Are you zinc deficient? If so, supplementing could raise your testosterone level.

[RottenWillow]

Zinc is well known to be an important player in the endogenous production of testosterone. Supplementation with zinc can absolutely raise your body's natural production...particularly if you are deficient.

How do you know if you're deficient?

The quick and dirty (but pretty effective) test. Buy a good quality zinc preparation like gluconate or glycinate. Thoroughly crush the tabs or open the caps and dissolve 250mg of it in a glass of 6oz of distilled water. (IMP: must be distilled). To a second glass just add the distilled water. Have a helpful partner switch the glasses around while your eyes are closed. Now taste each one, allowing the water sit in your mouth several seconds. If they both just tasted like plain water, you are very zinc deficient. If you correctly identified the zinc water, but could only detect a slight difference, you are still zinc deficient. A proper zinc level in your body should enable you to notice a substantial and immediate metallic taste.

Turned out I am zinc deficient. For the past 6 weeks I've been supplementing with 200 to 250mg daily of zinc and have noticed substantial improvements in sex drive, and notable improvements in stamina and strength gains.

Now even if you are not zinc deficient at all, it's still a good bet that supplementation could help. Even if it's only a slight gain in T levels that'd still be better than nothing. And zinc is cheap!

 

[RottenWillow]

One important proviso: DO NOT supplement with zinc within at least 4 hours of caffeine consumption. Caffeine both inhibits zinc absorption and provokes zinc excretion. Since I drink very strong coffee in the morning I always wait 7 hours.

 

[Island_Girl]

Thanks for this info! Very interesting. I didn't know this. I do supp with zinc, but nowhere near that amount. Guess I'm increasing this today.

 

[RottenWillow]

Thanks for this info! Very interesting. I didn't know this. I do supp with zinc, but nowhere near that amount. Guess I'm increasing this today.

IME it does take rather a lot to notice the difference. The few guys on other boards who've tried it successfully take 100-150mg 2x daily. It's amazes me that supping with a common mineral actually works to noticeably boost T production, but it does.

 

[Rebecca D]

One important proviso: DO NOT supplement with zinc within at least 4 hours of caffeine consumption. Caffeine both inhibits zinc absorption and provokes zinc excretion. Since I drink very strong coffee in the morning I always wait 7 hours.

I did not know this. I use zma every night. Not sure if it increases my test, but it puts me in a deep, restful sleep....and sleep is important for health and muscle growth.

Rebecca D

 

[RottenWillow]

I did not know this. I use zma every night. Not sure if it increases my test, but it puts me in a deep, restful sleep....and sleep is important for health and muscle growth.

Rebecca D

same with magnesium as a matter of fact. Neither should be taken near caffeine consumption.

As for ZMA, IIRC they used to market it as an anabolic supplement, didn't they? Not sure if it has enough zinc though to really boost T.