Does D-Aspartic Acid (DAA) Increase Testosterone

What is D-Aspartic Acid?

D-aspartic acid (DAA) is an amino acid commonly used as a natural testosterone booster. DAA is generally thought to be safe, but a small number of individuals report adverse side effects including headaches and dizziness. Supplementation with DAA is typically done by men for the purpose of increasing testosterone, promoting muscle growth, and increasing sex drive and performance. While some experts believe more research is needed on DAA, in this article we will look at the current data.

DAA Effect on Testosterone

DAA does not necessarily increase testosterone production but rather it promotes the release of testosterone. DAA signals to the pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone (LH). That LH then travels to the Leydig cells in the testicles signaling them to release stored testosterone. What this causes is a temporary increase of testosterone, as depicted in the graph below. These fluctuations in testosterone give some temporary benefits but will quickly dissipate, and therefore don’t offer a long-term solution for increasing testosterone.

DAA Effect on Strength & Muscle Growth

Because the increase in testosterone from DAA is quickly followed by a dip below baseline levels I believe it is fair to say any benefits gained from taking DAA will be negated even when cycled as prescribed. In summary, DAA can temporally increase testosterone levels but will not have any substantial effect on strength or hypertrophy.


References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24074738
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25844073