The Cistanche Cholesterol Protocol for Boosting Testosterone
Article by Stefan Burns - Updated February 2022. Join the Wild Free Organic email newsletter!
Cistanche is a parasitic plant found in deserts and used in Chinese medicine. Cholesterol is a building block for many hormones found throughout the body. Cistanche has testosterone boosting properties, and is documented in reducing blood cholesterol levels. Combining cistanche supplementation and cholesterol consumption creates an androgenic environment in the body that increases the production of sex hormones like testosterone, improves reproductive health, builds muscle and strength, and increases exercise performance.
Cistanche phelypaea
I performed an experiment where I supplemented with powdered cistanche daily while simultaneously increasing my dietary cholesterol consumption in order to see how it affected my free testosterone levels, rate of muscle growth, and strength with key compound barbell lifts. My results were dramatic, most notably I experienced a >50% increase in free testosterone levels in one month by supplementing with cistanche and cholesterol, but before seeing the full results of my experiment and what I call the CC Protocol, let’s dig into the science which led me to be intrigued in the first place into the androgenic and anabolic potential that combining cistanche and cholesterol has.
Cistanche and Cholesterol Science
To understand the powerful combination of cistanche and cholesterol, first the science of cholesterol must be understood.
Cholesterol is a Hormone Building Block
Steroidal hormones (produced by the body) are all derived from cholesterol. Steroid hormones influence metabolism, immune functions, inflammation, fluid and salt balances, development and maintenance of sexual characteristics, and regulate the bodies ability to withstand illness and injury.
The liver produces cholesterol for use in creating hormones, and cholesterol can also be acquired through diet with foods like pasture raised eggs.
To start the steroid hormone creation process, cholesterol is altered via an enzyme reaction to synthesize pregnenolone, the “master” steroid base molecule from which other hormones are created.
Notice the similarities between cholesterol and testosterone. Purples areas highlight the differences where there are elemental changes. Black = carbon, white = hydrogen, red = oxygen.
Cistanche the Androgenic Herb
Cistanche is one of the few herbs that can increase androgenic hormone levels, making you more manly, whereas there are many herbs and plants that we known of which increase estrogen levels throughout the body. Cistanche’s androgenic effects begin through it’s influence on cholesterol. Cistanche improves cholesterol transport throughout the body, reducing cholesterol levels in the blood even with a high cholesterol diet (1). Simultaneously, cistanche raises testosterone levels (2), improves time to fatigue, improves endurance, and reduces muscle breakdown (3).
Many of these effects are because cistanche is a vasorelaxant (relaxes the vascular system, lowering blood pressure), improves glucose tolerance, and reduces glucose elevation after meals (4). Typically steroidal hormones increase blood pressure, so these blood pressure lowering effects are a positive health benefit of cistanche supplementation. Additionally, the blood glucose improving effects of cistanche hint at better nutrient partitioning, a beneficial effect for improving lean body mass and reducing the creation of body fat.
It is important to note that high dosages of cistanche has shown differing effects on the liver. One study showed that cistanche can cause mild hepatic edema (2) (swelling of the liver), while other research has shown cistanche to be liver protective (4). There is conflicting information on the safety of cistanche as it relates to liver health, and this is likely due to differing study design. Cistanche does affect the liver to some degree because the production of steroidal hormones mostly occurs in liver. If male hormone levels are unbalanced they optimal wellness is not possible. Symptoms of low testosterone including depression, fatigue, decreased bone mass, increased fat mass, and an increased risk of anemia. If suffering from low testosterone levels, increased natural production of steroidal hormones can dramatically change ones life.
Overall cistanche has been deemed to be safe for human use at dosages below 10 grams per day, but out of an abundance of caution, I would not recommend using cistanche if you have preexisting health conditions, especially those of the liver. If you are healthy, when you first use cistanche, supplement with it for only for 30 days in a row and with no more than 2 grams per day. These are the conditions of the experiment that I ran and therefore of the CC Protocol.
The Wild Free Organic herbal page on Cistanche has much more information.
Supplementation of Cistanche and Cholesterol
Cistanche can be supplemented through a powder or extract, more details on this below.
The easiest way to add more cholesterol to the diet is through increased egg consumption.
For most people, dietary cholesterol isn’t bad as it raises good HDL cholesterol (5), and daily egg consumption promotes favorable shifts in HDL lipid composition (6). High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol helps remove other forms of cholesterol from the bloodstream, and higher levels of HDL cholesterol are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Additionally, higher HDL leads to more testosterone (7).
Can Cistanche Really Boost Testosterone?
The experiment I undertook by pairing cistanche supplementation with increase cholesterol consumption was conducted to answer the following question:
How will body fat, lean body mass, free testosterone levels, and strength in major compound lifts change in response to an increasing caloric intake, high volume resistance exercise utilizing progressive overload, a dramatic bump in dietary cholesterol, and daily supplementation of the herb cistanche.
My results from this protocol were incredible. In five weeks I added 5 lbs (2.25 kg) of lean body mass, boosted my free testosterone levels by 52%, increased my strength across the board on major compound lifts, and only increased my body fat levels by 0.7%. I was 27 years old at the time. Remember, the sample size for this experiment was N=1 (me). My results from this experiment were my own, and your results will vary from running the same or modified CC protocol.
The CC Protocol
The two main variables of this experiment were the daily addition of 2 grams of cistanche and at least 6 egg yolks (~1000 mg cholesterol). The idea was that the cistanche supplementation (via limited research available) would stimulate the body to produce more androgenic hormones, and the dramatic increase in cholesterol consumption would support the creation of these androgenic hormones like testosterone.
The cistanche I used for this experiment I purchased from Lost Empire Herbs, a 8:1 dual extract which contains echinacosides greater than 20% and aceteosides greater than 6%. Since then I’ve used the cistanche from Nootropics Depot which is more highly standardized in echinacosides and acetosides at >50% and >10% respectively. Echinacosides and aceteosides are the main phytochemicals responsible for the health benefits of cistanche, so an extracted standardized product will be more powerful in effect than an unextracted raw powder.
Since the extraction from the Nootropics Depot cistanche is greater than the product I used, less is needed for the same effect, more information on dosing at the end of the article.
Variables I manipulated:
I increased my daily caloric intake from 3500 calories to 4000 calories, increasing calories by roughly 100 each week.
I kept my macros fairly consistent at ratios of 35% carbohydrates, 45% fat, and 20% protein. These macronutrient percentages at times fluctuated by a couple percentage points week to week.
I increased my weekly weight lifting tonnage by about 25%. Tonnage is the total weight lifted, in this case from all exercises combined. Tonnage increases were from a combination of heavier weight and higher reps.
I consumed a post workout shake containing 600 calories, 19 g carbs, 42 g fat, and 36 g protein. The shake consisted of 8 oz coconut milk, 6 raw egg yolks, 30 grams hydrolyzed whey, and 3 grams of creatine monohydrate. Before this 5 week experiment I was not drinking a protein shake post-workout.
I consumed 1 g (1/2 tsp) cistanche (a desert plant) morning and night. Method of delivery was mixed with 1/2 shot glass of apple cider vinegar taken on a relatively empty stomach. Before this I had never used cistanche. The use of ACV was simply for overall digestive benefit.
Variables I did not manipulate, instead keeping consistent:
I consumed the same pre-workout shake before and during the experiment.
I slept 7-8 hours a night.
I kept my NEAT consistent (8).
Food quality remained consistent. Calories were adjusted upwards, but the majority of the food consumed was whole and unprocessed.
Now let’s see the data I collected from the experiment.
Cistanche Benefits Strength Training
Beyond basic easily acquired data points such as strength improvements in the gym, and body-weight measurements, I also collected body fat and lean body mass data via DEXA and checked my free testosterone levels at the start and conclusion of this five week test. All of this data is outlined below, starting with the most important.
How Cistanche Increased my Lean Body Mass
To test my body fat, lean body mass, and bone mineral content, DEXA scans are the gold standard in ease of use and accuracy. The company I use to perform these tests is BodySpec, a mobile DEXA scanning company that operates in California, Washington, and Texas. For the before and after DEXA scans, I went in under the same conditions. Those conditions were:
DEXA scan at ~7:30 am.
Used the bathroom to poop and pee before the test.
Went into the test fasted, having consumed no food
Consumed ~24 oz of water upon waking up.
The before DEXA scan was actually taken a month before the start of the CC Protocol, with my weight being 180.7 lbs. A month later at the start of the protocol my weight was 181.5 lbs measured via a scale. Considering the error in weight measurements day to day, I believe the 0.8 lb difference is negligible. In the month preceding my experimentation with the CC Protocol, I didn’t have any lifestyle changes.
DEXA data shows that I gained 5 lbs of lean body mass (LBM) in 35 days, adding 0.7% bodyfat to my frame, and bone mineral content (BMC) remained unchanged. The biggest increases were seen in my legs, which I subjected to high volume training, but my upper body also saw significant increases in LBM. I only added body fat to the trunk and android regions of my body.
How Cistanche Increased my Free Testosterone
To test my free testosterone levels, I used Everlywell, an at home testing service which has dozens of different tests available, from hormone tests to micronutrient and STD tests. Their free-testosterone test is saliva based, and only tests free testosterone levels. Ideally I would have gotten a full hormone blood panel that also tested other important variables such as total testosterone, cortisol, estradiol, and more, but for practical reasons I used Everlywell’s at home testing service.
The before and after free testosterone tests were taken under the same conditions, which are as follows:
Taken after a full 8 hours of sleep and wasn’t in a state of stress.
Taken first thing in the morning as they recommend, before the consumption of any fluids.
Taken after fasting for ~10 hours.
Everlywell uses saliva to measure the amount of free testosterone in your body, and while not as accurate as a full blood panel, a price point of $50 for each test makes it a great option for consistently testing your free testosterone levels. Free testosterone is a more direct measure of androgenic potential as it is free testosterone than can attach to androgen receptors and exert an androgenic effect, whereas much of the testosterone in the bloodstream is bound to proteins which limits it’s bioavailability.
In 35 days I increased my free testosterone levels from 94 pg/ml to 143 pg/ml, an increase of 52%. I have had 3-4 blood testosterone tests done prior to these two tests, and never have my free testosterone levels fluctuated by more than 10-15%. I attribute this increase in testosterone to mainly the CC Protocol, with the 1000 mg of cholesterol and 2 grams of cistanche daily working synergistically to raise my testosterone levels.
How Cistanche Boosted my Strength
During this experiment I regained strength I had previously acquired in the past on major compound lifts, but at a lower, leaner body-weight. By the end of the CC Protocol my relative strength was at an all time high. From the start of the CC protocol to the end the following strength changes occurred:
Deadlift
Day 2 - 315# 2x10
Day 7 - 405# 3x3
Day 11 - 335# 3x10
Day 15 - 425# 5x3
Day 18 - 355# 4x10
Day 23 - 435# 3x3
Day 25 - 375# 3x10
Day 31 - 455# 4x3, 1x2
1RM: 420 lbs to 482 lbs (15% increase)
Squat
Day 4 - 345# 1x1, 225# 3x10
Day 8 - 315# 4x3
Day 10 - 275# 3x10
Day 14 - 335# 5x3
Day 17 - 295# 3x10
Day 21 - 355# 4x3, 365# 1x3
Day 24 - 315# 3x10
Day 30 - 375# 4x3, 385# 1x3
1RM: 345 lbs to 408 lbs (16% increase)
Incline Press
Day 7 - 155# 1x7, 1x6
Day 10 - 135# (paused) 5x8
Day 14 - 175# 2x5
Day 17 - 155# (paused) 5x8
Day 21 - 175# 5x5
Day 24 - 160# (paused) 4x8
Day 30 - 185# 3x5
Day 33 - 135# 3x15
1RM: 186 lbs to 208 lbs (12% increase)
Note - 1RM beginning and end values were calculated using a 1RM calculator. The bolded italicized values were the sets I used to calculate the 1RM for each lift.
It’s important to again reiterate I had hit these strength numbers prior in my lifting career. The big difference is how effortless the linear progression over those 35 days carried me back to within 5% of my prior all-time best levels of strength, all while much leaner and weighting less. It happened at a rate much faster than I had experienced before. I do not completely attribute these strength gains purely to central nervous system and muscle memory, and I believe the CC Protocol contributed to at least 50% of the strength increases I experienced in the short time frame I ran the CC Protocol.
How the CC Protocol Changed my Physiology
I relied on my DEXA scans to give me better data on how my body composition changed during the CC Protocol, but there were some obvious physiological changes that occurred during this experiment.
Chest, shoulder, arm, and forearm thickness increased. My abdominal leanness was nearly unchanged. Before the CC Protocol I was struggling to grow a beard, and afterwards my beard hair grew in much thicker. I hypothesize that this is from higher circulating testosterone levels, and some of the free testosterone aromatized into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is one of the primary agents responsible for driving facial hair growth (9), and also male pattern baldness. The beard growth was a great visual anecdotal evidence to support the Everlywell test results. If you want to grow a thicker beard, the combination of cistanche and cholesterol might be worth experimenting with (as long as you don’t have family history of male pattern baldness).
Boost Testosterone with Cistanche
After reviewing the data from this experiment, I am confident in stating that the combination of cholesterol and cistanche, along with a healthy diet, good sleep, and a well-designed weight training program is an effective protocol for building muscle and increasing strength.
I personally experienced no side effects, minor or major, during this experiment, and it appears to be safe* for young men. With that said, to be extra safe, I wouldn’t run this protocol for any longer than 30 - 40 days the first time around, and I would strongly recommend against doing this if you have any underlying health conditions. This article is for informational purposes and you should consult with a medical professional before supplementing with anything new or making dramatic lifestyle changes.
If you decide to run the CC Protocol, make the most of the experience and make sure to gather as much data as possible, definitely a before and after body composition test, and if you have the cash or insurance, a hormone panel before and after.
Where to Buy Cistanche Supplement?
There are many different sellers of cistanche supplements worldwide which can be seen by visiting a marketplace like Amazon.
Cistanche Tubulosa Powder
My favorite supplier of cistanche is Nootropics Depot. Their cistanche product is highly standardized, containing a minimum of 50% echinacosides and 10% acetoside, overall delivering more echinacosides and acetoside per gram than most other cistanche products. I also like Nootropics Depot’s cistanche product because it doesn’t have a repugnant taste, which is something I have noticed from cistanche provided by other suppliers. The cistanche from Nootropics Depot works well and is reasonably priced.
Dosing Nootropics Depot Cistanche: Dosing is listed on the label at 200 mg though in my experience 2-3x that amount can be taken if desired and it’s still well within the known safety margins.
Start with 200 mg (~1/4 tsp) and after 1-2 weeks if everything is okay and a more powerful effect is desired increase to 300-400mg. Scale from there.
If purchasing cistanche from a Chinese pharmacy ask for Rou Cong-Rong, which is how they refer to cistanche. They may have raw or extracted powders, purchase whichever is preferred and dose accordingly.
Much more information on cistanche can be found on the Cistanche Herb Page.
References:
Shimoda H, Tanaka J, Takahara Y, Takemoto K, Shan SJ, Su MH. The hypocholesterolemic effects of Cistanche tubulosa extract, a Chinese traditional crude medicine, in mice. Am J Chin Med. 2009;37(6):1125-38.
Wang T, Chen C, Yang M, Deng B, Kirby GM, Zhang X. Cistanche tubulosa ethanol extract mediates rat sex hormone levels by induction of testicular steroidgenic enzymes. Pharm Biol. 2016;54(3):481-7.
Cai RL, Yang MH, Shi Y, Chen J, Li YC, Qi Y. Antifatigue activity of phenylethanoid-rich extract from Cistanche deserticola. Phytother Res. 2010;24(2):313-5.
Morikawa T, Xie H, Pan Y, et al. A Review of Biologically Active Natural Products from a Desert Plant Cistanche tubulosa. Chem Pharm Bull. 2019;67(7):675-689.
Herron KL, Vega-lopez S, Conde K, Ramjiganesh T, Shachter NS, Fernandez ML. Men classified as hypo- or hyperresponders to dietary cholesterol feeding exhibit differences in lipoprotein metabolism. J Nutr. 2003;133(4):1036-42.
Andersen CJ, Blesso CN, Lee J, et al. Egg consumption modulates HDL lipid composition and increases the cholesterol-accepting capacity of serum in metabolic syndrome. Lipids. 2013;48(6):557-67.
Freedman DS, O'brien TR, Flanders WD, Destefano F, Barboriak JJ. Relation of serum testosterone levels to high density lipoprotein cholesterol and other characteristics in men. Arterioscler Thromb. 1991;11(2):307-15.
Levine JA. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002;16(4):679-702.
Farthing MJ, Mattei AM, Edwards CR, Dawson AM. Relationship between plasma testosterone and dihydrotestosterone concentrations and male facial hair growth. Br J Dermatol. 1982;107(5):559-64.
Disclosure: Wild Free Organic is a member of various affiliate programs and if a purchase is made through one of our affiliate links a small commission is received. This does not affect your purchase price. Visit our disclosure page for more information.