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Ranking the best male enhancement pills of 2023

Written by John Davis

Last updated: November 4, 2022

Male enhancement pills use a range of supplements, minerals, and vitamins to improve libido, increase sexual wellness, boost sexual performance, augment your testosterone levels, and eliminate erectile dysfunction.

There are a wide range of formulations to achieve these effects, and given how many men face these problems, it should be no surprise that there is an enormous range of male enhancement pills on the market.

Our researchers took a close look at the best products on the market to figure out which male enhancement supplements are the most effective for male sexual wellness and sexual performance. Here are our rankings.

Why You Should Trust Us

    Our advisory panel and our research team rank the best health products and supplements based on performance, label accuracy, and the efficacy of the ingredients in the products.

At A Glance
our top picks for male enhancement pills
  1. Best Overall: Prime Male Enhance
  2. For Erectile Function: Cilexin
  3. For Men Over 40: Viasil
  4. Male Extra
  5. AlphaXL

Rankings

Last updated: November 4, 2022
Male enhancement pills considered: 31
Hours of research: 52
Experts reviewed: 9
Scientific papers referenced: 22

IMAGE PRODUCT
1. Prime Male Enhance
  • For extra vitality
  • Enhanced sexual mood
  • Increased erection strength and an overall mood boost
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2. Cilexin
  • Increases sexual endurance and stamina
  • Contains L-Arginine
  • 100% natural
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3. Viasil
  • For enhanced sexual mood
  • Healthy blood flow
  • Increased sexual endurance and stamina
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4. Male Extra
  • 100% natural
  • Provides fast results
  • Produces zero side effects
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5. AlphaXL
  • Uses a powerful fusion of proven natural ingredients
  • Can help you achieve better erections
  • Helps satisfy your partner better
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6. Leyzene2 with Royal Jelly
  • Increased blood flow
  • Higher testosterone levels
  • More sexual stamina
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7. Expandom Male Enhancement
  • Better male sexual performance
  • Provides a reliable boost to libido and endurance
  • Amplified by BioPerine
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8. Zhou Boost Elite
  • Explicitly targets poor erectile function
  • Helps increase androgen levels
  • Stimulates sexual arousal
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9. Made in Utah Male Enhancement
  • Designed to boost testosterone, libido, and sexual arousal
  • Designed for regular use
  • High levels of testosterone-boosting zinc
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10. AlphaMAN XL
  • Fairly well-balanced male enhancement supplement
  • Pretty solid and reliable
  • All natural ingredients
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11. Stamina Fuel
  • Has a pretty solid blend of herbal extracts
  • Boost your drive and endurance
  • Natural
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1. Prime Male Enhance

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For extra vitality, enhanced sexual mood, increased erection strength and an overall mood boost, Prime Male Enhance is the best out there.

“Words on paper can’t express how thankful I am”, many are saying.

Strong stuff.

If a libido or confidence boost is what you’re looking for – this supplement features effective ingredients that have the potential to help you do just that.

The completely natural and transparent formula (stacked with tribulus terrestris, L-arginine, B vitamins, maca, selenium, etc.) also means you can be confident you’re getting male enhancement pills that are unlikely to cause side effects.

Made in an FDA-registered facility that follows GMP guidelines. A 90-day guarantee makes it risk-free too.

The all-around male enhancement frontrunner of 2023.

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2. Cilexin

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For enhanced sexual mood, healthy blood flow, and increased sexual endurance and stamina, look no further than Cilexin.

This professional formula contains L-Arginine, the precursor to nitric oxide, for improved blood flow… Tribulus terrestris, a testosterone booster… and Panax ginseng, a proven performance enhancer… plus a host of other minerals and herbs that work together to improve erectile health 100% naturally.

Whether you’re dealing with physical, psychological, or lifestyle issues, Cilexin can help. Here are just a few of the comments by happy customers…

… “Been using for 12 months now and I couldn’t be happier.”

Solid option.

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3. Viasil

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Viasil is a male enhancement pill that continues to grow in popularity. It is 100% natural, provides fast results, and produces zero side effects.

In this supplement, you will find Horny Goat Weed, Zinc, Citrus Sinensis, Ginkgo Biloba, Tribulus Terrestris, Panax Ginseng Root, and Pomegranate.

It’s designed to treat erectile dysfunction, but is also said to help with endurance, energy levels, blood-flow, and ATP reserves in your muscles.

If you are looking for a natural male enhancement alternative that isn’t dangerous or sketchy, then Viasil is an awesome option to take a closer look at.

4. Male Extra

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Male Extra uses a powerful fusion of proven natural ingredients to help supercharge your sex life, achieve better erections, satisfy your partner better, and increase blood flow.

Male Extra uses strong doses of L-arginine HCL and Pomegranate 40% ellagic acid in their formula. These ingredients are somewhat rare in the male enhancement world, and were chosen specifically for their ability to ramp-up the natural production of Nitric Oxide in the body.

Male extra is powerful, natural male enhancement when you need it.

5. Ancestral Supplements Male Optimization Mofo

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Looking for a male enhancement pill that takes a different approach? Ancestral Supplements Male Optimization “MOFO” (Male Optimization Formula with Organs) is unlike any other men’s supplement on the market.

Its ingredients are as raw as it gets, containing extracts from the organs of grass-fed New Zealand bulls: heart, liver, prostate, testicle, and bone marrow.

Pretty wild, right? It’s one of the highest-rated male enhancement pills out there, and users rave about its simplicity and efficacy.

While there’s less research to support this raw animal ingredient approach, it is absolutely worth a try if the usual formulations aren’t doing the trick for you.

6. Man Alive

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Man Alive uses an advanced blend of core nutrients for male sexual performance (arginine, zinc, and niacin) plus more exotic herbal extracts, like epimedium, forskolin, maca, and damiana to fuel libido, staying power, and energy levels.

It’s a clean, focused blend whose only downside is the fact that a few of these ingredients are locked up in a proprietary blend, making it tricky to figure out the dosage of some key ingredients. Still, it’s a well-balanced formulation that’s definitely worth a try.

7. Zhou Boost Elite

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Zhou Boost Elite is an all-around male enhancement supplement that is designed to boost testosterone, libido, and sexual arousal.

It’s designed for regular use, unlike some other male enhancement pills which are take-as-needed. Zhou Boost Elite will work well for older men who are looking to restore some youthful vigor and strength, thanks to its high levels of testosterone-boosting zinc, Tribulus terrestris, and horny goat weed.

8. Made in Utah Male Enhancement

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Made in Utah Male Enhancement is a fairly well-balanced male enhancement supplement that uses zinc, tongkat ali, maca root, and a blend of two different types of ginseng, alongside a proprietary blend with a much longer ingredients list, for its male wellness effects.

Users find it’s a pretty solid and reliable male enhancement supplement that seems less prone to cause headaches and other side effects than other supplements on the market.

9. AlphaMAN XL

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AlphaMAN XL makes some bold marketing claims, and while it may not actually give you two extra inches, users of AlphaMAN XL actually has a pretty solid blend of herbal extracts. Still, it’s divisive among its users; some people find that it isn’t very effective, while others love it.

10. Stamina Fuel

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Stamina Fuel combines a high dose of zinc (a quick and easy way to boost testosterone) with several less-common herbal ingredients to boost stamina, libido, and sexual performance.

It’s a good bet if normal male enhancement supplements aren’t working for you, because the unique ingredients, like pumpkin seed extract, epimedium herb, eurycoma longifolia, and cayenne pepper, have different biochemical properties and different biologically active compounds than the usual supplements.

Category winners

Best male enhancement pill overall: Prime Male Enhance

With potent ingredients like ginseng, maca, muira puama, and tribulus terrestris, Prime Male Enhance is unbeatable when it comes to all-around male enhancement. For better stamina, energy, libido, and sexual performance, it’s our top pick. 

Best male enhancement pill for men over 40: Viasil

Declining libido and decreased sexual performance doesn’t need to be an inevitable consequence of getting older. Viasil combats this decline with a plethora of testosterone-boosting ingredients, leaving you feeling energized and ready to perform. 

Best male enhancement pill for erectile function: Cilexin

Cilexin has cutting-edge ingredients that focus on increasing nitric oxide levels and increasing blood flow. These are at the core of erectile function, making Cilexin a great choice for men who want better and more reliable erectile function. 

Best male enhancement pill for more stamina: Prime Male Enhance

Are you not lasting long enough, or gassed after the first round? Prime Male Enhance has the solution, with compounds like saw palmetto and L-arginine, which boost stamina and sustain libido all night by increasing your blood supply and nitric oxide levels.

Best male enhancement pill for testosterone: Viasil

Low energy, low libido, fatigue, and poor sexual performance—all of these are classic symptoms of low testosterone. Viasil is the male enhancement pill we recommend, thanks to its no-nonsense ingredients that contribute to higher testosterone, including zinc, tribulus terrestris, zinc, and ginseng root.

Best male enhancement pill for less fatigue and more energy: Prime Male Enhance

Feeling tired and out of energy, either in the bedroom or in your whole life? Prime Male Enhance is the male enhancement pill for you. With a broad range of powerful compounds to boost your mood, energy levels, and testosterone, Prime Male elevates your energy levels in the bedroom and beyond.

Who should buy a male enhancement pill?

Men who aren’t happy with their libido, energy levels, sexual stamina, or sexual performance could all potentially be helped by a male enhancement pill. While it is true that many of these issues strike men who are older, anyone with the following issues is a great candidate for a male enhancement pill:

Men who are not happy with their sexual performance. Male enhancement pills use a wide range of compounds to increase blood flow, which can help with erectile dysfunction, and both herbal and mineral compounds to increase levels of male sex hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone, which boost libido.

Men who have a low libido. A lack of sexual desire, or low libido, is often caused by low levels of sex hormones (testosterone in particular). 

A male enhancement pill won’t necessarily help if you have underlying health problems that are inhibiting your sexual performance or energy levels, but if they boost your testosterone and growth hormone levels, they can make a big difference in your sex drive.

Men with poor sexual stamina or low energy levels. Having trouble performing in the bedroom at the level you want? The problem might be a lack of energy, lack of blood flow, or a lack of sex hormones like testosterone. Male enhancement pills target all three of these mechanisms for longer and better sex.

How we ranked

The landscape for male enhancement pills is fraught with knockoffs, cheap products, and low-quality imitations. As such, it is particularly hard to sift out the good products from the bad.

Our research team tackled this issue by looking at the following scientifically-based criteria:

Proven ingredients that really work. By combing the scientific literature for research on micronutrients and herbal extracts that reliably boost some aspect of male sexual function, we developed a list of ingredients known to be effective at improving male sexual function, sex hormones, and energy levels. 

Powerful testosterone support. One subset of these proven ingredients was those that support high testosterone levels. This included relatively compounds like zinc, fenugreek, selenium, and magnesium.

Nitric oxide boosters for better blood flow. Another proven avenue for improving sexual function in men is via the nitric oxide cell signalling pathway, which regulates blood flow to the reproductive organs. Compounds like beetroot and L-arginine, which increases blood flow via their production of nitric oxide, were also must-haves for any product in our rankings.

Herbal extracts that boost sexual function. Finally, we looked for supplements that included the herbal ingredients that have been studied most intently for their benefits for male sexual wellness, like saw palmetto, horny goat weed, and maca root. 

Multi-ingredient formulations for full-spectrum male sexual wellness benefits. If a product didn’t contain enough ingredients to potentially be effective at improving male sexual function, sex hormones, or energy levels, we eliminated it.

No cheap stimulant buzz. Next up, we looked to see if the remaining products contained too much in the way of stimulants or flushing agents.

Like with weight loss pills, lower-quality male enhancement pills often use compounds like caffeine or niacin to induce a buzz or a “rush”-like feeling, without providing any ingredients to actually improve sex drive or sexual function. 

Scientifically-backed dosage. Once we’d identified effective products, we looked to see if the doses of active ingredients that they used lined up with what’s been used in the scientific literature.

Many of the popular ingredients in male enhancement pills have been evaluated independently in scientific research, so their dosage profile is often well-understood. 

Finally, we ranked the remaining products in order according to their overall quality, leaving us with the best male enhancement pills on the market right now. 

FAQ

Q: What is a male enhancement pill? 

A: Male enhancement pills are supplements that are designed to increase sexual desire, improve sexual performance, increase energy levels, and stimulate male sex hormones like testosterone.

A male enhancement pill can accomplish this goal through a variety of means, but the best products on the market combine multiple biological mechanisms at once: a good male enhancement pill will have compounds to boost nitric oxide production, which has an immediate effect on sexual performance, as well as compounds to increase testosterone and growth hormone levels, which build in their efficacy over the course of days and weeks.

Q: How long does it take for a male enhancement pill to kick in? 

A: Depending on the specific ingredients, male enhancement pills may take as short as an hour or as long as a few weeks to reach full effect.

Short-acting ingredients, like L-arginine, kick in pretty quick, but something that relies more heavily on testosterone boosters and minerals like zinc and magnesium can take several days to a few weeks to completely reach maximum efficacy.

Most male enhancement pills are a balance between these extremes, but even in the best possible case, you should expect it to take at least one hour to start feeling the effects of a male enhancement pill. 

Q: What male enhancement pills work? 

A: The most effective male enhancement pills are those based on vitamins, minerals, and supplements that have a proven scientific benefit.

Sometimes the most basic ingredients are the most effective: even something as simple as zinc or magnesium can improve male sex hormone levels, particularly in older men.

Other ingredients to be on the lookout for include anything derived from beets or beetroot juice, because of the widely-known nitric oxide producing capabilities of beetroot, and products containing L-arginine, which also helps facilitate blood flow.

Finally, you have a better chance with male enhancement pills that contain herbal ingredients that are associated with male sexual function, like horny goat weed or tribulus terrestris. 

Q: What do male enhancement pills do? 

A: Male enhancement pills cover a wider territory of biological mechanisms: some are focused primarily or exclusively on enhancing short-term sexual performance; these products usually accomplish this by targeting your body’s production of nitric oxide.

By providing supplemental ingredients that increase nitric acid production, these types of male enhancement pills directly boost your ability to get and maintain an erection.

Other male enhancement products target libido and energy levels by boosting testosterone. The mechanism of action here might be a combination of herbal compounds that are thought to stimulate testosterone production, or alternatively may provide direct precursors to testosterone, like DHEA.

Some male enhancement pills also address underlying issues that could lead to low levels of testosterone and other male sex hormones, such as deficiencies in zinc and magnesium.

Though different products (and even different ingredients within the same product) act through different pathways, the ultimate goal is the same: boosting energy, libido, and sexual performance and desire. 

Q: When should you take a male enhancement pill? 

A: How to time a male enhancement pill depends to some extent on the mechanisms that it is relying on. Male enhancement pills that are closer in design to an HGH or testosterone booster should be taken every day; in contrast, something that’s more exclusively focused on sexual enhancement should be taken at least an hour before any sexual activity.

That recommendation is based on evidence from nitric oxide-boosting compounds like beet supplements, which take at least one hour to kick in. 

Q: How long does a male enhancement pill last? 

A: A good-quality male enhancement pill should last for several hours if it has a strong formulation. While the effects of a male enhancement pill will kick in within an hour, your body’s physiological reaction to the ingredients should last for multiple hours.

Since the primary mechanisms behind an effective male enhancement pill have to do with increasing nitric oxide levels and boosting testosterone and other male sex hormones, these effects don’t wear off very fast.

Do keep in mind the fact that a male enhancement pill won’t be able to fight off other sources of physiological fatigue that could inhibit your sexual function—such as staying up very late at night, or the effects of alcohol. If it feels like your male enhancement pill is wearing off too quickly, look for other explanations first before blaming the supplement. 

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Recap

The market for male enhancement pills is something of a wild west, but there is good scientific evidence for a number of supplement ingredients for male sexual wellness and performance.

Horny goat weed, Tribulus terrestris, and maca root are all particularly powerful compounds, and act in a synergistic way to increase sexual arousal, erection strength, and sexual stamina.

Though not all supplements for male enhancement live up to the hype, there are a handful of top-notch products that really can boost your libido, increase sexual performance, and decrease or eliminate erectile problems.

For BodyNutrition’s #1 male enhancement pill recommendation, click here.

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John Davis

John Davis is a Minneapolis-based health and fitness writer with over 7 years of experience researching the science of high performance athletics, long-term health, nutrition, and wellness. As a trained scientist, he digs deep into the medical, nutritional, and epidemiological literature to uncover the keys to healthy living through better nutrition.