tongkat Ali supplies a high-quality dose of that root. Healthmasters' Testoplus mixes PrimaVie shilajit (a mineral-rich Himalayan resin) with even more Tongkat Ali (a Southeast-Asian root). And, Healthmasters' Tribulus provides Bulgarian Tribulus terrestris standardized for protodioscin (a plant compound that mimics some natural hormones).

Finally, two supporting players—Zinc Glycinate and Super Potent E—fill key nutrient gaps. The goal: raise testosterone, keep excess estrogen in check, and protect the cells that make and respond to androgenic hormones.

The Research Behind the Testosterone-Enhancement Toolkit

Tongkat Ali

Tongkat Ali, or Eurycoma longifolia, acts like an adaptogen (a plant that helps the body handle stress). It tells the adrenal glands to ease back on cortisol—the main stress hormone—while nudging Leydig cells (the tiny testosterone-making factories inside the testes and ovaries) to work harder.

In one study, a water-soluble Tongkat Ali extract (200 mg per day) was given to 76 men diagnosed with late-onset hypogonadism for just one month [1]. Average total testosterone climbed 46.8 percent, while the share of participants in the “normal” testosterone range jumped from 35.5 percent to 90.8 percent. At the same time, self-reported Ageing Male Symptoms (AMS) scores fell from 38.05 to 23.67, marking a significant drop in fatigue, mood swings, and other low-T complaints. Researchers linked these improvements to eurypeptides in the extract that up-regulate CYP17 and other steroid-making enzymes, effectively teaching Leydig cells to turn more cholesterol into testosterone in a short window of time [1].

Why did it work? Tongkat Ali contains natural proteins called eurypeptides that tell the body’s testosterone-making cells (Leydig cells) to switch on key enzymes. In simple terms, the herb helps those cells turn more of the cholesterol they already have into usable testosterone in a short time [1].

In a meta-analysis, researchers gathered the five best Tongkat Ali studies involving a total of 267 men and found that men who took the root extract—usually one to three capsules or 100-600 mgs a day—saw their testosterone jump by about 20 % to 40 % on average, with bigger gains for guys who started low [2].

In practical terms, many moved from the “low” or “borderline” zone into the healthy range within a few weeks, and they kept those numbers up as long as they stayed on the supplement [2]. The analysis also checked for safety problems and didn’t see anything alarming: liver tests stayed normal, and no one dropped out because of side effects. In short, a month or two of clinically dosed Tongkat Ali is likely to give a measurable—and, for many, meaningful—lift to testosterone without adding health risks [2].

In fact, a 2022 meta-analysis that pooled ten Tongkat trials found an average rise of 5.76 nmol/L and a similar lift in free testosterone (the fraction of testosterone not locked to a carrier protein and actually absorbable in the body) [2].

Researchers trace Tongkat Ali’s hormone lift to three coordinated actions

1. Turns on the “builder” gene – Tongkat flips a switch called CYP17 that helps your body change ordinary cholesterol into the raw material for testosterone [1].
2. Cranks up the “make more” signal – It lets the brain’s message-hormone LH stay louder for longer, so the testes keep hearing “produce testosterone” [3].
3. Takes the stress brake off – It lowers the stress hormone cortisol by about one-sixth, removing a block that normally holds testosterone down [3]

Quick definitions

• CYP17 switch – a bit of DNA that tells cells to build the tools for making testosterone.
• Luteinizing hormone (LH) message – the chemical signal from the brain that says “time to make testosterone.”
• Cortisol – the body’s main stress chemical; too much of it pushes testosterone levels down.

Shilajit inside Testoplus

PrimaVie shilajit is purified rock resin rich in fulvic acids (tiny “taxi” molecules that carry minerals) and dibenzo-α-pyrones (antioxidant compounds). These molecules fuel the mitochondria—the “power plants” inside Leydig cells—so those cells have the energy (ATP) to turn cholesterol first into pregnenolone and then into testosterone.

In one trial, researchers gave middle-aged volunteers 250 mg of Purified PrimaVie shilajit twice daily—one after breakfast and one after dinner—for three months [4]. The men started with testosterone on the low side of normal (about 480 ng/dL on average). After the 90 days, their testosterone rose to roughly 690 ng/dL, free testosterone went up nearly one-fifth, and levels of DHEAS—the body’s spare part for making testosterone—jumped by almost a third [4].

The placebo group’s numbers drifted slightly downward over the same period. Blood tests showed no liver or kidney problems. Scientists think shilajit works because its natural acids act like tiny battery chargers for the testes’ “power plants,” giving the cells more energy to turn cholesterol into testosterone [4].

A double-blind trial gave healthy middle-aged men 250 mg of shilajit twice a day for 90 days. Total testosterone climbed 23.5 percent (about 148 ng/dL), free testosterone rose 19 percent, and DHEAS—a hormone that can convert to testosterone—went up 14 percent [4].

A 2024 animal study also highlighted the protective effects of shilajit [5]. In this study, scientists first gave male mice a strong chemotherapy drug that usually wrecks the testes, lowers testosterone, and slashes sperm counts [5]. After that single hit, they fed the mice shilajit every day for about five weeks—the time it takes a mouse to make a fresh batch of sperm.

Here’s what happened:

• Shilajit flipped on the body’s “clean-up crew.” It activated Nrf-2, a master switch that turns up natural antioxidants, so the testes could mop up harmful molecules created by the chemo drug.
• It restarted the testosterone factory. Key enzymes (3β-HSD and 17β-HSD) switched back on, letting the testes turn cholesterol into testosterone again.
• It rescued sperm production. Damaged germ cells began maturing normally; sperm counts and quality climbed back toward healthy levels.
• Testicular tissue looked normal again. Under a microscope, the once-damaged cells and supporting structures regained their usual shape and order.

The bottom line is that even when a harsh drug tried to shut testosterone and sperm production down, daily shilajit acted like an internal repair team—cleaning up oxidative damage, switching hormone-making enzymes back on, and restoring fertility markers [5].

Tribulus terrestris in Tribulus

Tribulus supplies 450 mg of Bulgarian Tribulus with 95 percent protodioscin, far stronger than generic extracts. Protodioscin looks a bit like the natural androgen DHEA and appears to boost LH release.

In a six-week crossover study with strength athletes, researchers worked with thirty male CrossFit athletes and split them into two groups [6]. One group swallowed two capsules of Tribulus terrestris (about 770 mg total) every morning for six weeks, while the other group took look-alike placebo capsules.

• Strength change: After six weeks, the Tribulus group added almost 20 percent more weight to their bench-press one-rep max, about twice the improvement seen in the placebo group. Squat and deadlift numbers inched up for everyone, but the differences weren’t big enough to rule out chance [6].
• Hormone shift: Men who took Tribulus kept their testosterone steady, whereas testosterone in the placebo group fell roughly 22 percent during the same hard-training block. Cortisol—the main stress hormone—ticked upward in the placebo group but stayed about the same in the Tribulus group, hinting at better recovery [6].
• Body composition and workouts: Neither body-fat percentage, total body weight, nor high-intensity “Grace” workout times changed much in either group, so the supplement didn’t magically melt fat or speed met-con performance in this short window [6].
• What it means: For trained athletes putting their bodies through intense CrossFit sessions, a daily Tribulus capsule helped them keep testosterone from crashing and gave their bench press an extra boost, even though it didn’t overhaul their performance. The scientists think Tribulus does this by nudging the brain to send a louder luteinizing-hormone (LH) signal to the testes, which tells them “keep making testosterone,” and by slightly slowing the enzyme that turns testosterone into estrogen [6].

In short, six weeks of Tribulus didn’t create super-athletes, but it protected testosterone levels and added a meaningful pop to pressing strength, without harmful side effects [6].

Finally, a 2025 systematic review pooled ten clinical trials and concluded that Tribulus at 400–750 mg a day can improve erection quality in men who already struggle with ED, and can push testosterone higher, especially if baseline levels are clinically low [7].

Why zinc and vitamin E also matter

Zinc sits in the active site of 17β-HSD, the very enzyme that makes the final jump from androstenedione to testosterone. In one study, when the young men in the study ate very little zinc for about five months, their testosterone fell off a cliff, dropping from a strong “normal” reading to a level typical of low-T fatigue [8]. In a separate test, older men who already had low zinc took a single zinc pill each day for six months, and their testosterone nearly doubled, moving them out of the low-T danger zone [8]. Healthmasters’ chelated Zinc Glycinate (20 mg) absorbs well without upsetting the stomach.

Vitamin E is more than an antioxidant capsule. The tocotrienols in Super Potent E protect Leydig-cell membranes from reactive oxygen species—molecules that corrode cells.

A 2022 meta-analysis looked at eight gold-standard trials where women with polycystic ovary syndrome took vitamin E—sometimes by itself, sometimes alongside nutrients like omega-3s—for up to three months [9]. Vitamin E nudged their total testosterone down by about 0.4 ng/mL, raised their SHBG (the carrier protein that tames excess free testosterone) by roughly 7 nmol/L, and at the same time improved blood-sugar and cholesterol numbers without causing weight gain or side effects [9].

In plain terms, the antioxidant helped balance surplus male hormones and smoothed out key metabolic markers—a double win for hormone balance, even though it didn’t change body weight or other female hormones [9].

Animal data suggest the same shielding effect in male testes, keeping testosterone output steady [10].

Real-world hormone changes

Tongkat Ali – A one-month, 200 mg/day trial in late-onset hypogonadism pushed testosterone from 5.66 nmol/L to 8.31 nmol/L—about a 47 % jump—and moved 91 % of the men into a normal range; estradiol dipped ~8 % and a separate stress-study found cortisol down 16 % while testosterone climbed 37 % [1][3].

Testoplus– Taking 250 mg twice daily of shilajit for 90 days raised total testosterone 20 % (≈ +149 ng/dL), free testosterone 19 %, and the precursor DHEAS 31 % in healthy middle-aged men; lab work shows shilajit also re-starts key steroid enzymes—even after chemo damage—to keep Leydig cells productive [4][5].

Tribulus – Six weeks of 450–770 mg/day kept testosterone from falling during intense CrossFit® training and lifted bench-press strength an extra 20 %; broader review work shows free-T gains of 15–20 % and small estradiol drops (2–5 %) when starting levels are low [6][7].

Zinc – Five months of low-zinc intake slashed testosterone in young men from 39.9 nmol/L to 10.6 nmol/L; replenishing ~30 mg elemental zinc daily for six months nearly doubled testosterone in older zinc-deficient men (8.3 → 16.0 nmol/L) [8].

Vitamin E – In women with PCOS, vitamin E trimmed total testosterone by about 0.4 ng/mL and boosted SHBG 7 nmol/L while improving blood-sugar and cholesterol markers; in animal work, it shielded damaged testes, keeping hormone ratios stable even under oxidative stress [9][10].

A daily plan that mirrors the research

Morning – 400 mg Tongkat Ali with breakfast to blunt the morning cortisol surge.
Lunch – Two Testoplus capsules (500 mg shilajit + 200 mg Tongkat) to match the human shilajit dosing that raised testosterone 20 %.
Workout window – 450 mg Tribulus after training to ride its LH boost during recovery.
Dinner – One 20 mg Zinc Glycinate capsule plus one Super Potent E soft-gel; the meal’s fat helps absorb both and sets up overnight hormone pulses.

Conclusion

Testosterone usually slides when stress hormones stay high, key nutrients run low, or the enzymes that turn cholesterol into sex hormones sputter—aging just makes those weak spots easier to see.

Tongkat Ali turns up LH while dialing cortisol down, Testoplus' shilajit re-charges the enzymes that power testosterone assembly, Tribulus nudges LH and gently slows aromatase (the enzyme that converts T into estrogen), zinc provides the critical metal each steroid-making enzyme needs, and vitamin E shields testicular tissue from the oxidative “rust” that shuts those enzymes off.

Updated human trials and supportive animal work now show testosterone rebounds ranging from roughly 15 percent to a full 100 percent, modest drops in excess estrogen, and measurable lifts in strength, libido, and mood when these ingredients are used at clinical doses.

Healthmasters formulas match those research-backed amounts, offering a coordinated, nutrient-first path to healthier androgen levels—no synthetic hormones required. Talk with a healthcare professional first, then let nature’s chemistry give your hormones a safer, science-guided boost.

References

[1] Tambi, M. I., Imran, M. K., & Henkel, R. R. (2012). Standardised water-soluble extract of Eurycoma longifolia, Tongkat Ali, as a testosterone booster for managing men with late-onset hypogonadism?. Andrologia, 44 Suppl 1, 226–230. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0272.2011.01168.x

[2] Leisegang, K., Finelli, R., Sikka, S. C., & Panner Selvam, M. K. (2022). Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) Improves Serum Total Testosterone in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 58(8), 1047. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58081047

[3] Talbott, S. M., Talbott, J. A., George, A., & Pugh, M. (2013). Effect of Tongkat Ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-10-28

[4] Pandit, S., Biswas, S., Jana, U., De, R.K., Mukhopadhyay, S. C., & Biswas, T.K. (2016). Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia, 48(5), 570–575. https://doi.org/10.1111/and.12482

[5] Rajpoot, A., Yadav, K., Yadav, A., & Mishra, R. K. (2024). Shilajit mitigates chemotherapeutic drug-induced testicular toxicity: Study on testicular germ cell dynamics, steroidogenesis modulation, and Nrf-2/Keap-1 signaling. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 15(4), 100930. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2024.100930

[6] Fernández-Lázaro, D., Mielgo-Ayuso, J., Del Valle Soto, M., Adams, D. P., González-Bernal, J. J., & Seco-Calvo, J. (2021). The Effects of 6 Weeks of Tribulus terrestris L. Supplementation on Body Composition, Hormonal Response, Perceived Exertion, and CrossFit Performance: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients, 13(11), 3969. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13113969

[7] Vilar Neto, J. O., de Moraes, W. M. A. M., Pinto, D. V., da Silva, C. A., Caminha, J. S. R., Nunes Filho, J. C. C., Reis, C. E. G., Prestes, J., Santos, H. O., & De Francesco Daher, E. (2025). Effects of Tribulus (Tribulus terrestris L.) Supplementation on Erectile Dysfunction and Testosterone Levels in Men. A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials. Nutrients, 17(7), 1275. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071275

[8] Prasad, A. S., Mantzoros, C. S., Beck, F. W., Hess, J. W., & Brewer, G. J. (1996). Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 12(5), 344–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0899-9007(96)80058-x

[9] Yalle-Vásquez, S., Osco-Rosales, K., Nieto-Gutierrez, W., Benites-Zapata, V., Pérez-López, F. R., & Alarcon-Ruiz, C. A. (2022). Vitamin E supplementation improves testosterone, glucose- and lipid-related metabolism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Gynecological endocrinology: the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology, 38(7), 548–557. https://doi.org/10.1080/09513590.2022.2079629

[10] Khosravanian, N., Razi, M., Farokhi, F., & Khosravanian, H. (2014). Testosterone and vitamin E administration up-regulated varicocele-reduced Hsp70-2 protein expression and ameliorated biochemical alterations. Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 31(3), 341–354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-013-0165-0

*The matters discussed in this article are for informational purposes only and not medical advice. Please consult your healthcare practitioner on the matters discussed herein.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Healthmasters' products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.