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Tribulus has played an important role in the folk medicine of many countries for centuries. Ancient Greeks used the dried fruits of the plant (Tribulus terrestris ) as a mild laxative and general tonic. In India, tribulus has been used as an aphrodisiac, and the Chinese use it in liver, kidney, urinary, and cardiovascular remedies. It has also served as treatment for headache and nervous exhaustion.
| Historically, the most common use of this plant is for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. Empirical evidence suggests that tribulus successfully treated infertility in women, impotence in men, and diminished libido in both sexes. In recent years these cross-cultural findings piqued the interest of scientists at the Chemical Pharmaceutical Research Institute in Sofia, Bulgaria, who investigated tribulus as a possible alternative to pharmaceutical treatments for infertility and other reproductive disorders. |
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The researchers found that tribulus may increase testosterone levels by boosting blood levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), a hormone that plays a significant role in testosterone regulation. By 1981, standardized tribulus extracts had entered into mainstream eastern European medical practice as a treatment for low libido, infertility, and poor sexual function.
In the United States, tribulus is touted as an energy enhancing and body-building supplement. Because agents that increase testosterone may be able to increase muscle mass, tribulus may also help body builders achieve their goals in weight lifting and muscle development. This effect—an anabolic effect—is usually associated with protein- or amino acid-containing supplements, protein being the major component of muscle tissue and essential to both muscle growth and post-work out recovery. But some other supplements have been proven to aid muscle building as well, including B complex vitamins, creatine, and HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methyl butyrate). Tribulus may deserve to join this group, although the significance of tribulus' increase in testosterone—and its ability to stimulate muscle tissue growth—is still being debated. The Bulgarian data indicate that while tribulus increased testosterone levels, these levels were still within normal physiological limits, and it is not clear how long the elevation in testosterone lasted. It is thought that unless testosterone levels are significantly in excess of normal testosterone levels, physiological effects will be irrelevant. In addition, a workout session in the gym will raise serum testosterone levels. It's difficult to say, in the case of body-builders, whether it's the tribulus or the workout that causes the testosterone effect. |
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| Skeptics suggest that tribulus may not pack the physiological punch to have a significant or long-term impact on testosterone levels, and manufacturers have sought out other testosterone-boosting supplements to use in conjunction with tribulus. DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a master hormone that provides the raw material for many of the body's hormones, including testosterone, is one such supplement. Unpublished data from a pilot study by researchers at Experimental and Applied Sciences show that when DHEA, tribulus, and androstenedione—a once-popular supplement that has recently fallen out of favor due to negative findings—are combined, they significantly boost testosterone levels. But the boost is short-lived—hormone levels appear to return to normal within a few hours after taking a dose, and it's hard to tell whether a quick rise in testosterone will stimulate increases in muscle growth. Numerous body builders, however, do attest to tribulus' positive effects. Exactly which part of their anatomy it is that's receiving the greatest benefit, however, has yet to be determined. |
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