How To Cycle Herbal Supplements To Increase Testosterone

Summary

In this informative video, Zach from Nutrition Library discusses how to properly cycle ashwagandha, tonkat ali, shilajit, and ectosteroids to increase testosterone safely. He explains the mechanisms of action for each supplement and their potential side effects. Zach emphasizes the importance of cycling and proper dosage to maximize results and minimize risks. He also shares his personal dosing protocol, which includes daily intake of shilajit and ectosteroids and workout-day usage of tonkat ali and ashwagandha. He advises viewers to experiment with these compounds to find what works best for their individual needs, highlighting the importance of staying in tune with one's body and hormone profile.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Ashwagandha has three main effects on testosterone: reducing cortisol, increasing thyroid hormone, and improving serotonin signaling.
• 🍃 Ashwagandha's impact on serotonin is complex, decreasing the suppressive 5-HT1A receptor and enhancing the 5-HT2A receptor, which can lead to increased testosterone production but potential neurological side effects if misused.
• 💪 Tonkat Ali's testosterone benefits come from upregulating enzymes for testosterone production, antagonizing alpha estrogen receptors, and increasing dopamine levels.
• 🚫 Tonkat Ali should be cycled due to its potential negative effects on bone, joint, and heart health if used excessively or for too long.
• 🛡️ Shilajit's mechanism involves increasing testicular antioxidant capacity, mineral content, and providing protective fatty acids, with no need for cycling due to its specific action.
• 🌱 Ectosteroids work by binding to beta estrogen receptors to initiate muscle protein synthesis and do not significantly affect hormone levels, suggesting no need for cycling.
• 🔄 There is a potential interaction between Tonkat Ali and Ectosteroids where Tonkat Ali can negate the effects of Ectosteroids due to its blocking of estrogen receptors.
• 🕒 The speaker's personal dosing protocol involves taking Shilajit and Ectosteroids daily, and Tonkat Ali and Ashwagandha only on workout days, spaced appropriately.
• 🧘‍♂️ Ashwagandha has mood and cognitive benefits due to its effects on GABA signaling and reducing cortisol levels but requires careful dosing to avoid the 'gray effect'.
• 🧬 Individual responses to these supplements can vary greatly, so personal experimentation and monitoring are crucial for finding the optimal protocol.
• 🩺 For those new to hormone optimization, at-home blood tests are recommended to understand personal hormone profiles and tailor supplementation strategies.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is how to properly and safely cycle ashwagandha, tonkat ali, shilajit, and ectosteroids together to maximize results and minimize side effects in increasing testosterone levels.

What are the three primary mechanisms of action for ashwagandha in relation to testosterone?

The three primary mechanisms of action for ashwagandha are: 1) decreasing cortisol levels, 2) increasing thyroid hormone which stimulates luteinizing hormone and testosterone production, and 3) increasing serotonin signaling in a way that suppresses prolactin release and increases luteinizing hormone and testosterone production.

Why is it important to cycle ashwagandha properly?

Proper cycling and dosage of ashwagandha are important to avoid side effects such as the 'gray effect,' where nothing is exciting or depressing, leading to a dull state of mind, which can occur if taken for too long or in too high a dosage.

What are the primary mechanisms of action for tonkat ali in relation to testosterone?

The primary mechanisms of action for tonkat ali are: 1) possible upregulation of enzymes needed for testosterone production, 2) antagonizing the alpha subset of estrogen receptors to prevent suppression of testosterone production, and 3) dopaminergic effects which reduce prolactin release and increase testosterone.

Why is tonkat ali suggested to be cycled and not taken continuously?

Tonkat ali needs to be cycled due to its potent effects on antagonizing the alpha subset of estrogen receptors, which if taken for too long or in too high a dosage, can lead to suppressive effects on bone health, joint health, and heart health.

What is the main mechanism of action for shilajit in relation to testosterone?

The main mechanism of action for shilajit is increasing testicular antioxidant capacity, increasing mineral content in the testes, and providing protective effects on the testes due to its fatty acid content.

Why does the speaker believe shilajit does not need to be cycled?

The speaker believes shilajit does not need to be cycled because of its specific mechanisms of action that are presumably happening due to nutrient replenishment in the body, similar to a food product.

What is the primary effect of ectosteroids on the body?

Ectosteroids primarily act by binding to the beta subset of estrogen receptors to initiate muscle protein synthesis, rather than having a major effect on hormone levels.

Why are tonkat ali and ectosteroids not recommended to be used together?

Tonkat ali potently blocks both estrogen receptors, which can negate and antagonize the effects of ectosteroids in the body, making them not stack well together.

What is the speaker's personal dosing protocol for these supplements?

The speaker takes shilajit and ectosteroids every day in the morning with breakfast. Tonkat ali and ashwagandha are taken only on workout days, typically with a pre-workout concoction, and sometimes the dosage is split before and after the workout.

What advice does the speaker give regarding experimenting with these compounds?

The speaker advises to experiment with these compounds to figure out what works best for the individual, emphasizing the importance of staying in tune with one's body and how it reacts to specific compounds, exercise protocols, and diet.

What does the speaker recommend for those new to natural hormone optimization?

For those new to natural hormone optimization, the speaker recommends getting an at-home blood test to understand their personal hormone profile, as everyone is at a different place when it comes to their hormone levels.

Outlines

00:00

💊 Understanding Supplement Cycles for Testosterone Boost

In this paragraph, the speaker, Zach, introduces the topic of cycling supplements to increase testosterone levels safely and effectively. He discusses the toxic effects of a supplement called Fedoja Aggressis and presents his top three alternatives: Ashwagandha, Tongkat Ali, and Shilajit. Zach emphasizes the importance of proper cycling and dosage to maximize results and minimize side effects. He also provides a brief overview of the mechanisms of action for these compounds, highlighting Ashwagandha's role in decreasing cortisol, increasing thyroid hormone, and its complex interaction with serotonin signaling. The paragraph sets the stage for a detailed discussion on how to cycle these supplements together.

05:00

🔬 Mechanisms of Action and Considerations for Supplement Cycling

This paragraph delves deeper into the mechanisms of action for Ashwagandha, Tongkat Ali, Shilajit, and Ectosteroids. Ashwagandha's potential side effects due to prolonged use or high dosage are discussed, including its inhibitory effects on neurological function. Tongkat Ali's effects on testosterone production, including its role in antagonizing estrogen receptors and its dopaminergic effects, are explained. Shilajit's antioxidant and nutrient replenishing properties are highlighted, suggesting it may not require cycling. Ectosteroids are described as phytoestrogens that promote muscle protein synthesis without major hormonal effects, suggesting they also may not need cycling. The paragraph also addresses the incompatibility of Tongkat Ali and Ectosteroids due to receptor antagonism. Zach shares his personal dosing protocol, emphasizing the importance of experimentation and staying attuned to one's body response.

10:02

📚 Personal Dosing Protocol and Recommendations for Hormone Optimization

In the final paragraph, Zach outlines his personal dosing protocol for the supplements discussed, noting that it's not a prescription but a guide for viewers. He takes Shilajit and Ectosteroids daily in the morning, while reserving Ashwagandha and Tongkat Ali for workout days. The timing of these supplements is tailored to Zach's workout schedule and experience. He encourages viewers to experiment with the compounds to find what works best for them, acknowledging the individual variability in response. Zach also advises viewers to get a home blood test to understand their personal hormone profile, as it's crucial for optimizing hormone levels naturally. Links to a hormone test and supplement guides are provided in the video description for those interested.

Keywords

💡Fedoja Aggressis

Fedoja Aggressis is a supplement mentioned as having toxic effects in the video. It is contrasted with the safer alternatives that the video focuses on. The term is used to highlight the importance of choosing supplements wisely to avoid negative health impacts.

💡Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is one of the top three alternatives to Fedoja Aggressis suggested in the video for safely increasing testosterone levels. It is described as having multiple mechanisms of action, such as decreasing cortisol, increasing thyroid hormone, and affecting serotonin signaling, which collectively contribute to its testosterone-boosting properties.

💡Tongkat Ali

Tongkat Ali is another recommended supplement in the video for its potential to increase testosterone levels. It is said to work through mechanisms like upregulating enzymes needed for testosterone production, antagonizing alpha subset of estrogen receptors, and having dopaminergic effects, which collectively support testosterone production.

💡Shilajit

Shilajit is presented as a supplement that may not require cycling due to its specific mechanisms of action, which include increasing testicular antioxidant capacity, enhancing mineral content in the testes, and providing protective effects through its fatty acid content. It is also noted for its mood and cognitive benefits.

💡Ectosteroids

Ectosteroids are discussed in the context of their role in muscle protein synthesis rather than directly affecting hormone levels. They are considered phytoestrogens and are suggested to not require cycling. The video mentions an interaction between Tongkat Ali and ectosteroids, indicating that they may not be compatible for stacking.

💡Cycling

Cycling refers to the practice of taking breaks or varying the use of certain supplements to minimize side effects and maximize benefits. The video discusses the importance of cycling for supplements like Ashwagandha and Tongkat Ali due to their potential side effects if used continuously or in high dosages.

💡Dosing Protocol

Dosing protocol in the video refers to the specific regimen that the speaker follows for taking supplements. It includes details such as the timing and frequency of supplement intake, tailored to the individual's needs and the properties of each supplement.

💡Serotonin Signaling

Serotonin signaling is a key mechanism by which Ashwagandha is said to influence testosterone levels. The video explains how Ashwagandha can increase serotonin signaling, which typically raises prolactin levels but has been shown to have the opposite effect with Ashwagandha, by downregulating the 5-HT-1A receptor and improving signaling of the 5-HT-2A receptor.

💡Testosterone

Testosterone is the central hormone of interest in the video, with the entire discussion revolving around how different supplements can safely increase its levels. The video provides insights into the biochemical pathways and mechanisms through which the supplements Ashwagandha, Tongkat Ali, and Shilajit can potentially boost testosterone production.

💡Home Blood Test

A home blood test is recommended in the video for individuals interested in natural hormone optimization. It allows individuals to assess their personal hormone profile, which is crucial for tailoring an effective supplementation strategy that aligns with their specific hormonal needs.

Highlights

Toxic effects of the supplement fedoja aggressis and top three safe alternatives to increase testosterone levels.

Introduction to the video on how to cycle ashwagandha, tonkat ali, and shilajit for maximizing results and minimizing side effects.

Ashwagandha's three primary mechanisms of action on testosterone levels.

Ashwagandha's unique effect on serotonin signaling and its impact on prolactin levels.

Risk of the 'gray effect' with ashwagandha due to long-term use or high dosage.

Importance of proper cycling and dosage for ashwagandha to avoid side effects.

Primary mechanisms of action for tonkat ali in increasing testosterone.

Clarification on the misconception about tonkat ali's mechanism of action related to sex hormone binding globulin.

Necessity of cycling tonkat ali due to its effects on bone, joint, and heart health.

Shilajit's unique mechanisms of action and why it may not need to be cycled.

Ectosteroids' role in muscle protein synthesis and their classification as a phytoestrogen.

Interaction between tonkat ali and ectosteroids and the implications for stacking these compounds.

Personal dosing protocol for ashwagandha, tonkat ali, shilajit, and ectosteroids.

Recommendation to take shilajit and ectosteroids daily and the reasoning behind it.

Advice on experimenting with compounds to find what works best for individual needs.

Importance of regular blood tests for hormone optimization and personalization of strategies.

Transcripts

so a few weeks ago i posted a video where  i outlined the toxic effects of a popular  

supplement known as fedoja aggressis where i  briefly mentioned my top three alternatives  

that can be safely used to increase testosterone  ashwagandha tonkat ali and shilajit and then last  

week i released another video on ectosteroids and  the overwhelming response to those two videos was  

zack how do we properly cycle these  together and so that's what today's  

video is all about guys how to properly  and safely cycle these together in order to  

maximize results and minimize the risk of side  effects so let's go ahead and dive right in

hey guys my name is zach and welcome to nutrition  library where we take an evidence-based approach  

to supplementation and nutrition if you are new  to the channel or you haven't already do me a  

huge favor and hit the red subscribe button this  below this video so you can stay up to date with  

all of our future content thank you so much now  before we get into the specifics of my specific  

dosing protocol i do think it would be extremely  beneficial for us to get a general grasp of the  

mechanisms of action of all four of these  compounds so that you guys can kind of get  

a glimpse into my thinking process as to why i  chose my specific dosing and cycling protocol now  

when it comes to ashwagandha and testosterone  there are three primary mechanisms of action  

one is that it decreases cortisol which has  an inverse relationship with testosterone  

two is that it increases thyroid hormone which  is a direct stimulator of luteinizing hormone  

and subsequently testosterone production as  well and three is that it interestingly enough  

increases serotonin signaling now the reason this  is interesting is that when you increase serotonin  

signaling typically this does one primary thing  which is increased prolactin levels and prolactin  

actually typically suppresses the production of  luteinizing hormone and testosterone however it  

has been shown in several clinical trials  as well as rodent trials that ashwagandha  

actually has the opposite effect and so if you  dig a little bit further into the research what  

you'll notice is that the suppressive effects of  serotonin on luteinizing hormone and testosterone  

are actually mediated through a very specific  serotonin receptor known as the 5-ht-1a receptor  

and what's interesting is that ashwagandha seems  to down regulate this receptor and is actually one  

of the ways that ashwagandha increases luteinizing  hormone and testosterone but what's more is that  

ashwagandha also seems to improve the signaling  of another serotonin receptor known as the 5-ht-2a  

receptor which actually has the opposite effect  of the 5-ht-1a receptor when the 5-ht2a receptor  

specifically is stimulated it actually suppresses  prolactin release and increases luteinizing  

hormone and testosterone production now this is  fantastic for testosterone production but this is  

also where we tend to run into some of the side  effects of ashwagandha if taken for too long or  

in too high of a dosage and the reason for this is  that the 5 ht2a receptor is extremely inhibitory  

to neurological function and because ashwagandha  also has some other inhibitory actions from  

reducing cortisol levels as well as improving  gaba signaling again if ashwagandha is taken for  

too long of a period or in too high of a dosage  there's always the risk of running into what i  

call the gray effect and this is just simply where  nothing really is exciting but nothing's really  

depressing as well and so everything is just well  gray and this is why proper cycling and proper  

dosage is just so important with ashwagandha  however it is really important to note here that  

it usually does take several months for these side  effects to work themselves out however some people  

do tend um and do appear to be somewhat more  sensitive to these side effects now when it comes  

to tonkat ali the primary mechanisms here seem to  be one the possible up regulation of the enzymes  

that are needed to produce testosterone two is  that it also seems to antagonize the alpha subset  

of estrogen receptors and when estrogen binds to  these receptors in the brain it usually suppresses  

testosterone production and tonkat ali can prevent  this from happening and the third mechanism of  

action here seems to be the dopaminergic effects  of tonkat ali the more dopamine you have in your  

central nervous system means that there's less  prolactin released more luteinizing released  

and subsequently more testosterone as well now it  has been wrongly stated that tonkat ali's primary  

mechanism of action here is the reduction of sex  hormone binding globulin however this just isn't  

anywhere in the literature whatsoever and so i'm  not really sure where this rumor started but um it  

is fairly safe to say that this is not a mechanism  of action here now the main reason that tonkat ali  

needs to be cycled is because of its potent  effects on antagonizing the alpha subset of  

estrogen receptors if taken for too long or in too  high of a dosage there does tend to be somewhat of  

a suppressive effect on bone health joint health  and heart health as well now when it comes to  

shilajit the main mechanism of action here seems  to be one that it increases testicular antioxidant  

capacity too is that it increases mineral content  in the testes and three is that it also appears  

that the fatty acid content seems to confer some  protective effects on the testes as well now  

because of the very specific mechanisms of action  here um shilajit is actually one of the compounds  

that i really don't think needs to be cycled which  is why shilajit's actually one of the compounds  

one of the few compounds that i take every day  now shilajit also seems to increase gaba levels  

as well as dopamine levels which also contribute  to its mood and cognitive enhancing effects as  

well as its hormone regulatory properties however  because this is presumably happening because of  

nutrient replenishment in the body again i really  don't think shilajit is a compound that needs  

to be cycled now when it comes to ectosteroids  the main thing to understand here is that they  

don't have a major effect on hormone levels they  actually act through binding to the beta subset  

of estrogen receptors to initiate muscle protein  synthesis now because ectosteroids technically can  

be considered a phytoestrogen and work through  phytoestrogenic mechanisms in the body i would  

also consider ectosteroids more of a food product  kind of like shilajit as well and because of this  

i really don't think things like tercesterone  and ectosteroids absolutely need to be cycled  

at all now i do think it is worth pointing out  here that there does seem to be some type of  

interaction between tonkat ali and ectosteroids  because tonkat ali does potently block  

both of the estrogen receptors it does seem to  negate and antagonize the effects of ectosteroids  

in the body and because of this tonkat ali and  ectosteroids don't really stack well together  

and again is where cycling and timing becomes  so important now with all of that being said  

let's go ahead and jump into my personal dosing  protocol now this is my personal dosing protocol  

and this is not a specific recommendation  to any of you guys however i do think the  

most important thing to note here is that i do  take shilajit and ectosteroids every single day  

in the morning with breakfast and the main reason  that i take these in the morning is because i find  

shilajit to be somewhat stimulatory and so i don't  want to take it too close to bedtime and disrupt  

my sleep patterns and i take ectosteroids in the  morning because i'm trying to space out my intake  

of ectosteroids and tonkat ali as much as possible  now the second thing to note here is that i  

exclusively take tonkat ali and ashwagandha only  on workout days and typically i'll just take them  

with my pre-workout concoction which i'll  probably make a video on here in the future  

however i do try to kind of like play around  with it sometimes and sometimes i'll kind of  

split my dosage apart and take some of it  before my workout and some of it after my  

workout now because i only work out three  times per week this ensures that i'm not  

over using these herbs and helps me to kind of  keep track of my use of them and ensure that  

i'm not going to run into any side effects now it  is also important to note here that i do tend to  

work out in the late afternoon to evening  time and so again this is the reason that  

i'm taking ectosteroids in the morning and then  tonkat ali before my workout there's usually  

roughly a 12-hour gap there um and seems from  my experience to allow both the benefits of  

ectosteroids to happen as well as also getting  the benefits from the tomcat ali as well now if  

you are someone who exercises in the morning time  these same principles can be applied to to your  

workout schedule as well however you are going  to have to kind of play around with what you like  

best in the morning versus the evening time now  one of the difficult things here is that because  

everyone's biology is so different just depending  on your exercise protocols and your genetics as  

well as just other environmental factors there  is some wiggle room here as to what will work  

best for you personally now another thing to note  here is that there really isn't any hard science  

here and so my recommendation to you guys is just  experiment with these compounds figure out what  

works best for you it is worth noting here as well  that works best right now may not work best in six  

months from now and so continuing to play around  with your dosing and your timing and your cycling  

of all of these is really important and really  helps to teach you to stay in tune with your  

body and how your body is reacting to specific  compounds and exercise protocols as well as diet  

and so i say all that to say that it it's okay to  experiment with these things just have fun with  

it and see what works now if you guys are new to  this conversation on natural hormone optimization  

i would highly recommend go ahead and getting a  at-home blood test to test your personal hormone  

profile everyone is at a completely different  place when it comes to their hormone profile  

and so being able to implement a strategy that is  geared towards your personal profile is extremely  

important so if you guys are interested in this  there is a link in the description where you guys  

can find the absolute best hormone test uh on the  market but other than that guys if y'all haven't  

downloaded any of the supplement guides that i've  got on my website there's also gonna be a link in  

the description to that but other than that i  will see you guys next time thank you so much