Yes, ashwagandha may moderately increase testosterone levels in men, usually by about 10% to 20%. Ashwagandha reduces cortisol (the body’s main stress hormone). High stress blocks testosterone production, so lowering cortisol appears to be one of the main ways this herb supports healthier testosterone levels.
That said, the effect isn’t dramatic, and it isn’t the same for every man. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogen, a category of herbs traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to help the body handle physical and mental stress. Over the past decade, a number of small clinical trials have looked specifically at its effect on testosterone, and the results are consistently modest but real.
What the Research Shows
Several randomized, placebo-controlled trials have measured testosterone before and after ashwagandha supplementation, typically using 300 to 600 mg per day of a standardized root extract over 8 to 12 weeks. Across these studies, men taking ashwagandha saw testosterone increases in the range of roughly 10% to 20% compared to placebo. One trial in overweight, middle-aged men reported a statistically significant rise in free testosterone alongside an increase in luteinizing hormone (LH), the pituitary signal that tells the testes to produce testosterone in the first place (NIH/PMC).
The effect tends to be more noticeable in men who start out with some kind of hormonal disadvantage: chronic stress, excess body fat, or lower-than-optimal baseline testosterone. In healthy young men with already-normal hormone levels, the change is usually smaller. This pattern shows up in fertility research too. In men with low sperm counts, a 90-day trial found that ashwagandha supplementation improved not just testosterone and LH, but also sperm count, motility, and semen volume (NIH/PMC).
How It Works
Ashwagandha’s effect on testosterone isn’t a single mechanism. It appears to work through several connected pathways:
- Lowering cortisol. Cortisol and testosterone compete for the same raw material (pregnenolone) in the body’s hormone-production pathway. When cortisol is chronically elevated, it can suppress the signals that drive testosterone production. Ashwagandha has been shown to meaningfully reduce cortisol levels, which may free up more of that shared hormonal capacity for testosterone.
- Raising DHEA-S. DHEA-S is a precursor hormone the body converts into testosterone. Some trials have found that ashwagandha increases DHEA-S alongside testosterone, suggesting it may support hormone production further upstream, not just at the cortisol level.
- Reducing oxidative stress in the testes. Ashwagandha has antioxidant properties, and animal and human studies suggest it may reduce oxidative damage in testicular tissue, where testosterone is actually produced. Less cellular damage may mean more efficient hormone output.
- Supporting the LH signal. Testosterone production starts with a signal from the brain (LH) to the testes. The increases in LH seen in several trials suggest ashwagandha may be acting partly at this upstream signaling level, not just at the testes themselves.
What This Means in Practice
It’s worth being realistic about the size of this effect. Ashwagandha is not a substitute for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), and it won’t produce the kind of dramatic increase a prescription treatment can. Men with clinically diagnosed hypogonadism (medically low testosterone) shouldn’t expect ashwagandha to resolve the condition on its own. Instead, it functions more like a supportive, adaptogenic aid, useful for men whose testosterone is being held down by everyday stress, poor recovery, or excess body fat, rather than by an underlying medical condition. A broader summary of the clinical evidence is available from Examine.com, an independent research database.
Most of the clinical benefit is seen with 300 to 600 mg per day of a root extract standardized to withanolides (the herb’s active compounds), taken consistently for at least 8 weeks. Effects built gradually over this period in most trials, rather than appearing immediately.
Safety Considerations
Ashwagandha is generally well tolerated, but it isn’t risk-free. Rare cases of liver injury have been reported in the medical literature, usually after several weeks of use, with symptoms like jaundice, dark urine, and persistent itching. Anyone with pre-existing liver disease should avoid it, and anyone who develops these symptoms should stop taking it and see a doctor promptly. The NIH LiverTox database documents these cases in more detail. As with any supplement, it’s worth talking to a healthcare provider before starting, especially if you’re taking other medications or have an existing health condition.
The Bottom Line
Ashwagandha has real, research-backed potential to modestly raise testosterone in men, primarily through lowering cortisol, supporting DHEA-S, reducing oxidative stress in the testes, and boosting LH signaling. The effect is meaningful but moderate, and it’s most noticeable in men dealing with stress, excess weight, or borderline-low testosterone rather than in men who are already at healthy baseline levels.
