Buzz
Though 4chan users are the most recent to promote raw onion juice as a testosterone booster, they certainly aren’t the pioneers, and they likely won’t be the last to suggest it. It's an absolutely terrible idea.
Will Sommer, who writes a newsletter about conservative media, recently tweeted about the onion trend that's taking over 4chan's /pol/ forum. And yes, there's plenty more where those screenshots came from, but proceed with caution. (Warning: racist onion memes ahead, something 2015 me never imagined I'd have to warn about.)
Drinking onion juice or consuming large amounts of raw onions is a terrible idea because of the awful taste and the lingering onion smell that will sweat out of you for days, if not weeks. This is something the 4chan crowd would have discovered if they'd bothered to look at the numerous reports from people who've tried it before, like on bodybuilding forums.
If you're considering raw onion juice to boost your testosterone:
First, ask yourself why you feel the need to boost your testosterone. Do you have a medical condition, or are you simply trying to impress your online circle? If it's the former, seeking advice from a medical professional would be the wiser choice.
Secondly, be aware that no randomized controlled trials have been conducted to examine onion’s effect on human testosterone. Proponents of onion juice often reference two studies. One, from the Jordan University of Science and Technology, showed that onion juice made male rats mate faster but less frequently. Another, from the Islamic Azad University in Iran, found that onion juice increased sperm concentration in male rats’ testes (as revealed by dissection). In both studies, the rats didn’t drink the onion juice, but had it injected directly into their stomachs.
Are you a rat? Do you want to mate faster with a higher sperm count but less often? Then you might find these studies useful. For the rest of us, regular exercise and a balanced diet (feel free to include onions if you like) are the way to maintain healthy testosterone levels. As a general rule, though, avoid dietary advice that’s illustrated with a Pepe meme.
