{"id":743,"date":"2013-01-13T19:45:04","date_gmt":"2013-01-13T19:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bodybuilding.ultimatefatburner.com\/?p=743"},"modified":"2018-01-13T12:03:58","modified_gmt":"2018-01-13T17:03:58","slug":"tribulus-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/tribulus-review.html","title":{"rendered":"Tribulus Review: Does Tribulus Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2ebij71RHzM?rel=0\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/UltimateFatBurner\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2867\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/files\/2015\/12\/blog-subscribe-banner.png\" alt=\"what is agmatine\" width=\"880\" height=\"164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/files\/2015\/12\/blog-subscribe-banner.png 880w, https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/files\/2015\/12\/blog-subscribe-banner-300x56.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h1>Tribulus Review: Does Tribulus Work?<\/h1>\n<p><strong>Tribulus<\/strong> (or, as its sometimes called &#8211; Puncture Vine, Devil\u2019s Weed or <em>Tribulus terrestris<\/em>) has been marketed for ages for two primary reasons&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>As a natural &#8220;booster&#8221; of testosterone and athetic performance.<\/p>\n<p>As a &#8220;libido&#8221; booster a male enhancement product, and a natural cure for E.D. (erectile dysfunction).<\/p>\n<h2>A Little about Tribulus&#8230;<\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/dcadq94qqu9ei.cloudfront.net\/Paul_Images\/Tribulus_terrestris.jpg\" alt=\"tribulus\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Tribulus *(Source: Forest &amp; Kim Starr. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Commons)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3125149782791839\" data-ad-slot=\"1962841299\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A flowering plant, tribulus contains some very interesting steroid like substances called saponins, one of which is called protodioscin.<\/p>\n<p>Protodioscin is a chemical \u201ccousin\u201d of DHEA, a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands, and incidentally, the only &#8220;hormone&#8221; not effected by the U.S. prohormone ban of 2005.<\/p>\n<p>Although some supplement retailers are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/methyl-1d-review.html\">still selling DHEA-based supplements<\/a> and trumpeting its anabolic characteristics, it is a long established fact that DHEA&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">&#8220;&#8230; does not effectively increase serum testosterone levels and fails to produce any significant changes in lean body mass, muscle strength, or performance improvement compared with placebo&#8221;<\/span> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/sites\/entrez?Db=pubmed&amp;Cmd=ShowDetailView&amp;TermToSearch=17723877&amp;ordinalpos=5&amp;itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pediatr Clin North Am. 2007 Aug;54(4):787-96<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>How does tribulus &#8220;work&#8221;?<\/p>\n<p>Well, if you believe the retailers, it works by stimulating the production of luteinizing hormone in the pituitary gland, thus encouraging the body to crank up its own testosterone producing process.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, advertising and peer-reviewed data are two completely different things.<\/p>\n<h3>Tribulus Clinical Studies<\/h3>\n<p>I remember when I was first introduced to tribulus back in the early 90&#8217;s. It was a pretty hyped product at the time &#8212; especially the Tribestan brand of tribulus, which had a <a href=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20100729000007\/http:\/\/www.tribestan.com:80\/tribestan-clinical-studies.phtml?\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">clinical study backing up its claims<\/a> (although the study itself doesn&#8217;t really discuss &#8220;test&#8221; levels in any detail &#8211; it&#8217;s more concerned with sperm mobilzation).<\/p>\n<p>And of course, there were the stories of the Bulgarian weight lifters who were apparently trouncing their competition, all thanks to tribulus and of course, Tribestan.<\/p>\n<p>But is this supplement really all that effective at boosting test levels? What do the most recent scientific studies say about this?<\/p>\n<p>Despite the Bulgarian studies, I was unable to find any positive evidence in published Western journals. That&#8217;s not surprising really, since old \u201cEastern Bloc&#8221; data is notoriously unreliable.<\/p>\n<p>The data I did find was much less promising, and a bit troubling, to say the least.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, this study (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/10861339?dopt=AbstractPlus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2000 Jun;10(2):208-15<\/a>) concluded&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cSupplementation with tribulus does not enhance body composition or exercise performance in resistance-trained males.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>And this study (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/15994038?dopt=AbstractPlus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">J Ethnopharmacol. 2005 Oct 3;101(1-3):319-23<\/a>) concluded&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">&#8220;The findings in the current study anticipate that Tribulus terrestris steroid saponins possess neither direct nor indirect androgen-increasing properties.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The most recent study I found (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/17530942?ordinalpos=14&amp;itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">J Strength Cond Res. 2007 May;21(2):348-53<\/a>) was conducted on Australian rugby players&#8230; none of whom received any perceptible benefit from tribulus supplementation.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3125149782791839\" data-ad-slot=\"1962841299\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Test Boosting and Athletic Performace?<\/h3>\n<p>Tribulus supplementation does <strong><em>not<\/em><\/strong> affect testosterone levels.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, you won&#8217;t find these most recent studies referenced in the sales material of the current test boosting supplements &#8211; you know the ones, talking about the &#8220;controversy&#8221; surrounding these new steroid alternatives and what not.<\/p>\n<p>So why does it continue to be such a popular supplement?<\/p>\n<h3>A Strong Placebo Effect?<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2887\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/files\/2015\/12\/flexing-featured-520-478-300x218.jpg\" alt=\"what's the best time to take creatine\" width=\"300\" height=\"218\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/files\/2015\/12\/flexing-featured-520-478-300x218.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/files\/2015\/12\/flexing-featured-520-478-287x208.jpg 287w, https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/files\/2015\/12\/flexing-featured-520-478.jpg 578w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Why then, despite the complete lack of clinical evidence validating increased androgen production, do many tribulus users appear to be happy with the product?<\/p>\n<p>I know plenty of guys who use the stuff religiously, many of whom claim to feel better\u2014even stronger, when supplementing with tribulus.<\/p>\n<p>Well, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/ufb-blog\/what-you-expect-is-what-you-sometimes-get\/\">there&#8217;s no discounting the placebo effect<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, the mere suggestion that you&#8217;re taking something powerful and effective is enough to elicit a response.<\/p>\n<p>I have a hunch though, that this supplement&#8217;s real benefit is in boosting the libido and acting as an aphrodisiac, and it is this &#8220;benefit&#8221; that tribulus users enjoy so much.<\/p>\n<h3>Tribulus as a Natural Male Enhancement Product<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-29\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/files\/2012\/12\/man-dumbbells-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/files\/2012\/12\/man-dumbbells-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/files\/2012\/12\/man-dumbbells.jpg 340w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>There&#8217;s pretty compelling anecdotal evidence for tribulus&#8217; effects when it comes to getting and maintaining erections and performing better in general, sexually.<\/p>\n<p>One friend tells an absolutely hilarious story about how he unwittingly took his first dose of tribulus just prior to a Mexican vacation with his girlfriend and her parents.<\/p>\n<p>He spent the entire flight sitting petrified beside her father, with his lunch tray flattened over his lap to conceal his \u201ccondition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Such&#8230; uh&#8230; conditions\u2014however &#8220;beneficial&#8221; they may be\u2014aren&#8217;t necessarily evidence of increased androgen production (and the western evidence certainly does not support that argument).<\/p>\n<p>Instead, it could be a result of any number of different mechanisms (witness <a href=\"http:\/\/science.howstuffworks.com\/viagra.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">how a drug like Viagra works<\/a>, for example).<\/p>\n<h3>Clinical Data for Tribulus as a Natural Sexual Enhancement Product<\/h3>\n<div style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/dcadq94qqu9ei.cloudfront.net\/Paul_Images\/sex.jpg\" alt=\"sex\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">I&#8217;ll have what he&#8217;s having.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3125149782791839\" data-ad-slot=\"1962841299\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s very little real human clinical data validating the plant&#8217;s libido-boosting characteristics.<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/enduros-offer.com\/studies\/trib2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this study<\/a>, conducted on a supplement called &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.libilov.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Libilov<\/a>&#8220;, which also contains l-arginine (also helpful for E.D. when dosed properly) and ginko. Since it&#8217;s a multi-ingredient product, we can&#8217;t assume that all the benefits can be attributed to tribulus. Nevertheless, it<strong> improved the sexual drive in 60% of the ED cases.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, there are a couple of animal-based studies that validate its libido-boosting effects (see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/12127159?ordinalpos=73&amp;itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Life Sci. 2002 Aug 9;71(12):1385-96<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/12804079?ordinalpos=60&amp;itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">J Altern Complement Med. 2003 Apr;9(2):257-65<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Bottom line?<\/p>\n<p>Although there is some contradictory evidence for the testosterone-boosting effects of tribulus, all the most recent published western data suggests it&#8217;s a dud for androgen production.<\/p>\n<p>However, that doesn&#8217;t mean supplementation offers no benefit at all.<\/p>\n<h2>Worthwhile for Libido and E.D., a Dud for Athletic Performance<\/h2>\n<p>It&#8217;s value may lie in its ability to boost the libido \/ increase erections, and for that reason alone it may be worth experimenting with &#8211; especially considering the low cost and long safety record this supplement offers.<\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t spend a ton of money on a specialty product though. Plain tribulus is cheap enough \u2014 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner-recommends.com\/tribulus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">you can buy 90 capsules for under $14 at BodyBuilding.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For such a small investment, it&#8217;s worth trying&#8230; especially if you have &#8220;troubles&#8221; in the libido and \/ or erection department.<\/p>\n<p>Just don&#8217;t expect to build massive muscles on the stuff&#8230; that just isn&#8217;t going to happen!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tribulus Review: Does Tribulus Work? Tribulus (or, as its sometimes called &#8211; Puncture Vine, Devil\u2019s Weed or Tribulus terrestris) has been marketed for ages for two primary reasons&#8230; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[155],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/743"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=743"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/743\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3098,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/743\/revisions\/3098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/bodybuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}