Tribulus Terrestris Information-Uses and Benefits

Tribulus Terrestris is a herb. It is used as traditional medicine in China and India since time immemorial. It is also called as Puncture vine and only in the mid twentieth century it became known in North America. Eastern European Olympic Athletes had a major role in popularizing it in the West. It improved their performance after using the medicine containing Tribulus.

Steroidal saponins, is the active compound present in Tribulus. Further it has two types, Furostanol glucosides and Spirostanol glucosides , which effects along with tribulus. Saponins are found originally in the leaf.

Tribulus has many uses. People use it for sexual disorders like infertility, erectile problem, low libido and others issues. The last decade is a witness of its popularity in the sport performance. Research performed in Bulgaria and Russia says that Tribulus increases the level of hormones like testosterone, DHEA and estrogen. A more recent study says that one month of Tribulus supplement, 10 to 20 milligrams of per kg body weight, had nil effect in the improvement of male sex hormones, testosterone, androstenedione or leutinizing hormone in comparison to non users of Tribulus.

Early animal studies said that tribulus heightened sexual behavior and intracavernous pressure. This early findings only turned out to be notions for the lack of well designed human studies.

Tribulus is very popular as a sports performance aid but a well designed study proved it wrong. Fifteen subjects were randomly introduced to the dosage of tribulus in 3.21mg per kg body weight regularly. After two months of resistance training there were no changes in body weight, percentage fat, dietary intake, or mood in either group. Most surprising was the improvement in muscle endurance in the placebo group. The placebo group experience improvement in muscle endurance for the bench and leg presses. The tribulus group only experienced an improvement in leg press strength.

Tribulus Terrestris is prescribed to take at a dose between 85 to 250 mg three times daily, with meals. Pregnant or nursing women are prohibited to take tribulus. Gynaecomastia or increase in breast size in a male weight lifter was reported after he went under the dosage of herbal tablets containing tribulus. Breast or Prostrate cancer patient should not take tribulus or those who have hormone-dependent condition should avoid taking it. It has a fatal effect in sheep. It is found to cause a chronic, progressive irreversible disorder in the dopamine circuits of the nigrostriatal complex in the brain. It results into impaired muscle function and weakness in the hindquarters, consequentially leading to death.