If you take a peek at the leaflet that comes with your prescription drug’s packaging, you may come across a section touching on its half-life. It is a measure of how long it takes for the product to be excreted by your body. This period partly determines the frequency of use to prevent accidental overdose.
Testosterone boosters are a mild agent and actually classified as food. You wouldn’t give them a similar degree of caution as prescription medication like testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). But there is such a thing as too much of anything. You cannot gobble up an entire bottle of supplements and expect no detrimental effect on you. Taking the pills daily is not just a means of ensuring maximum efficient nutrient absorption – it’s a smart way to get away from the risk of nutrient toxicity too.
I’m going to get into the time it takes them to exit your body in a bit but first, some important background of testosterone boosters.
The Need for Testosterone Boosters
It’s all in the name – you take a testosterone booster to increase your levels of free testosterone. It’s a product you reach for if you suspect or have been diagnosed with low testosterone. But doesn’t TRT do the same thing? Not quite. TRT has a more direct impact on your testosterone – it introduces synthetic testosterone to your body. Testosterone boosters only stimulate the body’s own production by availing or increasing the nutritional building blocks it needs to do so.
Effectiveness & Limitations of Testosterone Boosters
Effectiveness
Limitations
Duration of Testosterone Boosters
Effects start to appear in 3-6 weeks
Noticed that many testosterone boosters have a money back guarantee ranging from 30 to 90 days? They are not just trying to be nice to you and give you back your money in case you demand a refund. There is some deeper underlying thought process to it – that is, an estimate of how long it takes for the supplement’s main benefits to start to take full effect. For most testosterone boosters, 3 to 6 weeks is the sweet spot.
Benefits last up to 6 months or more
Most times, the benefits could run for as many as 6 months after the completion of a 4 to 6-week dose. In some instances, they could run for longer. There is a direct correlation between how long the benefits last with how long you take the testosterone booster.
Varying durations depending on ingredients
I may have mentioned it before but let me reiterate that the testosterone booster market is not monolithic. How soon you see the positive effects, how long they last and how soon the ingredient is eliminated by the body will vary from brand to brand mostly depending on the individual ingredients of the product.
Popular ingredients used in testosterone boosters include zinc, magnesium, d-aspartic acid, ashwagandha, fenugreek and tribulus terrestris. For example, the body does not store excess zinc for future use so it’s usually eliminated in days utmost.
Elimination of Testosterone Boosters From Your System
Before I get to that, I’ll emphasize that testosterone boosters are made from natural ingredients typically comprising vitamins, minerals, amino acids and plant extracts. They are readily absorbed by the body in a not too dissimilar fashion as it does the nutrients from everyday food. As compounds and minerals the body is likely already accustomed to, the process of absorption and elimination is relatively quick. We are talking no more than a couple of days.
Factors affecting elimination process
Like the time it takes for effects to appear and benefits to last, there are multiple factors that affect the elimination of different testosterone boosters from your body.
Role of metabolism and excretion
The body’s metabolism and excretion processes facilitate the breakdown and elimination of testosterone booster ingredients. The healthy functioning of the digestive tract, liver, pancreas, kidneys and skin (sweat) is all central to getting rid of excess ingredients quickly.
Conclusion
Testosterone boosters are made from safe, natural ingredients. They have few side effects and do not last as long in the body as more aggressive solutions like TRT do. While the time it takes will vary from product to product, even the most potent booster will be out of your body within a relatively short time. If in doubt, have a word with your doctor and nutritionist to get the clearance required to proceed.
Finally, stick to the basics of maintaining healthy testosterone levels – exercise, diet, sleep and sun (or vitamin D supplements). Boosters are meant to support the body’s own testosterone production not replace it.