People have used ginger in medicine and cooking since the earliest times. Not only is it a great addition to many foods, but it’s also known for treating many ailments.
Recently, I happened to overhear a conversation on ginger and testosterone. Thinking that this topic was due for a while, I decided to do some research.
I teamed up with a dietician friend, and we sifted our way through tons of research on the many benefits of dietary ginger — namely, its supposed ability to increase the primary sex hormone testosterone.
Here’s what we found.
Quick Summary
- Ginger can naturally boost testosterone levels by increasing luteinizing hormone production, enhancing the production of nitric oxide, and promoting blood flow to the testes.
- Ginger has many potential testosterone-related benefits, such as enhancing male sexual function, increasing blood flow, and reducing body weight.
- Ginger consumption also has other benefits like reducing pain and inflammation, improving digestion, and strengthening cardiovascular health.
What’s the Connection Between Ginger and Testosterone?
The connection between ginger and the male sex hormone testosterone has to do with ginger’s medicinal value and natural testosterone-boosting abilities.
Studies show consuming ginger extract may boost testosterone levels; however, these effects were only found in mice.
Various studies have measured testicular weight as a strong indicator of high t-levels.
In one study, male rats supplemented with ginger root or extract for a week had higher testicular weight than the corresponding control group [1].
While it’s hard to replicate the same results in humans, one study showed that daily ginger supplementation for three months increased testosterone levels by 17% in men [2].
“Ginger consumption increases LH (Luteinizing hormone) production. It mitigates cholesterol levels in the testes and reduces oxidative stress. Consuming ginger also helps blood circulation, a key component in healthy male function.”
- Dr. Ahmed Zayed, MD, Founder of Zayed MD
How Does Ginger Increase Testosterone Production?
Ginger enhances testosterone production mainly through increasing LH production and various physiological testosterone-boosting mechanisms [3].
Here are ginger’s key testosterone-boosting mechanisms:
- Increasing cholesterol levels in the testes: Healthy cholesterol levels in the testes are a good indication of fertility [4].
- Reducing oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in the testes: Both these are correlated with increasing testosterone levels [5].
- Normalizing blood glucose levels: Low testosterone is associated with irregular blood glucose levels [6].
- Enhancing nitric oxide production: The production of nitric oxide leads to enhanced testosterone production [7].
- Increasing blood flow to the Leydig cells: Leydig cells in the testes are responsible for the production of testosterone [8].
- Increasing testicular weight: While human studies were done on this, these results were found in studies on rats.
Other Benefits
While it’s known to enhance testosterone production, daily ginger consumption carries a host of benefits [9].
Here are some of the most commonly known ones:
- Reducing gas and improving digestion
- Immune system support
- Nausea relief
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Pain relief
- Improved cardiovascular health
- Lower risk of cancer
Some Recipes To Make It Palatable
While one could appreciate the many health benefits of ginger, one might not find the taste of plain ginger in itself appealing.
If you’re one of those people, here are some very simple ginger drinks and foods to make your daily ginger supplementation more palatable.
- Ginger tea: This is one of the easiest recipes to make. Strain some grated ginger into your daily cup of tea.
- Soup: You can add slices of ginger to any soup you’re making for added flavor.
- Ginger candy: You can either make this at home or buy it from a local store.
- Ginger with honey: Mixing honey with ginger adds a sweetness to it that makes it more palatable.
- Ginger lemonade: You can add ginger to your lemonade for enhanced flavor and the added benefits of ginger.
- Pickled ginger: This recipe is simple, easy to make, and it can last for days.
Related: Best Ginger Supplements
FAQs
Can Eating Too Much Ginger Lower Your Testosterone Levels?
There’s no research that shows whether eating too much ginger can lower your testosterone levels. But overeating ginger can lead to gas, mouth irritation, heartburn, stomach problems, and skin rashes [10].
How Often Should You Eat Ginger to Maintain High Levels of Testosterone Levels?
You should eat ginger every day to maintain high levels of testosterone.
Research shows that eating 600 mg of ginger per kilogram of body weight could enhance testosterone synthesis [11].
Raise Testosterone Naturally With Ginger
While there are some people who increase their muscle mass through testosterone replacement therapy and steroid use, we believe going the natural route is ultimately a safer option.
If ginger is already part of your diet, we highly recommend adding natural testosterone boosters for an added effect. You can check our articles where we try to find the best option:
Even with ginger, these supplements can naturally enhance your testosterone, improve your workouts, give you an energy boost, and help you build muscle.
Look through the list, and find one that best suits your workout goals.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6316093/
- https://www.iasj.net/iasj?func=fulltext&aId=71548
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6316093/
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2018.00369/full
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5483704/
- https://joe.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/joe/220/3/R37.xml
- https://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/269/1/230
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/leydig-cell
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265990
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/ginger-uses-and-risks
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6316093/
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