Testosterone Boosters: Do They Work? What the Reviews and Studies Show

A supplement sold with the promise of higher testosterone, usually a blend of plants, minerals and vitamins.

"Testosterone booster" is a marketing label, not a medical category. A 2020 look at 50 such products found that 24.8% had any data showing a rise in testosterone, 10.1% had data showing a fall, and 61.5% had no data at all (Clemesha et al. 2020). A 2024 review found that most proposed boosters do not raise total testosterone (Morgado et al. 2024).

HoneyBoost does not claim to be one, and the label names no condition. We cover the category because people searching for HoneyBoost often arrive from testosterone searches.

A medical diagnosis, not a feeling.

Low testosterone is a medical diagnosis. The American Urological Association says it needs both consistently low blood levels and symptoms, with two early-morning blood tests, and a clinician decides on treatment (AUA, Testosterone Deficiency Guideline). Mayo Clinic notes that hypogonadism has many causes and that symptoms such as low drive overlap with other conditions (Mayo Clinic, Male Hypogonadism).

Tiredness, low drive and mood changes fit many causes, such as poor sleep, depression, thyroid disease, obesity and medicines. A blood test and a clinician can sort them out. A supplement cannot. Mayo Clinic notes that hypogonadism can be caused by problems in the testicles or in the brain signals that control them, and that treatment depends on the cause (Mayo Clinic, Male Hypogonadism). That is another reason a guess from a label is a weak start: the right step depends on a cause you cannot see from the outside.

Yes, through hidden drugs, wrong labels and interactions.

Hidden drugs are the best documented risk in this product category. An FDA laboratory found that 15 of 26 herbal products sold for "sexual performance" held undeclared ED drugs or close copies of them (Gryniewicz et al. 2009). FDA keeps a public list of tainted sexual enhancement products and says the list is not complete (FDA, Sexual Enhancement and Energy Product Notifications). We have no test showing that HoneyBoost holds anything beyond its label. We also cannot rule it out, and no review site can.

The bigger practical risk is product quality. A DNA test of commercial tongkat ali products found that only 37% were authentic and 27% were adulterated (Abubakar et al. 2018). A 4-week study of 63 stressed adults reported better mood scores and higher salivary testosterone with one standardized extract, but it was small and short (Talbott et al. 2013). Ask any tongkat ali seller for a certificate of analysis that names the extract.

The first interaction to know about is with nitrates, the medicines used for chest pain such as nitroglycerin. FDA warns that sexual enhancement products sometimes contain hidden sildenafil or tadalafil, and that mixing those drugs with nitrates can drop blood pressure to a dangerous level (FDA, Sexual Enhancement and Energy Product Notifications). MedlinePlus says the same about sildenafil itself (MedlinePlus, Sildenafil). HoneyBoost does not list a drug. But you cannot see inside a gummy, so if you take a nitrate, ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any product sold for male sexual performance.

See a clinician about symptoms, and use the steps with a record.

The things with the best record are plain: regular activity, enough sleep, a steady weight, limiting alcohol, not smoking, and managing stress and blood pressure. Mayo Clinic lists them among the lifestyle changes that can help erections (Mayo Clinic, Erectile Dysfunction). None of them comes in a gummy, and all are free.

The healthy habits guide covers sleep, activity and food, and the ED basics guide covers the sexual side.