Semenax employs a formula containing botanical ingredients, zinc, and vitamin E in an attempt to improve ejaculate volume, orgasm intensity, fertility, and erectile performance. Many of the individual ingredients in Semenax are part of studies looking into their effectiveness in men’s sexual health, though effective doses in studies are often higher than those seen in Semenax.

Vitamin E: While one study looking at semen parameters in geese showed promise for vitamin E supplementation to improve ejaculate volume and sperm concentration, another study in humans saw no meaningful difference in IVF outcomes among patients taking a vitamin E supplement over twice the size of the serving in Semenax compared to those not taking it.

L-Carnitine: One in-vitro study looking at mice semen found that exposure to carnitine improved motility but not chromatin quality an essential characteristic for male fertility. A few other studies look at carnitine’s role in healthy sperm as part of a larger complex of antioxidants, so they’re less useful to us in determining Semenax’s efficacy.

Zinc aspartate: This may be the one ingredient in Semenax with the most potential. A link between zinc and testosterone levels has been well established, and healthy testosterone levels lead to healthy sperm. if you already have healthy testosterone levels or take a multivitamin with a good dose of zinc in it, Semenax might not make a difference.

Maca root: A meta-analysis of studies looking at maca for improving men’s sexual health found numerous examples of success, but the studies included typically used maca doses ranging from 1,200mh-3,500mg per day. That’s far more than the 400mg used in Semenax. That doesn’t mean it won’t contribute to the overall effect of the supplement, but it’s worth noting the difference.

L-Lysine: While one study looking at lysine glutarylation reveals the amino acid’s role in healthy sperm, studies into the potential for lysine supplementation to improve semen parameters are lacking.

Catuaba bark: Any benefit catuaba offers to male semen quality comes from its purported antioxidant activity. Another study points to its potential to do reproductive harm, at least in female rats, and human studies into the substance are all but non-existent.

Pine Bark Extract and L-arginine HCl: Pine bark extract is one of the few ingredients in Semenax to appear at a quantity above what’s performed well in at least one study. Admittedly a small-scale study, it included 21 participants who saw improvements in ED score on the IIEF after three months of treatment with 120mg of a pine bark extract. We put it together here with L-arginine because of another study looking at Prelox, a branded combination of the two ingredients. In this study of 124 patients, researchers saw a steady increase in IIEF scores at two and three months compared to placebo.

Epimedium sagittatum leaf: The key to understanding the potential for this ingredient — also called barrenwort or horny goat weed — is checking to see whether or not a company includes it as a whole leaf or an extract. One study looking at the efficacy of icariin — the useful extract from epimedium sagittatum — found that 1mg/kg of body weight was a sufficient dose to begin seeing results in rats.