Mars Men Review

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Mars Men is marketed as a testosterone booster designed to increase energy, vitality, and strength. At first glance, those claims sound appealing. But the real question is whether the formula actually delivers meaningful results. To figure that out, we need to look closely at the ingredients and ask a simple question: do they truly support testosterone levels, exercise performance, or libido in men?

Ingredients of Mars Men

Tongkat Ali

Tongkat Ali, also known as Eurycoma longifolia or Longjack, is a tree native to Southeast Asia and is frequently promoted for male hormone and athletic support. While it’s often described as powerful, the research behind it is fairly underwhelming.

In one small study involving male athletes, daily Tongkat Ali supplementation failed to improve running performance when compared to a placebo. Another study using a specific, standardized extract also showed no improvement in physical fitness. It did, however, show a modest increase in libido scores.

One possible explanation is that Tongkat Ali may slightly raise testosterone levels, but this effect appears limited to older men who already struggle with low libido. Healthy younger men don’t seem to benefit much at all. On top of that, the studies used specialized extracts, not the generic versions typically found in supplements like Mars Men. That makes it even less likely you’ll see similar results.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is an aromatic herb traditionally grown in the Mediterranean region and is commonly included in testosterone-boosting supplements. Some research does suggest potential benefits, but the details matter.

In a small clinical study, men who used a standardized fenugreek extract for eight weeks while resistance training saw slight reductions in body fat and small improvements in leg press and bench press performance compared to a placebo. A broader review of small studies also suggests fenugreek extracts may modestly improve athletic performance, reduce body fat, and slightly increase testosterone levels.

When it comes to libido, research shows that fenugreek seed extract taken for 12 weeks can lead to small improvements, mainly in older men with low testosterone. However, there’s an important catch. Fenugreek seed powder is typically studied at doses of 5 to 10 grams per day. Mars Men contains only about 1 gram, which is unlikely to produce noticeable effects.

Taurine

Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in foods like meat, seafood, and eggs. It’s often added to performance and energy supplements, but the science is mixed.

Several studies show that taking taurine before endurance exercise, such as cycling, does not improve performance at all. Even higher doses—around 5 grams per day for a full week—failed to increase muscle taurine levels or improve energy use during exercise in trained athletes.

That said, larger reviews suggest that doses ranging from 1 to 6 grams per day taken short term may offer a small endurance benefit for some people. Still, it’s unclear who actually benefits. What is clear is that these effects occur at multi-gram doses. The relatively small amount of taurine found in Mars Men is unlikely to make a meaningful difference in energy or performance.

Shilajit

Shilajit is a traditional substance used in Ayurvedic medicine and is sourced from the Himalayan mountains. It forms slowly over time from decomposed plant, animal, mineral, and microbial material. The primary active compound in shilajit is fulvic acid, a naturally occurring organic substance created as plants and animals break down. Because fulvic acid has antioxidant properties, shilajit is often marketed as an “adaptogen” that supposedly helps the body manage stress, boost energy, and improve stamina.

That said, when we look at the human research, the evidence behind these claims is limited. In one small clinical trial, adults with above-average strength who took 500 mg of shilajit daily for eight weeks experienced a slight reduction in muscle fatigue after exercise. However, this effect did not appear in people with below-average strength, and there was no increase in overall strength.

Fertility is another area where shilajit is frequently promoted. In a preliminary study involving men with low sperm counts, taking 100 mg of shilajit twice daily for 90 days increased sperm count and motility. While that sounds promising, the study did not include a placebo group, which significantly weakens the reliability of the results.

Many of the other benefits commonly advertised—such as boosting immunity, improving metabolism, enhancing vitality, slowing aging, detoxifying the liver, or improving brain and athletic performance—are either unsupported or based only on animal and laboratory research. Despite how confidently these claims are marketed, they have not been confirmed in well-designed human clinical trials.

It’s also worth pointing out that nearly all human studies on shilajit use a specific, purified form called PrimaVie. This version is standardized to contain known amounts of fulvic acid. Mars Men does not appear to use this form, which matters because raw, unprocessed shilajit is often contaminated with heavy metals, microbes, and other harmful substances. Consuming unpurified shilajit is essentially like ingesting dirt.

Overall, shilajit remains a poorly studied supplement whose reputation relies more on its exotic Himalayan origin than on solid scientific evidence. From a nutritional standpoint, it closely resembles peat or organic soil, containing fulvic and humic acids along with trace minerals of questionable benefit. While it has a long history of traditional use, there is no strong human evidence showing that it meaningfully improves energy, performance, or overall health.

Vitamin D, Vitamin K, zinc, and boron

Vitamin D, vitamin K, zinc, and boron are all essential nutrients, especially for people who train hard, since they support basic muscle and metabolic function. The real question, though, is whether taking extra amounts of these nutrients actually boosts testosterone, builds muscle, or improves exercise performance. In most cases, the evidence suggests it does not.

For example, studies that gave young athletes very high doses of vitamin D found no improvement in physical performance. Similar research in middle-aged and older adults also failed to show meaningful gains in muscle strength.

We see the same pattern with other minerals. Studies using zinc and selenium during weight loss programs did not improve body composition or exercise outcomes. Even boron, which is sometimes promoted as a testosterone booster, failed to increase muscle mass or testosterone levels in a small study of male bodybuilders. In short, these nutrients are essential, but taking more than your body needs doesn’t translate into better performance or higher testosterone.

So why don’t supplements help if these nutrients are important? Because once your basic nutritional needs are met through diet, adding extra offers no additional benefit. A balanced, nutrient-rich diet supports training and health, but “mega-dosing” through supplements is unlikely to do anything more.

Is Mars Men Effective?

When we look at the overall effectiveness of Mars Men, the potential benefits appear limited. It may offer small improvements in testosterone or libido, mainly due to its Tongkat Ali content.

Mars-Men-review-ingredient-analysis — Mars Men supplement review ingredient analysis

Even then, these effects are likely modest and mostly confined to older men with already low testosterone. There is little evidence to suggest that Mars Men meaningfully improves strength, muscle growth, or exercise performance.

Overall rating

Mars-Men-review-overall-summary-rating — Overall rating Mars Men supplement review summary

Rating Mars Men by effectiveness for improving exercise performance and boosting testosterone, I’m giving it a C. It’s unlikely to help with exercise performance. But it may slightly boost testosterone in a specific group of men.

Rating it by cost, I’m giving it an F. You can easily replicate its effects with generic ingredients at a much lower cost.

Rating it for safety, I’m giving it a C. Ingredients like fenugreek can lower blood sugar and blood pressure and may interact with certain medications.

Overall rating, I’m giving a C. It may modestly improve libido in older men with low testosterone, but a simple fenugreek or Tongkat Ali extract alone would likely provide similar benefits at a much lower cost.

Top alternatives to Mars Men

Fenugreek (caps) – 6 to 10 caps / day
Fenugreek (powder) – 1 to 2 tsp / day
Tongkat Ali – 1 to 2 caps / day

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Citations

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