Scroll through TikTok, YouTube or any gym themed or menopause-related podcast feed and before long you will encounter content about testosterone, with influencers discussing their ‘T levels’ and recommending stacks of supplements as part of a ‘T optimisation protocol’. 

‘Low T’ has become shorthand for feeling less than your best, and the supplement industry has been quick to fill the gap, with the global testosterone booster market estimated to be worth around $3.7bn in 2024 – and growing.

As a result, customers are increasingly walking into community pharmacies with questions. Here is what you need to know.

What’s really being promoted?

Herbal and botanical supplements such as ashwagandha (also known as KSM-66), tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia), tribulus terrestris, fenugreek seed extract and maca root are commonly promoted ingredients.

They are often sold together in combination in products with names like TestoFuel, Testosil or similar.

Minerals and vitamins, particularly zinc, magnesium, vitamin D3 and boron are heavily promoted as building blocks for testosterone production.

Some of this content is aimed at correcting genuine nutritional deficiencies, although it is often framed in terms of boosting hormone levels rather than supporting general health.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone precursor that’s produced naturally by the adrenal glands.

It is available as an over-the-counter (OTC) supplement in some countries and is frequently discussed in online content around hormone health and anti-ageing.

Home testosterone testing kits are also promoted alongside these products, with the message that people should know their ‘baseline’ before optimising.

This framing borrows the language of clinical medicine to give supplement protocols a scientific appearance.