[quote]loco wrote:
I’m thinking of using a plant-based testosterone booster, such as tribulus, avena sativa etc.
Supposedly, they increase testosterone up to the high normal range. I have no idea where I am now, probably somewhere around average.
I’m wondering about the side effects the testosterone elevation may have on my body besides muscle gain: these products are advertised to increase sex drive - I don’t have any trouble in that department, and I rather think it could become a problem for me and my wife if, all of a sudden, my needs changed.
Also, I wonder whether there is a chance of increased aggression. I can already be quite choleric at times, and I worry whether this stuff could push me over the edge.
Finally, I want to know whether higher testosterone levels could lead to increased growth of facial and body hair. There are certainly unassisted men out there with hairier backs than mine, and I hope it will stay that way…
I would be very thankful for any feedback by people who have already used natural testosterone boosters.[/quote]
I think it’s important to keep in mind that your sex drive may increase slightly or there may be no effect at all. Various studies, in which high amounts of exogenous testosterone were administered, often times failed to establish a clear increase in sex drive. The rest of your concerns follow a similar trend. In the general population, many of the effects have reached near myth-like status.
The issue of aggression, is itself problematic as the definition of what people see as “aggressive” is varied. My opinion of aggressive is simply that you’re more apt to be assertive and will be more apt to act in a situation where you’d normally be passive. Many seem to think of “aggression” as ill-tempered behavior. Well, according to the preponderance of literature, low testosterone levels are actually associated with such behavior. Specifically, violent outbursts, irritability, depression in general and supplementation of testosterone has been shown to alleviate such symptoms where low testosterone is thought to be the cause. On the other end of the spectrum, exogenous testosterone administration, yielding supraphysiological levels of testosterone has in the majority of cases, shown no increase in violent behavior, except in those that are prone to manic behavior.
As for body hair growth, this is more associated with men who express higher amounts of certain enzyme expression and thus are more prone to such effects when testosterone concentrations are increased. Although, as I’ve said before, because you’re only increase endogenous testosterone to the high-normal range, you’re not really providing enough substrate for this to be an issue in a male who isn’t already displaying such a thing.