Short answer: Small trials say it may raise it modestly. In a 2015 trial of 57 young men lifting weights, testosterone rose 96 ng/dL on ashwagandha vs 18 ng/dL on placebo over 8 weeks; a 2019 trial in about 50 men aged 40 to 70 found a 14.7% larger rise in saliva testosterone. A 2026 meta-analysis put the average rise in men at about 57 ng/dL. NIH says long-term safety is not known.
| Study | Men | What was given | Testosterone result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wankhede 2015 | 57 healthy men aged 18 to 50 starting resistance training | 300 mg root extract twice a day or placebo, 8 weeks | Serum testosterone rose 96.2 ng/dL vs 18.0 ng/dL on placebo |
| Lopresti 2019 | Overweight men aged 40 to 70 with mild fatigue (50 finished the first phase, 43 the whole crossover) | Extract with 21 mg withanolide glycosides a day or placebo, 8 weeks each | 14.7% greater rise in saliva testosterone than placebo; no difference in fatigue, vigor or sexual well-being |
| Fornalik 2026 meta-analysis | 23 placebo-controlled trials, 1,706 people (men and women) | Various extracts and doses | Average rise of 57.43 ng/dL in men; no rise in women |
The trials were short, used different extracts, and the 2019 study measured testosterone in saliva rather than blood. The meta-analysis authors noted differences between studies and limited data on some outcomes, and called for more standardized trials. The 2019 trial also found an 18% greater rise in DHEA-S, another hormone, with no difference in cortisol or estradiol.
For scale, the American Urological Association uses 300 ng/dL as the cutoff for low total testosterone (see normal testosterone on TRT). A rise of around 50 to 100 ng/dL in men with normal levels is far smaller than the changes from testosterone therapy itself. The trials did not test ashwagandha as a treatment for diagnosed low testosterone.
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) says ashwagandha appears well tolerated for up to about 3 months, but its long-term safety is not known. Common side effects such as loose stools, nausea and drowsiness are usually mild. ODS notes a few reports of liver injury, says ashwagandha might affect thyroid function and interact with some medicines, and says some experts advise against it during pregnancy and for men with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.
See ashwagandha and thyroid medicine for the thyroid side.
For a man on testosterone therapy, the testosterone level comes mainly from the dose and schedule. No trial above tested ashwagandha in men on TRT. Because the prescriber reads lab results against everything being taken, it helps to list supplements too. Dose Track can log ashwagandha next to injections and lab dates.
Read more on Dose Track: Ashwagandha · Low testosterone · Meta-analysis · Dietary supplement