D-aspartic acid is becoming an increasingly popular supplement among bodybuilders and everyday gym-goers alike.
Research suggests that D-aspartic acid should be a staple in a bodybuilders supplement stack due to the potential role it plays in muscle growth and testosterone boosting.
It is often recommended to cycle your D-aspartic acid supplementation, though there is currently limited evidence to suggest this would be a superior dosing strategy compared to regular, long-term daily dosing.
This article discusses the benefits and uses of D-aspartic acid, why it’s a great supplement pick for a bodybuilder, dosing strategies, and potential side effects!
D-Aspartic Acid 101
D-aspartic acid, or DAA, is one of the two forms of the amino acid - aspartic acid. Considering these three forms are so closely related, they actually play very different roles in the body. D-aspartic acid plays the role of regulating testosterone synthesis.
D-aspartic acid is known to aid in male fertility and increase testosterone in healthy men. What this means is that D-aspartic acid is essentially a testosterone booster, particularly useful for bodybuilders and anyone who is seeking muscle gains. We will get onto the topic of testosterone and bodybuilding shortly!
So, how does D-aspartic acid actually work?
Supplementing with D-aspartic acid causes a release of certain sex hormones in the brain, thus stimulating the endocrine system chain reaction that produces more testosterone and sperm cells.
To put it simply, D-aspartic acid produces testosterone by triggering a process in the endocrine system.
Supplementing with D-aspartic acid is thought to provide a number of health benefits, including:
- Increasing muscle and strength gains
- Improving sperm quality
- Boosting cognitive health
These are effects that are strongly linked to the increase in testosterone production. Let’s briefly cover testosterone and why this is such an important hormone for men to consider when it comes to muscle building!
What is Testosterone?
Testosterone is a male hormone (androgen) mainly involved in sexual development, muscle building, and weight management.
Testosterone is often divided into three categories:
Tightly bound testosterone: binds to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)
Loosely bound testosterone: binds to albumin and circulates around the body when broken
Free testosterone: A readily available testosterone floating around our body, often converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is a potent androgen.
The loose and tight bound free testosterone are what make up the bioavailable testosterone in the body and the types that have the most significant impact on your health.
It is very important to maintain healthy testosterone levels, as having abnormally low or high levels can cause many health issues in men, including:
- Low libido
- Reduced body hair
- Loss of muscle mass
- Impotence
- Irritability
While there are many ways to maintain healthy testosterone levels, such as eating a healthy diet, sleeping well, and keeping active, supplementation may also help—such as D-aspartic acid.
D-Aspartic Acid: The Best Form
The best form of D-aspartic acid is D-aspartic acid calcium chelate (D-AA-CC), which is the most bioavailable form of D-aspartic acid.
While this form works very similar to isolated D-aspartic acid, the difference is that it’s bound to calcium chelate to optimize absorption. This also results in a smaller dosage guideline and reduced side effects.
Taking D-aspartic acid alongside other nutrients and ingredients will also optimize the testosterone boosting effects, such as Testo Lab Pro, which combines the likes of zinc, magnesium, ashwagandha, and mucuna pruriens extract, formulating one of the most effective testosterone boosters available today.
D-Aspartic Acid: Should You Cycle It?
The recommended dosage of D-aspartic acid largely depends on the specific supplement. However, a standard dose of 2-3g per day has been noted.
Some research on D-aspartic acid has used specific supplementation protocols that involve “cycling”. A popular D-aspartic acid study used 3g of daily D-aspartic acid for 12 days followed by a week of no supplementation.1
However, another study on D-aspartic acid did not use a cycling strategy and found there was no harm in taking continuous daily doses. 1
It appears that more research is needed to determine the efficacy of cycling D-aspartic acid. This means that, for now, daily doses of D-aspartic acid are well-tolerated and effective.
To optimize the effects of D-aspartic acid, it’s suggested to take it as a formula alongside other ingredients, such as Testo Lab Pro, and in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle, and an effective muscle-building training program.
Testo Lab Pro contains the minimum effective dose of D-aspartic acid in the form of 600mg of D-aspartic calcium chelate (D-AA-CC) and does not require a cycling protocol.
D-Aspartic Acid: FAQs
Q: Are there any side effects to taking D-aspartic acid?
A: Taking large doses of D-aspartic acid has been shown to cause some possible side effects, including irritability, mood swings, hair loss, acne, and impaired libido.
We recommend sticking to a supplement like Testo Lab Pro, a safer and more effective alternative to isolated D-aspartic acid. Consult your doctor before taking any new supplements!
Q: Does DAA increase testosterone?
A: As we have established, D-aspartic acid appears to be effective in triggering a certain endocrine system process which results in increased testosterone production. Studies that have shown significant increases in testosterone as a result of taking a D-aspartic acid supplement have mostly been found in untrained men.
Q: Is D-aspartic acid safe?
A: No safety concerns have been found when supplementing with D-aspartic acid, proving dosage guidelines are followed, and a doctor has been consulted prior to supplementation.
References
- Patel. K. D-Aspartic Acid. Examine.com. 2019.