Tribulus - Testosterone Booster?

Tribulus

So basically over the past few weeks I’ve seen an increasing number of people begin to take a tribullus supplement for one reason or another, mainly for muscle gain. As with many of the other types of supplements out there I like to take a look at it and find out for myself what the research says and then decide whether or not I think it does what it actually says or if it’s worth taking it. So here’s what I’ve found after an afternoon researching…

What is it?

Tribulus, also known by its scientific name Tribulus Terrestris, is a plant that produces fruit covered with spines. Rumour has it that the spines are so sharp that they can puncture bike tyres. I realize that has nothing to do with what it can do as a supplement, just thought I’d throw it in for your amusement. So, back to tribulus, it’s a plant that produces fruit and it’s been used for a number of things such as kidney problems, erectile dysfunction, heart and circulatory problems, and of course the main reason you’re probably reading this; a testosterone booster to increase muscle gain.

Where Did It Come From?

Tribulus has been used for centuries in traditional medicine by the Chinese and in India.

It first became popular in the sports industry around the mid 1990’s when Eastern European Olympic athletes said that it helped to boost their performance. Hence, once athletes began using the supplements then the supplement companies jumped on the bandwagon. It tends to be marketed by these companies as being able to elevate testosterone levels and help increase strength and lean muscle mass. So, let’s take a look at how it’s supposed to work.

How Does It Work?

            I’m not going to go into too much detail on how it works and just going to keep it simple to make it easy to understand, here goes:

            Basically, the active compounds found in tribulus are what are known as steroidal saponins (I’ll explain this in a minute). But for those that are interested, there are two of these, called furostanol glycosides and spirostanol glycosides, which appear to be involved in the perceived effects. Now let’s take it back a step back to the steroidal saponins, I know a few of you would have pulled a face when you read that as in to say “the f**k is that?!”. I shall explain, steroidal saponins are known as “building blocks” that are a blue print for the body to create its own steroids which are used to stimulate muscle growth and raise the testosterone levels in the body. So this kind of makes sense as to why so many people use it, in that case let’s look at the research and what it says…

Research

            For this section I’m going to split it up into the main two claims of tribulus; increasing testosterone levels and increases in lean muscle mass.

Increasing Testosterone Levels & Libido

This is probably the main claim out of the two from the supplement companies. The main reason you may want to raise your testosterone levels is that it’s essential for maintaining muscle tone, stamina and strength.

In 2005, Bulgarian researchers (Neychev VK, & Mitev VI[1]) performed a study on tribulus and it’s affects on testosterone levels in 21 male subjects (aged between 20-36 year old) and split them into three groups. One group was given 20mg per kg of bodyweight of tribulus, the next 10mg per kg of bodyweight who took these dosages 3 times a day for 4 weeks, along with the last group being a controlled (placebo) group. At the end of the study they found no differences between the 3 groups and declared that tribulus had no testosterone-increasing properties. This is further backed up by another two studies by Brown et al (2000)[2] and a later study from Brown et al (2001)[3] again

Some studies in women, however, resulted in a normalization of ovulation, improved fertility and a reduction in peri- and postmenopausal symptoms. Tribulus was found to provide better results in women in regards to increasing libido than traditional hormone therapy.

Increasing Strength and Lean Muscle Mass

Some companies claim that tribulus can increase muscle mass and strength in anywhere from 5-28 days, a bold claim. Rogerson et al (2007)[4] put this to the test, during 5 weeks with a team of elite rugby league players during their pre-season. The 22 elite players were split into two groups, one group taking the tribulus, the other a placebo group. They all performed the same heavy resistance training as part of their normal pre-season preparations and their muscular strength and body composition were monitored prior to and after supplementation. And here’s what they found at the end of the study; “It was concluded that T. terrestris did not produce the large gains in strength or lean muscle mass that many manufacturers claim can be experienced within 5-28 days.”

An earlier study by Antonio et al (2000)[5] also looked at the effect of tribulus on body composition and exercise performance in resistance-trained males. They selected 15 random subjects and placed them into two groups; a placebo and one taking 3.21mg of tribulus per kg of body weight. The study measured the subjects; body weight, body composition, maximal strength, dietary intake, and mood states before and after the 8 week period. They recorded no changes in body weight, percentage fat, total body water, dietary intake, or mood states in either group. Ironically, they did find that those who were in the placebo group experienced a greater amount of muscle endurance in the bench press and leg press than those who received tribulus. Those in the tribulus group did improved muscle endurance on the leg press, though it was a smaller improvement compared to the placebo group. Needless to say at the end of the study they concluded that tribulus does not enhance body composition or exercise performance in resistance-trained males.

Conclusions

So, after reading all the research and reviews on the internet I couldn't find anything that says tribulus has any effect on either increasing testosterone levels or increasing muscle mass or strength. Though I must admit there is a lack of studies out there done on humans and the ones out there are only for a short period of times, weeks rather than months, there clearly needs to be a lot more researched about it. I would just like to note the only other research I could find that did notice an increase in testosterone levels were in rats. After also speaking to some of my colleagues on their experiences with tribulus, a few of them find it beneficial regardless of whether the effect is purely placebo, after all if you believe it works what to say it doesn't? But in my final conclusion and in my opinion; unless you’re a rat looking on boosting your testosterone levels I would look for another supplement to use and save your money.

References

1.    Neychev VK, & Mitev VI. (2005). "The aphrodisiac herb Tribulus terrestris does not influence the androgen production in young men". Journal of Ethnopharmacology 101 (1-3): 319–23.

2.    Brown GA, Vukovich MD, Reifenrath TA, Uhl NL, Parsons KA, Sharp RL, King DS (2000). "Effects of anabolic precursors on serum testosterone concentrations and adaptations to resistance training in young men". International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 10 (3): 340–59.

3.    Brown GA, Vukovich MD, Martini ER, Kohut ML, Franke WD, Jackson DA, King DS (2001). "Endocrine and lipid responses to chronic androstenediol-herbal supplementation in 30 to 58 year old men". J Am Coll Nutr 20 (5): 520–8.

4.    Rogerson S, Riches CJ, Jennings C, Weatherby RP, Meir RA, Marshall-Gradisnik SM. (2007). "The Effect of Five Weeks of Tribulus terrestris Supplementation on Muscle Strength and Body Composition During Preseason Training in Elite Rugby League Players". The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 21 (2): 348–53.

Antonio J, Uelmen J, Rodriguez R, Earnest C. (2000). “The effects of Tribulus terrestris on body composition and exercise performance in resistance-trained males.” Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2000 Jun;10