How much tribulus terrestris should i take

Its historical uses include boosting libido and fertility, flushing fluid buildup edema , reducing kidney stones, and fighting urinary tract infections [ 1 ]. Today, tribulus is commonly marketed and supplemented for increasing testosterone , libido and strength. Tribulus supplements are popular performance enhancers among bodybuilders.

Others take tribulus for its alleged heart-protective effects or to remedy sexual issues. As the popularity of tribulus increased, so did the misconceptions and false information surrounding its use. Tribulus may help with sexual dysfunction and low libido, but its active compounds seem to have a testosterone-independent mechanism of action [ 4 ].

Additionally, tribulus supplements have not been approved by the FDA for medical use. Supplements generally lack solid clinical research. Speak with your doctor before supplementing. Scientists believe that saponins and flavonoids in tribulus are responsible for the effects of this plant. Of these, the steroidal saponin protodioscin is the most important one. Extracts of tribulus are usually standardized to contain a certain percentage of saponins in the form of protodioscin [ 5 , 1 , 6 ].

Other active components found in the tribulus plant include [ 1 , 5 ]:. The roots primarily contain the saponins protodioscin, diosgenin, and tribulosin. They also contain a protein that prevents the buildup of kidney stones [ 7, 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ].

The fruits contain the phenolic amides tribulusamides A-D and other saponins terrestriamide and terrestrosides A and B [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15, 16 , 17 ].

The saponin profile varies depending on where the plant is grown. For example, studies suggest that varieties in southeast Europe e. Bulgaria and Greece have over 30 times the amount of protodioscin than varieties in Western Asia [ 18 ]. Researchers have proposed the following mechanism of action of the active compounds found in tribulus.

For more about the potential benefits of tribulus, check out this post. Although tribulus can be supplemented as powdered root or fruit , extracts are much more common. Tribulus varieties that grow in eastern Europe have much higher protodioscin and much lower tribulosin levels than those grown in India and Vietnam. Due to the lack of regulation in the supplement industry , it was discovered that some tribulus products were contaminated with anabolic steroids.

This may result in unintentional doping violations in athletes. Two cases of kidney damage nephrotoxicity from tribulus tablets or tribulus water have been reported.

Tribulus fruit should not be eaten. Consuming the spine-covered fruit has been reported to cause serious respiratory problems pneumothorax and bronchial polyp. PSA may be higher in men with prostate cancer and other prostate disorders and is sometimes used by doctors to screen and monitor these conditions [ 23 ]. In a comparison study in mice, Tribulus reduced pain similar to the NSAID aspirin, but it still caused ulcers though reportedly less than aspirin [ 30 ].

On the one hand, some studies point to the liver- and kidney-protective benefits of tribulus. Epub Jun PMID: Tribulus terrestris: preliminary study of its diuretic and contractile effects and comparison with Zea mays.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, , vol. New insights into dietary supplements used in sport: active substances, pharmacological and side effects. Current drug targets, , vol.

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Tribulus Tribulus terrestris is a small, flowering plant also known as puncture vine and goat's head. The plant yields a fruit that is covered with spines. The fruit, leaf, and root are used as medicine to treat a number of conditions, most notably sexual dysfunction. Tribulus has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine, as well as in ayurveda to enhance athletic performance or increase libido.

Tribulus is also said to raise your levels of certain hormones, including testosterone and estrogen, and is found in supplements claiming to increase testosterone levels. In addition, tribulus is purported to help a variety of health issues such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney stones, erectile dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, and act as a diuretic.

Here's a look at selected findings from the available research on tribulus. Dietary supplements containing tribulus are often marketed for their potential to increase testosterone levels and, in turn, build muscle mass and boost strength.

However, a report published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements in states that such marketing claims are unsubstantiated. In the analysis of 11 previously published clinical trials, the report's authors determined that a testosterone-increasing effect was found only when tribulus was consumed by way of supplements containing a combination of substances.

Tribulus may help treat erectile dysfunction, according to a study published in Maturitas in In testing the effects of 12 weeks of a tribulus extract on men with mild or moderate erectile dysfunction, researchers found that those who took tribulus had a significant improvement in sexual function including erectile dysfunction.

In a report published in Drugs in , researchers sized up previously published clinical trials. According to the report's authors, their analysis demonstrated that " T. Additionally, a small study published in Gynecological Endocrinology in indicates that tribulus may help treat sexual dysfunction in women.

For the study, 40 women with diminished libido were treated with tribulus or a placebo. At the study's end, those who received tribulus had increased testosterone levels and experienced a significant improvement in factors such as desire, arousal, pain, and satisfaction. Based on existing evidence some practitioners recommend an herbal preparation of tribulus to support hormonal and sexual function of their patients. Tribulus may fight diabetes, suggests a small study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Blood glucose, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol were significantly reduced compared with the placebo.

There was no significant effect observed in triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels. Since so few studies have tested tribulus' health effects in humans, little is known about the safety of long-term use of this herb.

However, there's some concern that tribulus may trigger side effects such as increased heart rate and restlessness.