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Supplements

Every supplement we cover, sorted by how strong the evidence actually is. Use the filters to explore what helps men and women — and what's just marketing.

Strong — good scientific evidence it worksSome — limited or mixed evidenceUnproven — little or no good evidence
WomenUnprovenNormal

Adaptogen Blends

A real concept with a few genuinely effective herbs — but the multi-herb blends underdose them, and 'adrenal fatigue' isn't a real diagnosis.

WomenUnprovenNormal

Detox & Cleanse Products

Treats a problem you don't have — your liver and kidneys already detox — and the 'feel better' comes from the diet around it. Many teas hide laxatives.

WomenUnprovenNormal

'Hormone-Balancing' Blends

Sells a vague, untestable promise via hidden-dose mixtures — underdosing the few ingredients that work and padding the rest. Buy proven singles instead.

WomenUnprovenNormal

Broccoli Sprout Extract

Built on genuinely exciting science (sulforaphane) — but the 'hormone balance' supplement claim outruns the data, and the pills are notoriously unreliable.

WomenUnprovenNormal

Apple Cider Vinegar

One real, modest effect — blunting post-meal blood sugar — wrapped in big 'detox', weight-loss and hormone claims it doesn't earn. Plus a real enamel risk.

WomenUnprovenNormal

Red Raspberry Leaf

The classic traditional 'pregnancy tea' — deep midwifery roots, but thin evidence that it eases labour or period pain.

WomenUnprovenNormal

Wild Yam

'Natural progesterone' that your body cannot actually make from the plant — and the creams that 'work' have been found spiked with real hormones.

WomenUnprovenNormal

Dong Quai

The traditional 'female ginseng' — but the single-herb capsules sold in the West lack good evidence and carry real blood-thinning cautions.

WomenUnprovenNormal

Collagen

A rare 'unproven-list' supplement with genuine evidence — for skin and joints. The 'hormone balance' angle, though, is pure marketing.

WomenUnprovenNormal

Maca

Genuine, modest evidence for libido — but it works without changing hormones, so the 'hormone-balancing superfood' label is simply wrong.

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Evening Primrose Oil

A decades-old women's staple with a tidy theory — that good trials largely deflated, even for the breast pain it was famous for.

WomenUnprovenNormal

Sage

A logical traditional match for menopausal sweats — with limited, low-quality evidence and a real thujone-dose safety nuance.

WomenUnprovenRed

Black Cohosh

One of the most-studied menopause herbs — with genuinely mixed hot-flush evidence and a rare but real liver-safety signal.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

Probiotics (specific strains)

A sensible support for gut and vaginal health, with a promising emerging link to oestrogen balance — choose named strains.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

DIM (Diindolylmethane)

A popular 'oestrogen balancer' for acne and PMS — plausible mechanism, but honestly thin human proof. Treat as experimental.

WomenSome evidenceRed

St John's Wort

Real evidence for low mood — but one of the most interaction-prone supplements, especially with the pill and antidepressants.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

Vitamin E

A gentle, low-cost option for hot flushes and breast tenderness — at a modest dose, never megadoses.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

Chromium

A modest helper for blood sugar and cravings in PCOS — minor next to inositol and berberine, but reasonable as an add-on.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

Selenium

A targeted thyroid and fertility support where intake is low — with a strict upper limit worth respecting.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

Zinc

A quiet staple for skin, cycles and immunity — and one of the better-evidenced options for hormonal acne.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

Rhodiola

A useful daytime adaptogen for stress-related fatigue and focus — the energising counterpart to evening ashwagandha.

WomenSome evidenceCaution

Ashwagandha (KSM-66)

A well-evidenced adaptogen for stress and sleep — which can indirectly steady stress-driven cycles and perimenopausal symptoms.

WomenSome evidenceRed

Vitex / Chasteberry

One of the better-evidenced herbs for classic PMS and breast tenderness — working gently through prolactin and dopamine.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

Phytoestrogens (soy / red clover)

A modest, real option for menopausal hot flushes if you'd rather avoid HRT — with honestly mixed, individual results.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

Spearmint (tea or extract)

A cheap, safe tea with real trial evidence for gently lowering the androgens behind PCOS hair growth and acne.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

CoQ10

A well-tolerated antioxidant worth considering for egg quality and energy, especially over 35 or on a statin.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

Saffron

One of the best-evidenced natural options for premenstrual mood — trials show real benefit, comparable to antidepressants for mild depression.

WomenSome evidenceNormal

NAC (N-acetylcysteine)

A gentle antioxidant with real PCOS and fertility evidence — it pairs naturally with inositol.

WomenSome evidenceRed

Berberine

A metformin-like compound with real evidence for insulin resistance in PCOS — but with drug interactions that demand care.

WomenStrong evidenceRed

Iron (only if deficient)

The single most common deficiency in menstruating women — and a frequent hidden cause of fatigue, brain fog and low mood.

WomenStrong evidenceNormal

Calcium + Vitamin B6

Calcium protects bones through menopause; vitamin B6 can ease PMS — a sensible pairing when used at modest, safe doses.

WomenStrong evidenceNormal

Myo-Inositol

One of the best-studied natural options for PCOS — it can improve insulin sensitivity, restore ovulation and lower excess androgens.

WomenStrong evidenceNormal

Vitamin B12

Essential for energy, mood and a healthy pregnancy — and a common shortfall for vegans, vegetarians and women on the pill or metformin.

WomenStrong evidenceNormal

Creatine Monohydrate

No longer just for men — creatine helps women with strength, muscle, bone, brain fog and mood, especially around menopause.

WomenStrong evidenceNormal

Magnesium (glycinate)

A foundational mineral for PMS, sleep, mood and muscle cramps — and one many women fall short on.

WomenStrong evidenceNormal

Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)

The most evidence-backed supplement for women's hormonal health — supporting mood, period pain, fertility and a healthy pregnancy.

WomenStrong evidenceNormal

Vitamin D3 + K2

A deficiency this common deserves attention — vitamin D underpins bone strength, mood, fertility and hormone balance in women.

MenUnprovenNormal

Proprietary 'T-Booster' Blends

Not an ingredient but a labelling tactic — hiding individual doses behind one total weight, which lets brands 'fairy dust' trace amounts for the label.

MenUnprovenNormal

Wild Oat Extract (Avena Sativa)

Trades on the old 'sowing your wild oats' association and a thin SHBG theory — while actual oats, as food, are the genuinely healthy part.

MenUnprovenNormal

Deer Antler Velvet

Built on real biology — antlers grow via IGF-1 — but swallowed IGF-1 is digested before it can work, and studies show no benefit.

MenUnprovenNormal

Pine Pollen

It genuinely contains real testosterone — a true fact behind a misleading claim, because the dose is far too tiny to matter.

MenUnprovenNormal

Chrysin

The textbook 'works in a dish, not in a person' supplement — a real aromatase inhibitor in the lab, too poorly absorbed to do anything swallowed.

MenUnprovenNormal

L-Arginine

The 'correct' nitric-oxide building block that your own gut destroys before it works — citrulline does the job far better.

MenUnprovenNormal

Ginseng (Panax)

A 2,000-year-old tonic with real evidence for energy and erections — but it works through blood flow, not by raising testosterone.

MenUnprovenNormal

Nettle Root

A genuinely clever 'unlock testosterone you already have' SHBG mechanism — with lab support but too little human proof.

MenUnprovenNormal

Beta-Sitosterol

A real cholesterol-lowering and prostate compound — but it doesn't raise testosterone, and by cutting cholesterol it arguably does the opposite.

MenUnprovenNormal

Saw Palmetto

Sold as both a T-booster and a prostate aid — but its real mechanism (lowering DHT) is almost the opposite of a testosterone booster.

MenUnprovenNormal

Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium)

A real Viagra-like lab mechanism with a memorable goat legend — that doesn't survive digestion at supplement doses.

MenUnprovenNormal

Resveratrol

The 'red wine longevity' molecule — but you'd need thousands of glasses to hit study doses, and the human anti-ageing and testosterone evidence is weak.

MenUnprovenNormal

Forskolin

A genuine lab tool whose testosterone fame rests on one small study — then a daytime-TV hype wave did the rest.

MenUnprovenNormal

Calcium-D-Glucarate

A genuinely elegant oestrogen-clearance mechanism — proven in animals and the lab, but not convincingly in humans, and oversold as 'detox'.

MenUnprovenNormal

D-Aspartic Acid (DAA)

A textbook case: one exciting first study, then better trials that failed to repeat it — some even showed a drop.

MenUnprovenNormal

ZMA

Born from a 1990s doping-scandal lab — it only raises testosterone if you were deficient, and its real benefit is sleep.

MenUnprovenRed

Yohimbine

A modest fat-loss and libido effect — wrapped around a genuinely risky stimulant with notoriously inaccurate labelling.

MenUnprovenRed

Pregnenolone

The 'mother hormone' precursor — but topping it up doesn't reliably raise testosterone, and the body may turn it into oestrogen or cortisol instead.

MenUnprovenRed

DHEA

Not a herb but an actual hormone — prescription-only in much of the world, and it can raise oestrogen as much as testosterone.

MenUnprovenNormal

Ecdysterone

The 'Russian secret' with a Cold War legend and a spinach connection — but no reliable human evidence for muscle or testosterone.

MenUnprovenNormal

Turkesterone

2022's breakout 'natural steroid' — except it doesn't bind the androgen receptor, human trials found nothing, and many products were fake.

MenUnprovenRed

Fadogia Agrestis

A podcast-driven viral sensation with zero human trials — and a real signal of testicular and liver toxicity in the only studies that exist.

MenUnprovenNormal

Tribulus Terrestris

One of the most-studied and most consistently negative testosterone supplements — with a famous origin myth built on steroids, not the herb.

MenSome evidenceNormal

DIM (Diindolylmethane)

An estrogen-metabolism modulator from broccoli — of interest for men with high oestrogen, but the human evidence is thin.

MenSome evidenceNormal

Supporting micronutrients (A · C · E · copper · iodine)

Insurance against the dietary gaps that quietly drag testosterone down — not a booster, but a sensible safety net.

MenSome evidenceNormal

Mucuna Pruriens

A dopamine-boosting bean with real evidence in infertile, stressed men — less certain for everyone else.

MenSome evidenceNormal

Cistanche

A traditional 'desert ginseng' for libido and vitality — promising in animal studies, but human testosterone evidence is thin.

MenSome evidenceNormal

Maca

A well-liked libido and energy root — it improves sexual desire without raising testosterone.

MenSome evidenceNormal

Pomegranate / Beetroot

A polyphenol-rich antioxidant for blood flow, blood pressure and mood — with a small, unconfirmed signal on testosterone.

MenSome evidenceNormal

Mushroom Complex (Cordyceps)

An energy-and-endurance mushroom with strong animal data on testosterone — but human hormone evidence hasn't followed.

MenSome evidenceNormal

Taurine

A safe, supportive amino acid for exercise, antioxidant defence and sleep — but no real human evidence it raises testosterone.

MenSome evidenceNormal

CoQ10

A mitochondrial antioxidant that shines for sperm quality — with a modest testosterone signal in infertile men, not healthy ones.

MenSome evidenceNormal

Black Seed Oil

A metabolic and anti-inflammatory oil (Nigella sativa) with solid blood-sugar and lipid data — but thin human evidence on testosterone.

MenSome evidenceNormal

Selenium

A thyroid and antioxidant mineral that supports sperm — but only helps testosterone if you were deficient.

MenSome evidenceNormal

Shilajit

A mineral-rich Ayurvedic resin with genuine human evidence for raising testosterone — when it's purified.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

Vitamin B12

Not a testosterone booster — but correcting a deficiency restores the energy and vitality that low T is often blamed for.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

L-Citrulline

Not a testosterone booster — a blood-flow amino acid that supports erections, pumps and endurance.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)

A foundational anti-inflammatory fat — strong for heart, brain and sperm health, with a suggestive (not proven) link to testosterone.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

Fenugreek

A standardised herb with consistent libido benefits and modest, if inconsistent, support for free testosterone.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

Tongkat Ali

One of the better-evidenced herbs — it lowers cortisol and SHBG, lifting free testosterone, especially in stressed or older men.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

Boron

A trace mineral with an intriguing effect on free testosterone and oestrogen — but the human evidence rests on a single very small study.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

Creatine Monohydrate

The most-researched supplement in sport — it builds the muscle and training capacity that support healthy hormones, rather than raising testosterone directly.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

Ashwagandha (KSM-66)

One of the few herbs with real human evidence — it lowers cortisol and modestly supports testosterone, sleep and recovery.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

Magnesium (glycinate)

A quiet workhorse — it frees up testosterone and powers the sleep that makes it, but mostly moves the needle when you're low.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

Zinc

An essential building block for testosterone — powerful when you're deficient, pointless once you're not.

MenStrong evidenceNormal

Vitamin D3 + K2

A genuine hormone in disguise — correcting a deficiency helps, but it won't push an already-healthy level higher.

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Educational information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to conceive, under 18, or taking medication, talk to your doctor before starting any supplement. Some links are affiliate links — if you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.