I like to surf around at various health and fitness websites because it not only lets me help answer peoples questions but it also allows me get an idea of what people are curious about. Over the last several months I’ve been noticing online chatter about Tribulus terrestris as a testosterone booster. I was a little surprised because tribulus terrestris was big in the early 1900′s and then fell out of favor when people realized it didn’t work. But maybe things have changed since I last reviewed the research so let me now take a fresh look at the tribulus terrestris research and see if there is anything new going on.
Notice the amounts of tribulus used in the studies below. I’m telling you the amounts so you can compare it to what is in your tribulus supplement. After reading this, you may want to check out what happened when I took tribulus for a few weeks.
What is tribulus?
Tribulus or tribulus terrestris (also called puncture vine), is a plant that is found throughout the world. The term puncture vine stems from rumors that the plant’s thorns are able to puncture bicycle tires. Tribulus, likewise, is Latin for “to tear”, another reference to the plants ability to do damage.
Tribulus trivia: Tribulus also refers to a medieval weapon called a caltrop that was thrown on the grown during warfare to stop enemy horses from advancing. The caltrop was the forerunner of tire spikes, used by law enforcement agencies around the world to puncture car tires.
Does tribulus raise testosterone?
The theory behind tribulus is that it’s supposed to elevate luteinizing hormone, which in turn sends instructions to the testes causing them to make testosterone. More testosterone might mean more muscle growth if combined with proper exercise like weight lifting. In theory it all sounds plausible. Fortunately, there is published research on tribulus so let’s take a look at it.
One randomized, placebo controlled tribulus study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research in 2007 tested tribulus in 24 elite rugby players. The players were split into 2 groups. One group got a placebo while the other received 450 mg of tribulus terrestris. All subjects performed the same weight lifting exercise program and the study lasted 5 weeks.
After the study, the researchers found that tribulus did not improve strength or muscle mass or decrease body fat any better than those who did not get tribulus. In addition, tribulus did not cause any change in the testosterone to estrogen ratio (T/E ratio). In other words, tribulus did not raise testosterone either.
In an earlier tribulus study published in 2001, researchers gave either tribulus or a placebo to 15 healthy weight lifters (18 – 35 years of age). This study was published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. The amount of tribulus used in this study was 3.21 mg per kilogram of body weight.
Translation: A kilogram is 2.2 pounds. So, for example, if you weighted 180 pounds, this equals 82 kilograms. Based on this study, an 82 kg person would get 82 x 3.21 mg = 263 mg of tribulus terrestris.
All subjects performed a periodized weight lifting program (split routine) 3 days per week that worked all major muscle groups. At the end of this study tribulus did not cause any significant changes in body weight and it did not reduce body fat. Both groups – placebo group and tribulus group – improved strength and endurance. Ironically, those who got the placebo experienced a greater amount of muscle endurance in the bench press and leg press than did those who received tribulus. Those getting tribulus did improved muscle endurance on the leg press only - but it was less than those who got the placebo. This study did not measure testosterone levels.
In a study published in 2000 in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 20 young men were given a supplement (called “Andro 6″) that contained a variety of ingredients including 750 mg of tribulus. Subjects either received Andro 6 or a placebo. All subjects then lifted weights 3 days per week for 8 weeks. The Andro 6 supplement did not raise testosterone levels or make people stronger.
Androstenedione however was elevated after Andro 6 supplementation. This study did not specifically say that tribulus didn’t work. Rather, it found that the supplement Andro 6 didn’t work. Andro 6 contained several ingredients (Saw palmetto, DHEA, androsteinedione etc.) in addition to tribulus. In theory it could be possible that the other ingredients in Andro 6 suppressed tribulus but that is pure speculation.
Tribulus side effects
Tribulus terrestris doesn’t appear to have been studied very much in humans about what its side effects might be. Some lab rat research hints that it may increase the size of the prostate. This may be a problem for men who have prostate issues like BPH. This effect has not been proven in humans as far as I know. Other research - again from lab rats – hints that tribulus may lower blood sugar. In theory, this may be a problem for diabetics.
One case study also noted that a weight lifter developed gynecomastia (male breasts) after taking a tribulus supplement. It’s hard to say how likely this is given that the prevalence of gynecomastia among weight lifters who use tribulus is unknown.
11/7/11. Update. I conducted an experiment with tribulus on myself to see if it worked. There was an effect – but it was not what I was expecting.
Will tribulus work?
As I first told people in my book Nutritional Supplements: What Works and Why, I personally don’t feel that bodybuilders or strength trainers need tribulus. I made that statement based on the peer reviewed evidence and this revisiting of the tribulus research reinforces my opinion.
In all fairness I must say however that the tribulus terrestris research conducted so far is, for the most part, less than spectacular. Most studies either don’t last long enough or use far too few people for my tastes. I would love to see a tribulus study that is at least 6 months long and had 100 or more people (who are familiar with strength training) and who receive amounts of tribulus greater than has been used in studies to date. To my knowledge this tribulus study has not been published.
Another reputed testosterone booster supplement Pink Magic which has Massularia acuminata
Also, most the research about tribulus raising testosterone is based not on people but on lab rat studies. So, I wonder why people keep talking about how great tribulus is? You’re not a rat. Protein yes. Creatine yes. Tribulus…no.
Did tribulus work for you? How much do you take?
{ 64 comments… read them below or add one }
I took tribulus and gained 15 lbs, went up 5 coat sizes and sexed my wife 5 times a day!!!!
Dakota, 5 coat sizes you say! LOL thanks for the feedback
Testosterone is mainly a male hormone that is also responsible for development of sexual characteristics. It is also available in women in lower quantities. It has been shown that women with a higher level of testosterone would have higher libido than their colleagues.There an imbalance in the blood levels of these sex hormones as a result of pituitary tumor would lead to sexual dysfunction or poor libido.
Lane, agreed that testosterone does play a role in sex drive but even when female testosterone is optimal, libido may still be effected. Libido -esp in women – is more complex than just hormones.
Joe, I’ve noticed that some people respond to the supplements different than others. But I went on recruiters assistance and had to wear my dress blues, two months later after taking tribulus, when I tried on my dress blue coat for the MC birthday ball I couldn’t even get my arm down the sleeve. bodybuilding.com is selling a 3 month supply of tribulus for $20, give it a shot and see if it’s as good to you as it was for me.
Thanks for the feedback Dakota. Was the bodybuilding.com brand the brand you took?
Joe, here is a link.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/now/tribulus.html
Thanks. Is this the brand that you used. If I experiment with tribulus Id like to use what you used
Yes sir.
Joe,
Did you try it yet and if so did you get any positive results?
Also I would like to ask if anyone here has tried Testafen? It’s the seeds from the fenugreek herb and I heard it is really good at raising testosterone levels.
Jeff, I have not tried it. So many supplements, so little time. Its an experiment Id have to do with my doctor for the blood tests. If you want to try it and report your
testosterone levels before and after a month I would be very interested in reading your results.
Im not sure about Fenugreek but I know its been in other supplements Ive looked at (use the search box to find them)
Did you see my review on Ageless Male? http://supplement-geek.com/ageless-male-review-resettin-testosterone-mytosterone-alpphastat/
I note that the studies that showed no increase in testosterone were on male athletes, people who probably are already producing healthy amounts of the hormone, but the Bulgarian study that showed an increase in testosterone was on men with fertility problems, men who may have a lower than usual testosterone level.
Maybe what is going on is that the Tribulus Terrestris is providing a missing vitamin or mineral to men with low testosterone allowing them to produce a healthy amount but it is not stimulating those who already have a healthy amount of testosterone to produce more.
PDH, that’s an interesting observation. If that is the case, maybe it is like HMB and works best in beginners or those who have health issues?
I’m 54 and my testosterone is low. My doc suggested tribulus supplement as an alternative to testosterone therapy. I don’t know about athletes, but that’s not why I’m taking it. I want my libido back, stronger erections and stamina. My doc says his experience with trubulus is that it works well for this purpose. I’ve spoken to others who are taking it and they say it makes sex as good as it was when they were in their 20s. I hope they’re all right. (My wife does too!)
DJ, please let me know if tribulus helps your libido. There is research on tribulus helping sex drive but its mostly in animals. Here is a study that also used primates
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18068966
the issue with this study is that they injected tribulus but I’m intrigued that it seemed to help primates.
Since you know your testosterone levels, can you get your levels checked again after a month or so after using tribulus and let me know how they changed. Do let me know the actual #s if you do. While I’ve never seen a study in humans, I’ve been interested by the animal research.
I took tribulus @ 4 grams a day for 4 weeks without any other supps. I did notice some increased aggression in the gym and mild strength gains and crazy libido. I think the dosage used in the tribulus studies were too low personally. Looking forward to taking it again.
Ray its possible that the studies did not use enough tribulus. no study is perfect. how much tribulus were you taking and what brand did you use?
I used Tribulus Raw Power and I am a 19 year old male that lifts hard everyday. Bought this due to the positive reviews on here, have been talking for 2 weeks and haven’t noticed anything… no improvements in workouts or libido.
Then I switched to using the Dr max Powers Testosterone Boost (it was recommended by a College Football Coach I am working with). The Dr Max Powers brand is a very good testosterone booster. I use it before going to the gym and it does give you extra power (has an effect on libido as well).
Did not experience any side effects so far (6th week of use). Recovery seemed to not be as painfully sore after lifting the next couple of day.
Paul, since your 19 years old I expect that your testosterone levels are as high as they will ever be. When you say that Dr Max Powers is
” a very good testosterone booster” , did you actually get your testosterone levels tested before using this supplement? If not, its hard to tell if it actually raised your T levels or not.
I must say I am highly concerned with the college football coach recommending a T booster to a 19 year old man. Paul can you tell me the educational background of this football coach? I’m honestly curious. I cant figure out why he would say “try this stuff” given your currently very high T levels – and without knowing your health history. I know you feel this product is working and it may be doing something – but I doubt if its raising your T levels.
I have had my doubts about the level of nutrition education of HS and college sports coaches for a long time now. My advice is listen to what the coach says about football – but when it comes to supplements or other areas of nutrition, take what they say with a BIG grain of salt, unless you know for sure that they have a college background in nutrition, health or medicine.
Im 17 and currently trying to build loads of muscle. although only 145 and 5-10, im pretty big (mainly upper body). however, my chest and arms were kinda squishy. After taking Tribulus for 3 weeks so far my arms and chest are rock solid, i shave almost everyday (change from 1.5 weeks), and my sexual libido is triple that of a normal teenager.
Brandon what brand are you using? Remember at 17 your testosterone is super dooper high. I doubt if tributuls raised it higher. Also remember that having more testosterone is not always great – one side effects is that it stops bone growth, making you shorter. I dont think Tribulus is doing that to you. just wanted to mention it.
what brand of tribulus are you using?
I’m using Bulgarian tribulus 500mg 45% saponins… Even if it isn’t adding testosterone, something in the last three weeks have sparked a change, I take Uni-liver pills, Razor8 pre-workout, Concrete creative, Universal Torrent, and whey. But the only thing new to my regiment is the tribulus and I’m seeing changes.. Maybe the placebo effect is producing higher reps, competitiveness, and higher libido, and therefore larger gains?
Thanks Brandon, I will add a follow up tribulus review to my list and see if I can see if I can find out anything else.
I’m thinking of taking tribulus for women for my libido I’m 37 and for about 2 years my libido has disappeared. Ive had a blood test to check my hormones but it came back clear. My doctor said that it can happen to some women and there is nothing you can do about it.
Ive taken clymax for women the first time i took it it worked wonders I’ve tried it again 6 months latter and nothing. My husband brought tribulus terrestris plus that’s what made me do some research. I also lift weights but I’m more interested in the libido side of it. So fingers crossed!
Vanessa, keep me posted on whether tribulus helped your libido. Im very interested in this.
I’ve tried the Tribestan brand many years ago and did in fact have very positive results. I was in my mid 20′s then and used it as a way to boost natural test production. I feel it indeed do that. My libido greatly increased and I had noticeably more endurance and strength while weight training.
Lately (now mid 30′s) I’ve used the NOW Foods brand Tribulus at 2000mg p/day with fantastic results. Same outstanding increased libido as well as more power, strength, and endurance in the gym.
I believe the limited studies done have the daily dosage too low. I also believe not all tribulus is manufactured the same. Which may or may not negatively impact tests as well as user reviews.
All I know is this stuff works VERY well. I have tried 3000mg p/day with outstanding results, but normally keep my dosing at 2000 mg p/day. Furthermore, there is actual dried herbal tribulus as well as tribulus extract. The extract is a medium tan color while the dried herb looks simply like dried herbs.
The NOW Foods brand clearly appears to be the dried herb formula visibly. I know not all products work for everyone and each person reacts differently, but this is one product (for me) that definitely does what it claims. Shame better human testing will never probably be done.
Do I take it before or after work outs ?
Eric, I dont think anybody has really looked at that question but Id say after exercise as opposed to just before.
Hi there, I stumbled across this whist looks at sups, iv just bought the LA muscle brand of Tribulus Terrestris.
Im 6ft 3, 18yrs of age, 92kg and a do crossfit training.
I will keep you guys posted in the next month on my progress, these are the doses ill be taking:
2 capsules,2 times a day leading to 3 times a day in the final week @ 250mg per cap
= 1000mg per day – 1500mg per day
Danny thanks for keeping us posted.
just got some myself 57yrs old 86kilo doing cardio on empty stomach 2xcaps 3x a day hoping to shift last bit of belly fat
Michael, keep me posted,. I’m actually experimenting with this stuff now myself and will report what happens in a few weeks.
I personally use Tribulus sold thru Amazon, it works great for me as a libido booster and harder erections. I have low t and am going to test it soon. I don’t yet if it ups the t but I know it ups the libido and makes my testicle slightly larger which I guess is them producing more t. I will know in a few weeks and repost results. http://www.amazon.com/Tribulus-Raw-Power-concentrated-enhancement/dp/B002HO9H4M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1317442723&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Guess/e/B002I8EDEQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1317443293&sr=8-2
Thanks for letting me know Art. do you know what your T levels are now? Hope your books are selling well!!
Joe, I am 49 and have had my T tested twice in the last 3 yrs. Both times tested in “normal” range for my age but on the lower side of normal. What is your opinion of which brand has the the best purity, results, history for Tribulus? I would like to raise the T to still normal range, but the upper end.
Beemer, at this point I dont endorse any specific brand of tribulus. Ive never seen any research that one brand stands out more than others and Im still not convinced any tribulus brand raises T levels. What I can say is if you want to try this pick a brand from a respected company (check the comments for links to some brands) and after a month get your T levels checked again. that will give you the best idea of something is working. I wish I had better advice than this.
Joe, I furthered the research and didn’t think it was a good idea to take tribulus on its own due to the high testosterone levels (i dont want to grow hairs on my chest lol). I purchased a product called health fusion that has tribulus and horny goat weed in it with Chinese herbs.
Unfortunately it hasn’t done a great deal for my libido but it has reduced my fatigue and i have a lot more energy. Even though i wasn’t that interested in whether it helps muscle mass it turns out that it has helped.
My muscles seem more defined in the past month. I have osteoarthritis and i found out that it can actually affect ones libido. I still have a months worth of health fusion left and i will just have to keep experimenting with different things for the libido. Will keep you posted
Vanessa thanks for the update. Glad you are seeing at least some results with your muscles and fatigue. Its interesting what you said about osteoarthritis affecting libido. I wonder if that might be due to sex-induced OA pain? In other words – if it hurts I wont do it? Do keep me posted on your progress
Check this out, good results in rats!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12804079
hi well it been 2 weeks had had some interesting effects bursts of hotness soon after taking i have had trouble sleeping for a number of years and since taking tribulus my sleep is so much deeper still wake alot but in the morning feel i have slept really well(weird) now i do not do a lot of weights twice a week sometimes three times muscle are much fuller not changed my work out or diet but i am losing weight(fat) will keep you updated
Thats really interesting Michael. I didn’t have any of those effects when I tried it recently.
Alex, yes thats what I saw also in my review a lot of rat research. its interesting but it looks like they did not measure testosterone or nitric oxide levels in the rats. They also gave the rats tribulus based on body weight – 2.5, 5 and 10 mg per kilogram of body weight. Its only a guess but If it really did work, that might be more than is in many tribulus supplements.
Hi have you looked at Yohimbine HCL
Hi Michael, I did review Yohimbine HCL in my book about supplements. but so far I have not reviewed it here on the website.
man tribulus has changed the game of weightlifting for me i mean wow im 162 pound and i can now squat 565 dead lift 505 and bench 315 with ease no second thought about and i feel great with no side effects except i wanna do my ol lady all the time and that not bad and i think it helped me with my forty time as well thanks Tribulus
Hi Joe,
I am 36 years old and i have been having very low sex drive from past 10-12 years. I have been tested and my T level is between 7-10 (UK measurement normal range is 10-35). My GP says at my age 10 is very low and ideally it should be at least 25. I am worried about it and just came through your site. What would you advise me?
Regards
HI Shah, what is your doctor recommending to help correct your low testosterone level? Keep in mind that one test may not be enough to diagnose your low Testosterone level so your doctor may ask for a second test in a month to compare. I suggest you talk to your doctor about what you might be able to do to correct the issue. there are things he/she can prescribe – like andro gel – to correct this. Strength training may also help some.
You did not mention what your body weight was but if you are overweight, I suggest losing the excess weight. Low testosterone levels have also been seen in overweight man and this also includes men who have type II diabetes. If you fall into this category speak to your doctor about it.
Hope that helps Shah
Hi Joe:
I have read the posts on this site with interest. Not much has been discussed about the side effects of Tribulus Terrestris.
Does Tribulus have negative side effects, particularly on the blood pressure?
Vin, I have never seen where Tribulus raised blood pressure. I did blog recently about my personal experience when I tried tribulus http://supplement-geek.com/tribulus-terrestris-side-effect-heart/ I thought it caused my heart to skip beats after I stopped taking it it but that was my personal experience and Ive never see anybody else say that it happened to them.
One study noted that tribulus might increase prostate size http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12127159?dopt=Abstract so it might aggregate BPH. Some have said that it might cause dehydration. in theory that might make your BP go up but I have never seen any good proof of this.
Overall mostly I dont see anything “concrete” about tribulus being bad and I have not see anything serious associated with tribulus. Has anything odd happened to you after you tried tribulus?
Joe:
Thanks for your comments.
I was looking for a T booster and many advertisements touted Tribulus as a T booster. My T level is 278 whereas my doctor thinks it should be close to 500. The doctor did not know of any medication that would boost the T level.
My concern is that the low T level may be the cause of muscle loss that I have experienced over the last few months.
From the details on this site Tribulus does not seem to help.
Is there any natural supplement that is effective for boosting T level which you will recommend?
Vin, have you been lifting weights? That will slow muscle loss and help you build your muscles back. For the large muscles – legs, chest and back, find a resistance you can lift between 8-12 repetitions only. When you can do 3 sets of more than 12 reps increase the weight. If you have not lifted weights before, make the weight lighter so you can lift it 15-20 reps and do this for about 3 months (you only need to do 1 set for the first 2-3 months which is good if time is a problem). The lifter weights will help give your tendons/ligaments time to get stronger. they usually take longer than muscles.
So far I have not found anything that I have faith in unfortunately. You can always try tribulus for a month and get your T levels tested. that will be the best way to know if its working. I don’t think it will do this but I could be wrong. Some people say androsteinedione can raise T levels but in men it just seems to raise estrogen instead.
Any reason those with such low T levels are not getting doctor prescribed Testosterone injections? You’ll feel like a million bucks, stop the muscle wasting, have more engery, more sex drive, etc.
Why attempt to increase testosterone through artificial means? Deadlifting and squatting is proven to increase testosterone output as does eating right and sleeping. If your gonna take a supplement to increase your testosterone levels, don’t be a pussy just go for the real deals and real steroids.
Hi im just bought Tribulus 20,000 today, each capsule contains 20,000mg and you take them twice a day. Im 24 years old and keen to see the effect it has on me. Will post results!
Tom great yes do keep me posted!
im 15 (i know kinda young) i cycled trib for 4 weeks on then 8 weeks off. i got some awesome results, 10kg more benching each week. but by the end of the 4 weeks i felt really deflated and it messed with my stomach, maybe it was the brand (pro body 800mg) and i took two of those a day. im back on it again and i’ll keep you posted on any more gains
I am 28 years old. I had been feeling pretty sluggish for a while and even though I have been trying to follow a healthy diet my energy levels had been pretty low.
This will sound very naive, but I just assumed that maybe my T levels were low. I had read about Tribulus and decided to go out and buy some. I bought the TwinLab tribulus fuel. I went with TwinLab because this company has been around for a long time and to me that’s a sign of a reputable company. I’ve been taking it for about three weeks and I have noticed a little bit of an increase in energy but I’ll take whatever little boost of energy I can get to keep up with both my kids.
I don’t follow an exercise regimen so as expected I haven’t gained any muscle mass or anything like that. My libido has never been a problem and nothing has changed in regards to that. I will admit and this might sound a little cliche’ but I have been a little more aggressive lately
.
something else that I forgot to mention is that after a few days of taking tribulus my sleep improved tremendously.
I have to attribute this to the tribulus because that is the only thing that I’ve done different these past few weeks.
Joe, thank you for the interesting forum. I am a gym owner and we sell a lot of tribulus and a new T-booster called A-HD. I’m not yet sold on the herbal products boosting t-levels just yet. I am 30 years old, workout everyday and have been experiencing mild-moderate fatigue in the late afternoons (which is something new to me). I know t-levels start to decrease around 30 so I am going to cycle 1,000mg tribulus and see if there are any effects. I am a chiropractor also and have some M.D. buddies that I may try to get a before and after blood androgen level screening.
Aaron thanks for writing and keep me posted on anything you discover about pre/post testosterone screening.
Hey, I’m 19 just bought the GNC Pro Performance AMP Strength VitaPak. It contains 300Mg of Tribulus along with Mega men sport multi, Amplified creatine 189, And an Anabolic Primer(which is Fenugreek seed extract) Im taking that with just whey protein. Ill keep ya’ll posted on how she is treating me.
Hi, my name is Eddie I’m 37 years old and recently i had problem with my join pain . When to bone doctor and did a lots of test, and they just found out i have low T 203 out of 348, so depress, sleepless, have to to bathroom every 10 minus, tired but my libido not too bad, i google for t therapy and it really scare me because the side effect of those chemical included prostate cancer ,
so, anyone have tried this please let me know, i just orders some of TT out of swansonvitamins.com and think about give it a try , i just one gain t naturally and the last think i want to do are use drug
Please, help me with this, my family depending on me
p.s: sorry for my English, because I’m not born i US
Eddie since you know your testosterone level know that’s good. try the tribulus for a month and test your testosterone level again and see if it changes. thats the only way you will know if it works. If you do this, will you write back and tell me what happened. ‘d apprecaite that.
24 year old healthy male. Taking vitamin shoppe brand trib. I don’t really know if it’s doing anything for my t after a week and a half or so of use. What I can tell you is it makes me sort of tired and extremely increases my appetite.