Fenugreek, maca and Panax ginseng are three traditional herbs sold to men in Australia for energy, vitality and libido, but the research behind each one is small, short and mixed. None of them has been shown to reliably raise testosterone, and none is a substitute for seeing your GP if you have symptoms that worry you. This guide sets out what the studies actually found, the doses they used, the side effects and medicine interactions to know about, and which products we stock.
The short version: fenugreek has the most testosterone research, but the effect is small and uncertain. Maca has a few small trials on sexual desire that found no change in hormones. Panax ginseng has the best quality review of the three, and it found only a trivial effect.
Fenugreek, maca and Panax ginseng at a glance
| Fenugreek | Maca | Panax ginseng | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Seed of a legume plant, also used as a cooking spice | Root vegetable from the Peruvian Andes, in the mustard family | Root of Panax ginseng, also called Korean or Asian ginseng |
| Traditional use | Digestion, in Western herbal medicine | Food and general energy tonic | Vitality tonic in Korean and Chinese medicine |
| Best evidence for men | 2026 review of 13 trials: small rise in total testosterone, very low certainty, no clear change in free testosterone | A few small trials: more self-reported sexual desire, with no change in testosterone | 2021 Cochrane review of 9 trials: trivial change in erectile function scores |
| Doses used in studies | Mostly 500 to 600 mg of extract a day for 8 to 12 weeks | 1,500 to 3,000 mg a day for 12 weeks | Varied by trial, mostly Korean red ginseng, up to 12 weeks |
| Main cautions | Gut upset, allergy, may lower blood sugar, not for pregnancy | Little long-term safety data, and on the AIS Group D list for tested athletes | Trouble sleeping, may affect blood clotting and blood sugar, not for pregnancy |
| At Supps247 | Seed powder capsules from $29.95 | Capsules from $39.95 | Found in some blends, no single-herb product in stock at the time of writing |
Prices are live and can change. The trial doses above are for the specific extracts tested, which are not always the same as what is in a capsule on the shelf.
Fenugreek: the most studied, but still uncertain
Fenugreek is the herb most often found in products marketed for testosterone. A 2026 systematic review in Frontiers in Nutrition pooled the placebo-controlled trials. Across 6 studies and 385 men, fenugreek extract was linked to a small rise in total testosterone, but there was no stable effect on free testosterone, no study was rated low risk of bias, and the certainty of the evidence was very low. The authors said the evidence does not support testosterone-boosting claims.
Most of those trials used 500 to 600 mg a day of a standardised fenugreek extract for 8 to 12 weeks. That matters when you shop, because the fenugreek capsules we stock are whole seed powder, not a standardised extract:
- Nutricost Fenugreek gives 1,350 mg of fenugreek seed powder per two-capsule serve, with 120 serves in the bottle. That works out to about $0.38 a serve at $45.64 for 240 capsules.
- Swanson Full Spectrum Fenugreek Seed gives 1.22 g of seed per two-capsule serve, with 45 serves in 90 capsules, at $29.95 (about $0.67 a serve).
Seed powder is a reasonable choice if you want fenugreek the way it has traditionally been used, for example as part of a digestion routine. Just do not expect it to copy the results of extract trials. See the full fenugreek range.
Maca: small trials on desire, not hormones
Maca is a root vegetable that has been eaten in Peru for centuries. The most quoted trial, published in Andrologia in 2002, gave healthy men 1,500 or 3,000 mg of maca a day for 12 weeks. Men on maca reported more sexual desire from week 8 than men on placebo, but their testosterone and oestradiol levels did not change.
A 2010 systematic review found only four small randomised trials and called the evidence limited, because the number of trials, the number of people and the study quality were all too low to draw firm conclusions. So maca may suit someone who wants to try a traditional food-based herb, as long as expectations stay modest.
If you compete in tested sport, note that the AIS Sports Supplement Framework lists maca root powder, along with testosterone boosters, in Group D: supplements that are banned or at high risk of contamination with substances that could lead to a positive doping test. Check with your sport before using any herb in this guide.
- NOW Maca 500mg capsules are vegan, with a label direction of one capsule one to three times a day. The 100 count is $39.95 and the 250 count is $59.95.
- NOW Organic Maca Pure Powder is a 6:1 concentrate. One level teaspoon (2.7 g) equals 16.2 g of regular maca root according to the label, with about 73 serves for $64.95, or about $0.89 a serve. It mixes into smoothies or oats.
Browse the full maca range.
Panax ginseng: the best reviewed, with a trivial effect
Panax ginseng (Korean or Asian ginseng) is a different plant from American ginseng and from Siberian ginseng, so check the label. The strongest review of any herb in this guide is a 2021 Cochrane review of nine trials in 587 men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction. Compared with placebo, ginseng produced changes in erectile function scores that the reviewers judged trivial, based on low to moderate certainty evidence, with follow-up of only up to 12 weeks.
We do not have a single-herb Panax ginseng product in stock at the time of writing. Ginseng does appear in some multi-ingredient formulas, where the amount per serve is often not listed, so it is hard to compare them with the trials.
Side effects, interactions and when to talk to your GP
Herbal does not mean free of side effects. According to the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), fenugreek can cause diarrhoea, nausea and other gut symptoms, can trigger allergic reactions, may lower blood sugar at large doses, and is not considered safe in pregnancy above food amounts.
For Asian ginseng, NCCIH lists trouble sleeping as the most common side effect. It may interfere with blood clotting and may lower blood sugar, so it is not a good mix with blood thinners such as warfarin or with diabetes medicines unless your doctor agrees. Short-term use of up to six months appears safe for most people, and it is not recommended in pregnancy or for children.
Talk to your GP first if you take any regular medicine, have diabetes, a bleeding disorder or a hormone-related condition, or are thinking of trying any of these herbs because of low energy, low libido or erection problems. Those symptoms can have medical causes that need a proper check, and a doctor can arrange blood tests if needed. Our guide to whether testosterone boosters work explains why most products marketed for testosterone fall short.
Our verdict: which herb, if any, is worth trying?
If you want to try one of these herbs, pick it for the reason the evidence actually supports, keep the dose to the label and give it 8 to 12 weeks before you judge it.
- Fenugreek has the most testosterone research, but the effect is small and uncertain, and our seed powder capsules are not the extracts that were tested. Good for a traditional fenugreek routine, not for hormone changes.
- Maca is a food-based option with a couple of small, positive trials on desire. NOW Maca 500mg is the easiest place to start.
- Panax ginseng has the best reviewed evidence, and that evidence says the effect is trivial. Check interactions with your GP before using it.
If you are comparing other traditional herbs, see our tongkat ali guide and the best ashwagandha in Australia guide, or our supplements guide for the basics that have stronger evidence, like sleep, protein and training. You can also browse our supplements for men.
Shop the products in this guide
NOW Maca 500mg 100 capsules$39.95
NOW Organic Maca Pure Powder 198 g$64.95
Nutricost Fenugreek 240 capsules$45.64
Swanson Full Spectrum Fenugreek Seed 90 capsules$29.95
Browse all fenugreek, maca and supplements for men.
FAQs
Does fenugreek raise testosterone levels?
Possibly a little, but the evidence is weak. A 2026 review of placebo-controlled trials found a small rise in total testosterone with fenugreek extract, no clear change in free testosterone and very low certainty evidence overall. The authors said the results do not support testosterone-boosting claims. If you think your testosterone is low, see your GP for a blood test rather than relying on a supplement.
Can you take maca and fenugreek together?
There is no research on taking them together, so there is no proven benefit to combining them. If you do, start with one at a time at the label dose so you can tell how each one agrees with you. Fenugreek may lower blood sugar, so check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take diabetes medicine or any regular medication.
Is Panax ginseng the same as Siberian or American ginseng?
No. Panax ginseng, also called Korean or Asian ginseng, is a different plant from American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus). They contain different compounds and have been studied separately, so results for one do not carry over to the others. Always check the plant name and the amount on the label.
How long does maca take to work?
In the 2002 trial in healthy men, changes in self-reported sexual desire showed up from about week 8 of taking 1,500 or 3,000 mg a day, and testosterone did not change. The evidence comes from a small number of small trials, so results are not guaranteed. Give it 8 to 12 weeks at the label dose before you decide whether it is worth continuing.
Who should not take ginseng?
Talk to your GP before using Panax ginseng if you take blood thinners such as warfarin, diabetes medicine or any regular medication, or if you have a bleeding disorder or an autoimmune condition. It is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or for children. Trouble sleeping is the most common side effect, so avoid taking it late in the day.
Sources: Fenugreek and testosterone, systematic review and meta-analysis, Frontiers in Nutrition (2026); Gonzales et al., maca and sexual desire in healthy men, Andrologia (2002); Shin et al., maca for sexual function, systematic review, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2010); Cochrane review: ginseng for erectile dysfunction (2021); AIS Sports Supplement Framework, Group D; NCCIH: Fenugreek; NCCIH: Asian ginseng; product labels and brand nutrition panels, checked October 2026.
Order online with Australia-wide delivery, free on orders of $99.99 or more, with Afterpay available at checkout. You can also use click and collect at a store that offers it, or visit a Supps247 store in Melbourne, regional Victoria or Brisbane to compare products in person. Members can use our member price match on full-priced items.
Prices and stock were checked on 29 October 2026 and can change at any time. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, check with your doctor first.
