(Article medically reviewed by Dr. Zac Hyde M.D)
Does Forskolin Increase Testosterone in Men?
Every couple of months, a brand-new herbal supplement will appear on the market, claiming to be the latest, greatest thing.
It will typically come from some far-flung corner of the world where it has a long history of being used by ancient healers to make “sad wieners” happy again.
And if you’re really lucky (and you do your research), one or two of these “super herbs” might actually turn out to work.
Forskolin Supplements (The Real Deal)
Like Ashwagandha, Mucuna Pruriens, and Xian Mao, Coleus Forskohlii is an unpronounceable – but medically verifiable – way to raise your testosterone and generally give your boys a nice big boost.
It is produced by a plant native to India that is slightly related to mint.
But rather than being used to make ancient mojitos, this potent plant has long been recognized by Ayurvedic herbalists as a serious sex organ stimulator.
Note: I’m well aware that there are about 200 containers in your local Vitamin Shoppe that will all tell that same story. But Coleus Forskohlii is different.
In fact, that’s why I always stress the importance of evaluating supplements.
Remember, you aren’t just buying a new grill or a new set of sunglasses – you’re putting these in your body. Wasting your money on placebos is not the worst-case scenario here!
Luckily for all of us, multiple studies have revealed Forskolin’s ability to activate a man’s catabolite activator protein (cAMP).
Long story short, this gives it serious potential to boost testosterone production.
As if that weren’t enough, other studies – like this one from 1996 – also found that regular Forskolin supplementation could help activate your body’s androgen receptors.
So, what does this mean? Well, it means that…
- You’ll have better communication between cells and hormones.
- You’ll be able to make more T.
- And you’ll also be priming your body to absorb more T.
This is what we in the business call a win-win-win. But before you go diving into a big old bucket of Forskolin, let’s get back to that “due diligence” I was mentioning a few minutes ago.
I’m talking about ensuring you understand why this supplement works so you can avoid wasting time and money on something that doesn’t fit your health goals. Let’s get started…
How Forskolin Boosts Testosterone
Forskolin isn’t super popular, especially when compared to things like Goat Weed, Pine Pollen or Tongkat Ali.
In fact, ask the average testosterone nut or gym rat, and they’ll probably tell you they’ve never even heard of it.
You see, Forskolin is mostly prized for its ability to aid in weight loss.
Though this is obviously of concern for any obese man who cares about staying healthy. But the studies supporting Forskolin’s use as a weight loss aid have very small sample sizes.
In fact, the results are no more impressive than those of any other fat-burning herb you’ll find on the GNC shelf.
Other uses for the herb include treating asthma, glaucoma, and congestive heart problems – none of which have a thing to do with male sexual health.
Nevertheless, the proof is in the pudding. You see…It all comes back to cAMP.
Forskolin and Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP)
Catabolite activator protein is present throughout your cells and tissues, where it acts as a messenger between your cells and your hormones.
Since Forskolin has been shown to increase the levels of cAMP in your cells, it should theoretically significanty increase increase their sensitivity to those hormones.
Remember, boosting Testosterone production is only solving one-half of the Low-T equation.
Your body needs to be able to absorb those higher levels if it’s going to do anything useful with them! That’s where your androgen receptors come in.
But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves…
In a 2001 clinical trial performed on rats, Forskolin supplements were found to raise free testosterone levels by nearly 200%!
In fact, its ability to stimulate Leydig Cells in the testes is so widely accepted that it has gone on to become the standard “positive control” in other T-related tests!
This was later backed up by a human study into obese men.
Remember, obesity is one of the primary causes of low testosterone and a myriad of other sexual problems.
So, as you might expect, those men who received 250 mg of Forskolin extract two times a day for four months ended up displaying a 33% increase in their testosterone levels.
The interesting thing is that the clinical trial wasn’t even aiming to prove that – it was merely evaluating Forskolin’s value as a weight-loss drug!
Forskolin Boosts Testosteorne Production & Absorption
Now that we’ve established Forskolin’s ability to give your Testosterone a boost, let’s talk about the “cherry on top.”
You see, when it comes to Testosterone boosters, you generally have two camps: those that stimulate production and those that facilitate absorption.
Taking supplements that accomplish one goal is all well and good but ultimately pointless… unless you’re also taking something to accomplish the other.
What makes Forskolin so great is that it does both simultaneously.
In a 1996 in-vitro study, Forskolin was found to activate androgen receptors in a variety of different human cells.
Note how this goes back to our discussion about cAMP and how it promotes interaction between hormones and cells.
By raising cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels, Forskolin automatically makes more receptor sites for the testosterone molecules to bind to.
It’s basically a one-stop shop for increasing T production and utilization – something you don’t see in many other herbal supplements.
To put it mildly, this is a big deal. However, there is also a big problem you need to consider…
Forskolin and Estrogen in Men
Here’s the thing about cells: they don’t always act the way you want them too.
That is, you can’t just tell them to increase their receptivity to one type of hormone and ignore all the others floating around your body.
So, if you’re elevating your cAMP levels with Forskolin, it will not only boost testosterone reception but the reception of all other types of hormones. This is fine in most cases. The exception?
Estrogen!
As you should know by now, estrogen and testosterone exist in a constant “tug of war” inside the male body.
If you lose your grip on one, the other will gain a stronger foothold and start affecting you in countless ways.
So if you are already dealing with elevated estrogen levels, taking Forskolin is a big no-no! It could further throw your body’s hormone balance out of whack, which will take a long time to recover from.
Forskolin Testosterone Conclusion:
Forskolin may seem like just another “ancient herb” from a faraway land.
However, like Ashwagandha and Mucuna Pruriens, it can actually back up its claims with cold, hard science.
Best of all, this little herb not only has the power to increase your testosterone levels, but to boost the rate at which your body puts that “freshly-minted” T to use!
So as long as your estrogen levels are currently in check, you may want to seriously consider adding Forskolin to your list of sex enhancing supplements.
