Tribulus Terrestris extract review, benefit as an aphrodisiac, side effects, saponin content and dosage for sexual enhancement, studies and research
Does this supplement influence testosterone levels or athletic performance? Does it enhance libido?
This page has information of the benefits of tribulus terrestris herb along with a discussion of its side effects. As of January 2011, we are not aware of specific human research with this herbal supplement in terms of evaluating its role as an aphrodisiac in a man or woman. However, many men and women consistently report that the use of this dietary supplement does provide sexual enhancement in terms of sex drive, erectile function, and performance.
Tribulus terrestris herb grows naturally in many parts of the world including the Americas, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It is considered a noxious weed found abundantly on roadsides and vacant lots whose seeds are sharp and painful to step on. The foliage is toxic to livestock, especially sheep, when consumed daily in large quantities. The fruits / berries are the parts most often used in traditional medicine. The composition of different substances within this plant is likely to vary depending where in the world it grows.
Buy Tribulus Terrestris supplement, formulated by world renowned Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D., author of several best selling books on dietary supplements and complementary medicine, including Natural Sex Boosters
Tribulus terrestris plant contains furostanol saponins, the active components. This herb is popular for its potent role in supporting reproductive function. This herb can be used by both men and women. Passion Rx is a potent herbal aphrodisiac in a combination with a number of additional effective aphrodisiac herbs including maca, tongkat ali extract LJ100, mucuna pruriens, horny goat weed and catuaba.
Supplement Facts: Tribulus Terrestris extract 400 mg per pill (standardized to 40 % saponins)
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Dosage: Start with an extract of 400 mg, 40 percent saponins at one capsule every other day, and over the next few days take more or less depending on how you respond. You will need less with time.
Benefit as sexual enhancer
Rodent studies have found it to be helpful as a sex booster. Tribulus supplement enhances sexuality in the majority of those within a few days. Passion Rx is more effective since it has a number of additional herbs that provide a more comprehensive approach to sexual improvement. It contains a number of aphrodisiac plants including ashwagandha, avena sativa, catuaba, horny goat weed with icariin molecule, maca, LJ100, mucuna pruriens seed, and tongkat ali.
Sexual behavior and intracavernous pressure (ICP) were studied in both normal and castrated rats to further understand the role of tribulus containing protodioscin as an aphrodisiac. Adult rats were divided into five groups of 8 each that included distilled water treated (normal and castrated), testosterone treated (normal and castrated, and tribulus treated (castrated). Decreases in body weight, prostate weight and ICP were observed among the castrated groups of rats compared to the intact group. There was an overall reduction in the sexual behaviour parameters in the castrated groups of rats as reflected by decrease in mount and intromission frequencies (MF and IF) and increase in mount, intromission, ejaculation latencies (ML, IL, EL) as well as post-ejaculatory interval. Compared to the castrated control, treatment of castrated rats (with either testosterone or tribulus extract) showed increase in prostate weight and ICP that were statistically significant. There was also a mild to moderate improvement of the sexual behaviour parameters as evidenced by increase in MF and IF; decrease in ML, and IL. It is concluded that tribulus extract appears to possess aphrodisiac activity.
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Mechanism of action
Tribulus may work by relaxing smooth muscles and increasing blood flow into the corpus cavernosa. The relaxant effect observed is probably due to the increase in the release of nitric oxide from the endothelium and nerve endings. Since it relaxes smooth muscles, this may account for its benefits in abdominal colic.
Availability
Tribulus terrestris supplement is most often found in combination with other sex-enhancing herbs. This aphrodisiac herb is also sold by itself often in a dosage ranging from 250 to 750 mg. There are many extract potencies, the most common being regular powder, 20% extract, and 40% extract as saponins. There are other extracts but they are not as common. The color of herbs and herbal extracts varies depending on many factors. There are dozens of different substances in this herb, and others, and the levels if active and inactive ingredients can vary, including the colors, from batch to batch.
Side effects, safety, risks, caution, danger, toxicity, withdrawal symptoms
No major tribulus terrestris side effects or toxicity have yet been reported in the medical literature. However, little is known about the long-term use of tribulus supplement consumption in humans. As with most herbs, it is best to take breaks from use. According to Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D., an expert regarding the benefits and safety of sexual herbs, and the author of Natural Sex Boosters, he mentions high doses can lead to a feeling of restlessness, insomnia, and rapid heart beat. Another adverse reaction he mentions in increased body temperature. No allergy issues have been mentioned yet.
Benefits and research
Tribulus terrestris herb has not been studied by Western scientists to any great extent and there's a lot we don't know about the benefits and side effects of this interesting plant. Although this herb has been used in folk medicine for many conditions, modern science has not yet adequately evaluated it in terms of its clinical benefit. However, there is good confidence that it is useful as a libido enhancement herb.
Angina
Tribulus has been studied in China and early reports indicate it reduces the frequency of angina pectoris.
Athletic performance, exercise, physical activity, sports performance
Tribulus terrestris, by itself, does not appear to improve athletic performance, not does it seem to influence testosterone levels in humans to any great extent.
The effect of five weeks of Tribulus terrestris supplementation on muscle strength and body composition during preseason training in elite rugby league players.
J Strength Cond Res. 2007. School of Exercise Science and Sport Management, Southern Cross University Lismore, New South Wales, Australia.
Twenty-two Australian elite male rugby league players were match-paired and randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to either a tribulus terrestris or placebo group. All subjects performed structured heavy resistance training as part of the club's preseason preparations. A tribulus terrestris extract 450 mg each day or placebo capsule was consumed once daily for 5 weeks. This herb did not produce the large gains in strength or lean muscle mass that many manufacturers claim can be experienced. Furthermore, it did not alter the urinary testosterone / epitestosterone ratio and would not place an athlete at risk of testing positive based on the World Anti-Doping Agency's urinary testosterone / epitestosterone ratio limit of 4.
The effects of Tribulus terrestris on body composition and exercise performance in resistance-trained males.
University of Nebraska, Kearney, NE, USA. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2000.
Fifteen subjects were randomly assigned to a placebo or tribulus (3.2 mg per kg body weight daily) group. Body weight, body composition, maximal strength, dietary intake, and mood states were determined before and after an 8-week exercise and supplementation period. There were no changes in body weight, percentage fat, total body water, dietary intake, or mood states in either group.
Testosterone effect
Tribulus extract does not seem to have a consistent effect on testosterone levels but long term human studies are not available to determine what influence these supplements would have on testosterone and free testosterone levels in the blood when taken for several weeks or months. Research results have provided conflicting data.
The aphrodisiac herb Tribulus terrestris does not influence the androgen production in young men.
J Ethnopharmacology. 2005. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Twenty-one healthy young 20-36 years old men were randomly separated into three groups-two experimental and a control (placebo) one. Subjects were assigned to consume 20 mg/kg body weight per day of tribulus terrestris extract separated into three daily intakes for 4 weeks. There was no significant difference between the supplemented groups and controls in the serum testosterone, androstenedione or luteinizing hormone levels. These steroid saponins possess neither direct nor indirect androgen increasing properties.
Is it possible that chronic use, increasing over time due to tolerance, of OTC herbals such as tribulus terrestris can lead to secondary hypogonadism due, such as the HTPA axis being so imbalanced that it cannot easily be restarted?
The hormonal influence of tongkat ali, tribulus terrestris, muira puama and many other herbs, when used on a chronic basis, is not fully known since human studies are few, but this, and other scenarios, are theoretically possible. We always recommend people take breaks from the use of herbs used as aphrodisiacs.
What's in the herb?
The fruits contain a number of different substances including saponins, glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids, resins, tannins, sugars, sterols, and essential oil. Specific substances include tribol, spirostanol saponins, sitosterol glucoside, terrestrinins A and B, furostanol glycosides named tribufurosides I and J. A frequently mentioned substance is protodioscin, which some claim is one of the active substances within this plant. When different samples of tribulus are analyzed, significant differences in the composition of saponins are observed depending on the origin and plant part used. One analysis of products showed considerable variations of 0.17 to 6.5 % in protodioscin content.
Distribution of steroidal saponins in Tribulus terrestris from different geographical regions.
Phytochemistry. 2007. Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
The steroidal saponins of Tribulus terrestris L. are considered to be the factor responsible for biological activity of products derived from this plant. Samples collected in Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Macedonia, Turkey, Georgia, Iran, Vietnam and India were analyzed for the presence and the concentration of protodioscin, prototribestin, pseudoprotodioscin, dioscin, tribestin and tribulosin. The flavonoid rutin was also included in the comparison. The results revealed distinct differences in the content of these compounds depending on region of sample collection, plant part studied and stage of plant development. The samples from Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Macedonia, Georgia and Iran exhibited similar chemical profile. The Vietnamese and Indian samples exhibit totally different chemical profile. They lack prototribestin and tribestin, while tribulosin is present in high amounts.
Is Bulgarian tribulus superior to plants from other countries?
Since human research is lacking regarding comparisons of this herb from different countries in terms of sexual enhancement or erectile function, one cannot say that Bulgarian tribulus is better than an herb grown in the United States or Germany. Much of the chemical composition of this herb depends on how the plant is grown, the soil conditions, temperature, the harvesting, processing, manufacturing, storing, etc.
Combining with other herbal aphrodisiacs
Can it be combined with other herbs such as yohimbe, maca, or hormy goat weed herb? Does it give more energy similar to ginseng?
Thus far we have combined this natural enhancement plant with several herbs and have not found any significant side effects when used in low dosages. it has some energy boosting abilities, as do ginseng, cordyceps, maca, and tongkat ali, known as eurycoma longifolia.
Other brands on the market
What is Tribulus Fuel? Do you have such a review?
Tribulus Fuel is the product name of an herbal formulation. We don't have a review of this product.
Do you have a review of Twinlab Tribulus supplement?
We don't have a review of Twinlab Tribulus. We have no reason to believe it would not be a good product. There are many companies that make this herbal aphrodisiac, and since the raw material is not expensive, we suspect the vast majority of the such supplements on the market are of good quality. Therefore, we can't say what the best tribulus supplement is on the market today.
See youtube tribulus video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyVT648P6XI
Wrong spellings include terestris and terestis.
source: http://www.tribulusterrestrisextract.com/
