Experienced bodybuilders know that muscles develop during sleep and not while they are being worked out. The reason for this is that the reconstruction of the body and nourishment of the muscles happens while you are snoozing.

Rest and relaxation of muscles are equally essential to spending time in the gym lifting weights and working out. Without time off, you can destroy the growth of your muscles and even lead it to its death. You will reach the state considered as catabolic where your immune system weakens and you will be prone to infection, virus and eventually illness.

You have to make sure that your weightlifting workout routine gives time for each of your muscle to recover. But, there is no specific recommended time for recovery since every person’s ability to regenerate is different. Generally speaking, beginners are suggested to workout up to a maximum of 4 times every week without working on the same set of muscles twice in the same week. On the other hand, more experienced body builders can work out for five or six days continuously in one week.

Getting enough rest means sleeping well. You need to sleep at least 7 hours daily in order for your muscles to grow. An indication that you have given enough time for your muscles to recover is when you do not feel any soreness caused by working out.

In order to maximize the development of your muscles while resting, fuel them with the right nutrients. Nourish your muscles with sufficient amount of protein. It is best to take a good quality protein drink before sleeping as this will help grow your muscles.

Spending plenty of time in the gym to build your muscles must be balanced with the right amount of rest. Combining these two properly will develop your muscles to their fullest.

Naturally formulated Powerfull supplements help to naturally stimulate testosterone production in the body. Due to our environment, with so many processed foods and products that we use, hormonal imbalance runs rampant and can be found in most people. Looking into the use of supplemental Powerfull can help men balance their testosterone through decreased estrogen and naturally producing more testosterone. A healthy side effect of balancing testosterone in men is increased blood flow, increased mind to muscle connections, and better sleep. This means that sleep will be more effective in securing energy for the body and in turn improve the quality of workout sessions during the day. Increased testosterone produced naturally will come with the benefits of increased muscle development without the side effects of using steroids.

The health industry has raised the bar for health supplements by striving to formulate supplements that are naturally formulated with ingredients that have very few negative side effects and maximize the benefits of their formulas. This means that you can exercise and know you are getting the most out of your hard work.

So what does yohimbe actually do? Research shows that it is a vasodialator, that is it opens up blood vessels and increases blood flow to the extremities. This is probably why people use yohimbine as a libido enhancer and aphrodisiac. It dialates the blood vessels in the lower body increasing blood flow to the genitals.

Yohimbe has proven to be effective as an aid in weight loss. It does this through two ways. It increases noradrenaline levels creating a stimulant effect. It also increases fatty acid mobilization making it easier to burn off existing fat deposits. This works well at doses from 10-30mg daily.

Doses higher than 30mg daily can cause serious side effects and can be extremely unpleasant. Side effects can include anxiety, panic attacks, hallucinations, elevated blood pressure and heart rate and dizziness. Yohimbine is also used clinically to produce anxiety. There are many doctors who consider yohimbe dangerous and advise people not to take it.

You may also find yohimbe as a transdermal, however there is no evidence that yohimbine is absorbed well through the skin. This delivery system is usually expensive and is very likely not effective at all.

Traditionally, Tongkat Ali has been used as an aphrodesiac and a libido booster in SE Asia. Studies confirm that it is very useful in this capacity. It boosts libido as well as sexual function and endurance. You can think of it as the pornstar herb.

Researchers are unsure of the mechanism that Tongkat Ali uses, but they think it works through two means. It both stimulates the production of testosterone as well as reducing the level of bound and inactive testosterone. Common effects from the use of Longjack include a sense of well being, improved body composition, a boost in libido and increased recovery from exercise. Definitely worth adding to your arsenal of supplements.

Longjack is very powerful stuff so start off at a lower dose to determine its effects on you. It has been reported to cause insomnia, irritability (hehe tongkat rage), restlessness and increased body temperature. Thanks to the boost of natural testosterone it is a very useful addition to post cycle therapy and will help bring natural testosterone production up to speed. Because of the potency and above mentioned side effects it is not suggested that you take Tongkat Ali more than 2-3 days in a row. I think an every other day dosing protocol would work very well.

When purchasing Longjack be sure that you are getting the extract of the root and not just root powder. It is believed most supplements that claim to be Longjack are actually root powder preperations and too weak to be of any use. I haven’t had the chance (or the cash) to try it yet myself but when I do you can be sure I will report the results here.

OK, I tried the tongkat ali and as a test booster I think it definitely does the trick. It takes a little while to kick in. For me I didn’t start to notice changes until after about 8-10 days. At that point I got a noticable boost in my libido as well as an increase in my energy levels during my workouts. I was more focused and more aggressive in the gym for sure.

After several weeks I could see a slight change in body composition as well. I am an older athlete and tend to hold more fat around my middle, but with the tongkat ali these fat deposits started to shrink. I was also noticing the increased body temperature. Good side effect during the cold winter, but could be irritating during the summer months or in warmer climates.

Tongkat Ali is not a miracle worker, but I think it does have testosterone boosting properties and could be useful in supporting healthy testosterone production especially during post cycle therapy. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Try it yourself.

1. Inject synthetic testosterone and anabolic steroids
2. Take legal pro-hormones or designer steroids
3. Take natural testosterone boosters

The first option is dangerous, expensive and illegal. While it may be the most effective of the three solutions I would not recommend it. Especially if you have been lifting less than 2 years or are under the age of 21. Really, anabolic steroids do have their place, but they are only for advanced bodybuilders.

The second solution works well for some, but I also want to caution you about these designer steroids that have become so popular of late. These “supplements” such as Superdrol, Phera-plex, and Mega-TRN (and all rip-offs of these compounds) are not as safe as the supplement companies would have you believe. They all effect the bodies natural production of hormones, just like illegal anabolic steroids and they are typically toxic to the liver. In some cases very toxic. Anyone who is considering using these supplements should be sure to do their homework and find out what is necessary to protect your body while on them. And just like anabolic steroids a solid post cycle therapy including an anti-estrogen such as nolvadex should be undertaken.

That brings us to the third solution which is my favorite. Again you should do your research. And that’s why your here right? So, what are the options for natural testosterone enhancement? I’ve put together information on 9 of the most popular natural supplements to boost testosterone. Some work and some don’t. Take a look at what I’ve found and make an informed decision.

1. ZMA
2. Tribulis Terrestris
3. Fenugreek
4. Activate by Designer Supplements
5. 6-OXO
6. Avena Sativa
7. Tongkat Ali
8. Yohimbe
9. NHA Stacks

There was a small study done done with 6 men ages 32-40 who took a 3 week cycle of 6 OXO at 600mg per day. The study looked at both sex hormone levels and indicators of toxicity. What they found was great news for bodybuilders. Total testosterone incresed by 188% and free testosterone increased by 226% over baseline levels. Additionally there was no negative toxic effects on the body. In fact, liver and cholesterol values actually improved.

6 OXO is all natural so there is no need to worry about the negatives associated with steroids and prohormones such as negative impact on natural testosterone production and liver values. It won’t give you ‘bitch tits’ and it won’t raise your cholesterol or blood pressure either. And there is no water retention with 6 OXO. It can be used as a natural test booster or as an adjunct to post cycle therapy to ‘reset’ your bodies normal hormonal balance.

If you are using it to jump-start your testosterone production after a cycle of prohormones (or just to increase your own natural production in a clean state) then you would also take 200-600mg of 6-OXO™ once a day, for a period of 3-6 weeks.

Scientists are unsure exactly how Tribulus Terrestris works in the body. It is thought that the active ingrediant in T. Terrestris extracts is either the furostanol saponins or its protodioscins. The thought is that Tribulus Terrestris increases testosterone levels by increasing the level of luteinizing hormone in the body. Luteinizing hormone controls several hormonal balances in the body. It tells your body when to produce more testosterone and also allows for greater conversion of DHEA and androstenedione in testosterone.

So you might think that because it raises testosterone levels Tribulus Terrestris is going to help you build muscles, right? You would be wrong. Studies have found that it does raise testosterone levels by as much as 30%. However it only raises them within normal limits. This means you will not see the super high test levels you would see when taking a prohormone or steroid and you won’t see any unusual muscle growth. At best you will get a small increase in libido if you are low normal in your testosterone levels.

Don’t give up yet on Tribulus Terrestris however. There are three groups of athletes who can benefit from its proven testosterone boost.

1. Overtrained individuals
2. Individuals on a low calorie or “cutting” type diet
3. Individuals recovering from prohormone or steroid use

All three of these groups will have very low levels of testosterone and a 30% boost to these low levels can make a huge difference in energy, libido and muscle tone.500-1500mg daily is a typical dose for Tribulus Terrestris and be sure to find a supplement with an extract standardized for 45% steroidal saponins. There are no known side effects from Tribulus Terrestris, although some users have reported upset stomachs from large doses.

The evidence to support the effectiveness of ZMA as an anabolic compound come from a 1999 study published by Brilla LR, Conte V (1999). “A novel zinc and magnesium formulation [ZMA] increases anabolic hormones and strength in athletes”. Sports Medicine, Training and Rehabilitation Journal. Results were also published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol. 31, No. 5, May 1999

In the study Dr. Brilla reported that supplementation with ZMA improved the strength and free testosterone levels of NCAA football players by 250%. In the study one group of players was given the ZMA nightly for eight weeks while a second group received a placebo. The ZMA group showed an increase of 11.6% in their leg strength as measured using a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer. The placebo group showed only a 4.6% increase.

Dr. Brilla hypothesized, “The muscle strength increases may have been mediated by the anabolic hormone increases in the ZMA group. The ZMA group had 30% increases in free and total testosterone levels compared to 10 percent decreases in the placebo group… The ZMA group also had a slight increase in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels compared to a 20 percent decrease in the placebo group. This study shows that anabolic hormone and muscle strength increases can be induced in already strength-trained athletes by using a novel zinc-magnesium preparation.”

Unfortunately all is not as rosy as it may seem. It is well known that many people in the U.S. are deficient in both zinc and magnesium and that both are necessary for proper hormone production and protein synthesis. Even more telling is that athletes requirements for the two minerals are even greater than the average person. A closer look reveals that the zinc and magnesium levels in the athletes blood was already low at the beginning of the study almost to the point of deficiency. Of course additional training would have lower those values even more for the placebo group while the ZMA group would bring their zinc and magnesium up to normal levels. It is well documented that zinc plays an important role in testosterone production and protein synthesis. And magnesium is crucial to protein synthesis.

One might also take note that the study was funded by SNAC Systems Inc. who hold the patent on ZMA and that one of the studies authors (V. Conte) is a partial owner in this company.

Finally, another study [2] in 2004 found that ZMA has no effect on strength or hormone levels. Wilborn Colin D. et al (2004). “Effects of Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA) Supplementation on Training Adaptations and Markers of Anabolism and Catabolism”. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 1 (2): 12-20.

One finding about ZMA that does hold true is its claims for better sleep. Users typically report much deeper sleep along with very vivid dreams when taking ZMA. It is possible that this is a side effect from the increased hormone levels brought on by the body no longer being deficient in zinc and magnesium or perhaps ZMA does have some effect on the sleep cycle. That would prove promising for this mineral supplement as many important hormones, including human growth hormone, are produced and released in greatest quantities at night while sleeping.

In my opinion oats are a wonderful thing. I enjoy them everyday as a post-workout source of carbohydrates. They also have the benefit of adding quite a bit of fiber to the diet. Additionally, oats contain a legume-like protein and are almost as good as soy protein. Yes fellow bodybuilders this is the perfect post-workout meal. But it is not, I fear, a testosterone booster.

So, eat your oatmeal everyday, but don’t expect that it will turn you into a pornstar.

The only proven uses for fenugreek are in diabetes sufferers where fenugreek has been shown to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. This is the non-hereditary form of diabetes. This finding may prove useful to bodybuilders who are trying to avoid high blood sugar levels and insulin spikes when dieting. It has also been suggested by several studies that fenugreek may help in lowering cholesterol levels, however there is scant information at this time to recommend fenugreek for this purpose.

If you choose to experiment (I have and noticed no real effects) you want to ramp up your dosage of fenugreek. Start with 3g daily and add 1 additional gram per week until you reach 6g daily. At this point you will need to discontinue the use of fenugreek for at least 4 weeks as the body will aclimatize itself. There are few side effects reported with the use of high doses of fenugreek. The one side effect that you will have is a maple syrup or curry smell in your sweat and urine which is caused by the potent aroma compound sotolone. There are some people who are allergic to fenugreek and may experience facial swelling, numbness, difficulty breathing and fainting. If any of these occur when you are taking fenugreek discontinue its use immediately.