@grindtopshelf's TRT claims get the fact-check treatment
Quick answer
The creator's partner appears to have clinically confirmed hypogonadism based on her description of a physician evaluation and a recommendation for testosterone replacement therapy. OTC supplements containing zinc, maca root, and beetroot have not been demonstrated in peer-reviewed trials to raise serum testosterone to therapeutic ranges in men with diagnosed hypogonadism. Substituting a TikTok Shop product for physician-recommended TRT based on two weeks of subjective observations is not a clinically sound decision.
Our take · Written by FormBlends editorial team · Reviewed by FormBlends Medical Team· This is not a transcript. It is our independent review of the video above.
What did @grindtopshelf actually say?
The creator opens with a folk test for low testosterone: if you can sleep on your stomach and don't wake up with an erection, "you probably have low testosterone." Her partner got bloodwork, his levels were low, a doctor recommended TRT injections, and they declined in favor of a TikTok Shop supplement called Kingmaker. It contains beetroot, maca root, zinc, and roughly ten other ingredients. After two weeks, she says, he's lifting heavier, has more energy, sleeps better, and his chest "actually looks defined." She closes by pointing viewers to a flash sale in the shop link. The overall message is simple: a natural booster worked as well as injections would have, and it worked fast.
Does the science back this up?
Some ingredients have modest supporting data. Most of the dramatic two-week claims do not. Let's separate the two.
Zinc deficiency is genuinely linked to reduced testosterone. A study by Prasad et al. (1996, Nutrition) found that zinc supplementation in zinc-deficient men raised testosterone levels meaningfully. But that effect is specific to men who are actually deficient. If your zinc is fine, more zinc does not push testosterone higher.
Maca root (she calls it "macaroo") has evidence for improving libido and subjective energy, but not for raising testosterone itself. A review by Gonzales (2012, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine) found no consistent hormonal changes in clinical trials. Beetroot is a source of dietary nitrates, which may improve blood flow and exercise performance at clinical doses. That's a real, if modest, effect. It does not raise testosterone.
The idea that "poor sleeping decreases testosterone" is accurate. Research by Leproult and Van Cauter (2011, JAMA) showed that restricting sleep to five hours per night for one week reduced testosterone levels in young men by 10 to 15 percent. That part she got right.
What the evidence does not support is the claim that any combination of these ingredients produces results "like steroids" in two weeks, or that they can substitute for prescribed TRT in someone with clinically confirmed hypogonadism.
What did they get wrong (or right)?
She got the sleep-testosterone connection right. That's real physiology, not bro-science. Credit where it's due.
Everything else deserves scrutiny. The morning erection test is not a clinical diagnostic for low testosterone. Testosterone levels vary throughout the day and are affected by dozens of factors. A single symptom observation is not bloodwork.
More seriously: her partner apparently had confirmed low testosterone diagnosed by a physician, who recommended TRT. Choosing a supplement over medical treatment for confirmed hypogonadism is a meaningful decision, and framing that choice as obviously correct, because the supplement "works like steroids," is irresponsible. OTC testosterone boosters have not been shown to raise serum testosterone to therapeutic ranges in men with clinically low levels. A systematic review by Balasubramanian et al. (2019, World Journal of Men's Health) examined 50 top-selling testosterone supplements and found that fewer than 25 percent had any human trial data, and none demonstrated testosterone increases comparable to TRT.
Claiming visible chest muscle definition changed in two weeks from a supplement is almost certainly a placebo or expectation effect. Meaningful hypertrophy takes longer than that regardless of what you're taking.
What should you actually know?
If a doctor ran bloodwork and told someone their testosterone was low enough to warrant TRT, that is a clinical finding. "Natural boosters" are not a regulated substitute for that conversation. Some men with borderline-low testosterone and correctable lifestyle factors, like poor sleep, zinc deficiency, or obesity, may see levels improve through those changes. But that's different from what's being sold here.
The supplement industry is not required to prove products work before selling them. The FDA regulates supplements under DSHEA, which means the burden of proof is far lower than for pharmaceuticals. Kingmaker is not an FDA-approved treatment for hypogonadism.
If you have symptoms of low testosterone, the right move is bloodwork, ideally a morning total and free testosterone level, not a TikTok Shop flash sale. If levels are genuinely low, work with a licensed provider to weigh the actual options, which may include lifestyle changes, or may include TRT, or both. That's a medical conversation, not a shopping decision.
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For @grindtopshelf's TRT claims get the fact-check treatment, FormBlends checks the page topic against primary trials, systematic reviews, guidelines, and current PubMed-indexed literature where available. These citations are context, not medical advice, proof of eligibility, or a claim that every study applies to every patient.
Cardiovascular Safety of Testosterone-Replacement Therapy
TRAVERSE trial anchor for cardiovascular-safety discussions in appropriately diagnosed men.
PubMed
Testosterone therapy in men with androgen deficiency syndromes: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline
Guideline anchor for diagnosis, monitoring, contraindications, and appropriate TRT framing.
PubMed
NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing
Core review for NAD+ decline, mitochondrial function, DNA repair, and aging biology.
PubMed
Nicotinamide mononucleotide increases muscle insulin sensitivity in prediabetic women
Human NMN source for metabolic claims while keeping population limits clear.
PubMed
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The creator's partner appears to have clinically confirmed hypogonadism based on her description of a physician evaluation and a recommendation for testosterone replacement therapy.
FormBlends verdict
The creator's partner appears to have clinically confirmed hypogonadism based on her description of a physician evaluation and a recommendation for testosterone replacement therapy. OTC supplements containing zinc, maca root, and beetroot have not been demonstrated in peer-reviewed trials to raise serum testosterone to therapeutic ranges in men with diagnosed hypogonadism. Substituting a TikTok Shop product for physician-recommended TRT based on two weeks of subjective observations is not a clinically sound decision.
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What it helps with
- The creator's partner appears to have clinically confirmed hypogonadism based on her description of a physician evaluation and a recommendation for testosterone replacement therapy. OTC supplements containing zinc, maca root, and beetroot have not been demonstrated in peer-reviewed trials to raise serum testosterone to therapeutic ranges in men with diagnosed hypogonadism. Substituting a TikTok Shop product for physician-recommended TRT based on two weeks of subjective observations is not a clinically sound decision.
- Clinically confirmed hypogonadism requires a blood test, not a morning erection check. Diagnosis is based on serum testosterone below 300 ng/dL on two morning measurements, per Endocrine Society guidelines (Bhasin et al., 2018).
- Zinc only raises testosterone if you're actually deficient. Supplementing above adequate levels does not push testosterone higher, per Prasad et al. (1996, Nutrition).
What it may miss
- It may not cover eligibility, contraindications, medication interactions, lab history, or dose escalation.
- Compound access, legal status, and product quality still need a separate safety check.
- Social video captions rarely show the full evidence base behind a claim.
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Compare the claim against a FormBlends guide, safety page, and licensed-provider review before acting.
Start provider reviewWhat You'll Learn
- Clinically confirmed hypogonadism requires a blood test, not a morning erection check. Diagnosis is based on serum testosterone below 300 ng/dL on two morning measurements, per Endocrine Society guidelines (Bhasin et al., 2018).
- Zinc only raises testosterone if you're actually deficient. Supplementing above adequate levels does not push testosterone higher, per Prasad et al. (1996, Nutrition).
- Maca root improves self-reported libido but does not raise testosterone in clinical trials. A 2012 review in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found no consistent hormonal changes.
- Sleep deprivation does reduce testosterone. One week of five-hour nights cut levels by 10 to 15 percent in healthy men (Leproult and Van Cauter, 2011, JAMA). Fixing sleep is legitimate advice.
- Fewer than 25 percent of the 50 best-selling testosterone supplements had any human trial data in a 2019 World Journal of Men's Health systematic review. None matched TRT outcomes.
- Visible muscle definition changes in two weeks from a supplement are not physiologically plausible. Hypertrophy timelines run four to eight weeks minimum with consistent resistance training.
- If a licensed physician recommended TRT based on bloodwork, that recommendation should be discussed with the prescribing provider, not replaced by a TikTok Shop product during a flash sale.
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About the Creator
GrindTopShelf · TikTok creator
10.4K views on this video
fr this stuff is differenttt‼️#menshealth #motivation #workout #gym #lifting #ttshop #tiktokshop #fitness
Sources & references
Citations extracted from our medical team's review. Click any citation to search PubMed.
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Not medical advice. This video was made by GrindTopShelf, not by FormBlends. Our write-up above is an editorial review, not a medical recommendation. Talk to your doctor before making any decisions about medications or treatments.