Butea superba to Improve Testosterone - Quick Reference Sheet
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Butea superba to Improve Testosterone

Created on 09/14/2026 – Quick Reference based on Evidence Review created using AI4L / Opus 5 – Audit

A Thai root sold as a testosterone booster, yet no human study has ever measured testosterone after taking it. One small trial reported better erection scores; a later comparison collapsed when the product proved blended with an undeclared erection drug. Animal hormone data reverse with duration. The larger hazards are the product itself: undeclared drugs and wrong-species substitution. (Full Review)

Protocol

Standard regimen
100–250 mg daily
Dried tuber powder, the traditional Thai range; the single randomised trial used 1000 mg daily over three months.
Best time of day
Morning, empty stomach
Aligns peak exposure with the natural early-morning testosterone peak and keeps any vasodilatory effect away from sleep onset.
Half-life and dose splitting
Once daily
Marker isoflavones clear with a half-life near seven to nine hours; two smaller doses suit anyone reporting flushing or headache.
Time to effect
Erectile function
3 months
The randomised trial ran three months and reported improvement across that span.
Sexual drive
A few weeks
The reported case of androgen excess developed over a few weeks and reversed within one week of stopping.
Assessment window
4–8 weeks
A realistic window before judging any response.

Benefits

Contraindications
  • Diagnosed or suspected prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen above 4 ng/mL, or free-to-total ratio at or below 0.15
  • Benign prostatic enlargement with International Prostate Symptom Score above 19 (severe) or urinary retention
  • Nitrates in any form, unstable angina, or myocardial infarction within 90 days
  • Polycythaemia (haematocrit above 52%)
  • Active liver disease or liver enzymes above three times the upper limit of normal
  • Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or planning conception; hormone-sensitive cancer (breast, endometrial)
  • Anyone under 18
    •
Key Interactions
  • Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil)
  • Alpha-blockers and antihypertensives (tamsulosin, doxazosin, amlodipine)
  • Anticoagulants and antiplatelets (warfarin, apixaban, clopidogrel)
  • 5-alpha reductase inhibitors and anti-androgens (finasteride, dutasteride)
  • Yohimbine and sympathomimetic decongestants (pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine)
  • Analgesics (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen)
  • Supplements with additive androgenic or pro-erectile effects (tongkat ali, Fadogia agrestis, tribulus, DHEA, boron)
  • Supplements with additive vasodilatory effects (L-Citrulline, L-Arginine, beetroot nitrate)
  • Supplements affecting the same clearance enzymes (soy isoflavones, red clover, grapefruit juice, St John's wort)
  • Testosterone replacement therapy
    •

Risk & Side Effects

  • Medium: Undeclared phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors in commercial products
  • Low: Androgen excess with raised dihydrotestosterone; species substitution and unpredictable potency
  • Speculative: Suppression of endogenous testosterone; growth of androgen-sensitive tissue; chromosome damage at high doses; liver-enzyme and blood-count changes at high doses; estrogen-receptor activation

Monitoring

Marker Target Why
Total testosterone 600–900 ng/dL The outcome the herb is taken for
Free testosterone 15–25 ng/dL The fraction actually available to tissue
Sex hormone-binding globulin 20–40 nmol/L Explains a total–free mismatch
Dihydrotestosterone Mid-range of 250–990 pg/mL The marker that rose in the only reported human case of androgen excess
Luteinising hormone 2–6 IU/L Falls when an outside androgen suppresses the brain-to-testes loop
Follicle-stimulating hormone 1.5–8 IU/L Distinguishes testicular from pituitary causes of a low reading
Estradiol (sensitive assay) 20–30 pg/mL Detects estrogenic activity from the same extract
Alanine and aspartate aminotransferase Below 25 U/L each Liver enzymes that rose in rodents at high doses
Alkaline phosphatase 40–100 U/L Rose alongside aspartate aminotransferase in the 90-day rodent study
Haematocrit 40–48% Androgenic stimulation thickens blood and raises clotting risk
Prostate-specific antigen Below 1.0 ng/mL under age 50; below 2.5 ng/mL thereafter Androgen-sensitive tissue growth is the main long-term concern

Cadence: Baseline panel drawn fasting between 7 and 10 a.m., with total testosterone confirmed on a second morning; hormone and liver panel repeated at 8 weeks, at the end of each subsequent cycle, then every 6 to 12 months during continued use. Prostate-specific antigen annually in men over 45, sooner if urinary symptoms appear.

Qualitative Assessment

  • Morning erection frequency, recorded as mornings per week rather than an impression
  • Sexual desire, noting any abrupt surge, which in the published case signalled androgen excess rather than benefit
  • Energy and training drive, including session quality and willingness to start
  • Mood and irritability, given the antidepressant-like signal in animals and the aggression sometimes reported with androgen excess
  • Scalp shedding, acne and skin oiliness, the earliest visible signs of raised dihydrotestosterone
  • Sleep quality and night waking, to separate any true hormonal gain from a simple stimulant impression
Not medical advice. Educational distillation of a single evidence review. Confirm any decision with a qualified clinician, especially in the presence of prescription drugs or chronic conditions.