Condition

Hormone Health

Hormones are chemical messengers from glands like the thyroid, adrenals and ovaries that steer metabolism, growth, mood, sleep and stress response. The evidence is strongest for vitamin D, studied in about 20,000 people, with moderate evidence for ashwagandha, which was looked at for stress and thyroid hormones. Most other findings came from small studies, and several, including flaxseed and calcium, found no clear difference in hormone levels.

Sources: PMID 31517876; PMID 30854916

Supplements studied: 12
Graded outcomes: 10
Trials: 18
People studied: 4,464

Evidence by supplement

Strong
Moderate
Limited
Very limited

12 supplements

Licorice

Licorice: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Cortisol Small Increase	Improves (the measure goes down)	Small effect	2 studies	22 people
Studies that measured cortisol Subjects with essential hypertension are more sensitive to the inhibition of 11 beta-HSD by liquoriceJ Hum Hypertens · PMID 12574791 Liquorice and glycyrrhetinic acid increase DHEA and deoxycorticosterone levels in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting adrenal SULT2A1 activityMol Cell Endocrinol · PMID 21184804
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		4 studies	61 people
Studies that measured testosterone Licorice consumption and serum testosterone in healthy manExp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes · PMID 14520600 Liquorice consumption and salivary testosterone concentrationsLancet · PMID 11716893 Reduction of serum testosterone in men by licoriceN Engl J Med · PMID 10515764 and 1 more on the Licorice page
	Estrogen	Changes; see studies		1 study	36 people
Studies that measured estrogen Liquorice in moderate doses does not affect sex steroid hormones of biological importance although the effect differs between the gendersHorm Res · PMID 16462145
	Luteinizing Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	61 people
Studies that measured luteinizing hormone Licorice reduces serum testosterone in healthy womenSteroids · PMID 15579328
	Follicle-Stimulating Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			36 people
	Prolactin	Improves (the measure goes up)			36 people
	Serum DHEA	Improves (the measure goes up)			22 people
	Sex Hormone Binding Globulin	Improves (the measure goes up)			36 people

Alpha-GPC

Alpha-GPC: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Fat Oxidation Small Increase	Improves (the measure goes up)	Small effect		8 people
	Growth Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	8 people
Studies that measured growth hormone Glycerophosphocholine enhances growth hormone secretion and fat oxidation in young adultsNutrition · PMID 22673596

Alcohol

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone: improves
Estrogen
Testosterone: improves

Alcohol: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Small increase in FSH	Improves (the measure goes up)	Small effect		8 people
	Estrogen No significant effect on estrogen		NoneNo effect		27 people
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		5 studies	135 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effects of acute alcohol intake on pituitary-gonadal hormones in normal human malesJ Pharmacol Exp Ther · PMID 894528 Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, testosterone, and estradiol levels in middle-aged men and postmenopausal women: a diet-controlled intervention studyAlcohol Clin Exp Res · PMID 15166654 Acute effect of alcohol on androgens in premenopausal womenAlcohol Alcohol · PMID 10684783 and 2 more on the Alcohol page
	Growth Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	8 people
Studies that measured growth hormone The pulsatile secretion of gonadotropins and growth hormone, and the biological activity of luteinizing hormone in men acutely intoxicated with ethanolAlcohol Clin Exp Res · PMID 2128439
	Luteinizing Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			18 people

Calcium

Free Testosterone
Testosterone: improves

Calcium: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Free Testosterone No effect		NoneNo effect		30 people
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	30 people
Studies that measured testosterone Testosterone levels in athletes at rest and exhaustion: effects of calcium supplementationBiol Trace Elem Res · PMID 19099204

Flaxseed

DHEAS
Testosterone: improves
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone: improves

Flaxseed: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	DHEAS No effect		NoneNo effect		629 people
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	629 people
Studies that measured testosterone The effect of flaxseed supplementation on sex hormone profile in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Nutr · PMID 37927501
	Follicle-Stimulating Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			629 people
	Sex Hormone Binding Globulin	Improves (the measure goes up)			629 people

Probiotics

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone
HbA1c: improves
Testosterone: improves

Probiotics: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Follicle-Stimulating Hormone No effect		NoneNo effect		47 people
	HbA1c	Improves (the measure goes down)		2 studies	47 people
Studies that measured hba1c The effects of probiotic supplementation on cardiometabolic health in patients with prediabetes: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and GRADE assessment.Front Nutr · 2025 · PMID 40959695 Probiotics Supplementation for Improving Glucolipid Parameters in Individuals with Prediabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins · PMID 39806201
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	47 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effects of probiotic supplementation on testosterone levels in healthy ageing men: A 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.Contemp Clin Trials Commun · PMID 38770015
	Total cholesterol	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	47 people
Studies that measured total cholesterol The effect of probiotic consumption on lipid profile, glycemic index, inflammatory markers, and liver function in NAFLD patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Diabetes Complications · PMID 38968867
	High-density lipoprotein (HDL)	Improves (the measure goes up)			47 people
	Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)	Improves (the measure goes down)			47 people
	Luteinizing Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			47 people
	Sex Hormone Binding Globulin	Improves (the measure goes up)			47 people
	Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			47 people
	Triglycerides	Improves (the measure goes down)			47 people

Tongkat Ali

Blood Urea Nitrogen
Testosterone: improves
Strength: improves

Tongkat Ali: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Blood Urea Nitrogen No effect		NoneNo effect		25 people
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		4 studies	57 people
Studies that measured testosterone Standardised water-soluble extract of Eurycoma longifolia, Tongkat ali, as testosterone booster for managing men with late-onset hypogonadism?Andrologia · PMID 21671978 The effect of Eurycoma Longifolia on the regulation of reproductive hormones in young males.Andrologia · PMID 33559971 Effect of Eurycoma longifolia standardised aqueous root extract-Physta ® on testosterone levels and quality of life in ageing male subjects: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre studyFood Nutr Res · PMID 34262417 and 1 more on the Tongkat Ali page
	Strength	Improves (the measure goes up)		2 studies	25 people
Studies that measured strength Exercise associated or not to the intake of Eurycoma longifolia improves strength and cardiorespiratory fitness in men with androgen deficiencyComplement Ther Clin Pract · PMID 33445146 Effects of Jack Supplementation Combined with Resistance Training on Isokinetic Muscular Strength and Power, Anaerobic Power, and Urinary Testosterone: Epitestosterone Ratio in Young Males.Int J Prev Med · PMID 31367282
	Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)	Improves (the measure goes up)			25 people
	Cortisol	Changes; see studies			25 people
	Creatine Kinase	Changes; see studies			25 people
	DHEAS	Improves (the measure goes up)			25 people
	Estrogen	Changes; see studies			32 people
	Follicle-Stimulating Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			32 people
	Free Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)			57 people
	Hematocrit	Improves (the measure goes up)			25 people
	Hemoglobin	Improves (the measure goes up)			25 people
	Luteinizing Hormone	Improves (the measure goes up)			32 people
	Sex Hormone Binding Globulin	Improves (the measure goes up)			57 people

Tribulus Terrestris

Luteinizing Hormone
Testosterone: improves

Tribulus Terrestris: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Luteinizing Hormone No effect		NoneNo effect		21 people
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		3 studies	21 people
Studies that measured testosterone Prospective Analysis on the Effect of Botanical Medicine (Tribulus terrestris) on Serum Testosterone Level and Semen Parameters in Males with Unexplained InfertilityJ Diet Suppl · PMID 27337519 Short term impact of Tribulus terrestris intake on doping control analysis of endogenous steroidsForensic Sci Int · PMID 18282674 The aphrodisiac herb Tribulus terrestris does not influence the androgen production in young menJ Ethnopharmacol · PMID 15994038

Vitamin E

Lymphocyte Count
Total cholesterol: improves
Triglycerides: improves

Vitamin E: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Lymphocyte Count No effect		NoneNo effect		184 people
	Total cholesterol	Improves (the measure goes down)		2 studies	184 people
Studies that measured total cholesterol Pioglitazone, vitamin E, or placebo for nonalcoholic steatohepatitisN Engl J Med · PMID 20427778 Plasma transforming growth factor-beta1 level and efficacy of alpha-tocopherol in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: a pilot studyAliment Pharmacol Ther · PMID 11564008
	Triglycerides	Improves (the measure goes down)		2 studies	184 people
Studies that measured triglycerides Study on the effect of megavitamin E supplementation in manAm J Clin Nutr · PMID 347918 Megavitamin E supplementation in manAm J Clin Nutr · PMID 803000
	Serum T4	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	184 people
Studies that measured serum t4 Effects of elevated d-alpha(RRR)-tocopherol dosage in manJ Nutr Sci Vitaminol · PMID 2732807
	Serum T3	Improves (the measure goes up)			184 people
	Sexual Function	Improves (the measure goes up)			184 people

DHEA

Testosterone: improves

DHEA: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		3 studies	2,880 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation on cognitive function and activities of daily living in older women with mild to moderate cognitive impairmentGeriatr Gerontol Int · PMID 20497239 Androgens and sexual function: a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study of testosterone vs. dehydroepiandrosterone in men with sexual dysfunction and androgen deficiencyAging Male · PMID 19883295 A dose-response and meta-analysis of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on testosterone levels: perinatal prediction of randomized clinical trials.Exp Gerontol · PMID 33045358

D-Aspartic Acid

Testosterone: improves

D-Aspartic Acid: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		2 studies	43 people
Studies that measured testosterone Three and six grams supplementation of d-aspartic acid in resistance trained menJ Int Soc Sports Nutr · 2013 · PMID 25844073 The role and molecular mechanism of D-aspartic acid in the release and synthesis of LH and testosterone in humans and ratsReprod Biol Endocrinol · PMID 19860889

Magnesium

Testosterone: improves

Magnesium: outcomes studied for Hormone Health
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Testosterone	Improves (the measure goes up)		1 study	30 people
Studies that measured testosterone Effects of magnesium supplementation on testosterone levels of athletes and sedentary subjects at rest and after exhaustionBiol Trace Elem Res · PMID 20352370

Key findings

CortisolLicoriceImproves (the measure goes down)
Fat OxidationAlpha-GPCImproves (the measure goes up)
Follicle-Stimulating HormoneAlcoholImproves (the measure goes up)

The Hormone Balance & Endocrine Support protocol

2 primary supplements · 7 supporting supplements

Vitamin D2,000–5,000 IU daily (based on blood levels)
Ashwagandha300–600 mg standardized extract daily

See the full protocol

Studies cited

1 study from PubMed

Low-carbohydrate diets and men's cortisol and testosterone: Systematic review and meta-analysisNutr Health · PMID 35254136

Evidence by supplement

Key findings

The Hormone Balance & Endocrine Support protocol

Studies cited

Related conditions

Supplement stack for Hormone Health