A Proposed Anabolic Mechanism Of Tribulus Terrestris (TT)

[Frankdee20]

Currently trying the Himalaya Brand Tribulus. I know the saponin content is low (18%) and the overall amount of TT also low per caplet. It does supply the whole part and the standardized portion as well. I am dosing 2 a day to start. It’s only 60 caps per bottle. The only reason I grabbed it is because there’s only about 3-4 commercialized TT products that are typically available in stores. They all have ridiculous amount of excipients. This brand does not contain a single filler. I could try three a day of no response.

 

[RedMars]

I'm trying this at the moment. 750mg once daily of an extract claiming to be 95% saponins. I pressed them to provide the cert. of analysis and they were evasive. In reality who knows how strong it is...

I will do bloodwork, but for now, I'll say it has helped morning erections, improved my mood a little and seems to help body composition a little (totally could be placebo but I definitely look dryer) and has maybe increased libido slightly. Main effect is massive patches of acne on my back up and down my lats.

It's been two weeks so pretty early to tell.

 

[Frankdee20]

I'm trying this at the moment. 750mg once daily of an extract claiming to be 95% saponins. I pressed them to provide the cert. of analysis and they were evasive. In reality who knows how strong it is...

I will do bloodwork, but for now, I'll say it has helped morning erections, improved my mood a little and seems to help body composition a little (totally could be placebo but I definitely look dryer) and has maybe increased libido slightly. Main effect is massive patches of acne on my back up and down my lats.

It's been two weeks so pretty early to tell.

I got to say the Himalaya Brand was very noticeable for me. Two a day seemed to cause anxiety. I had spontaneous erections and was very horny. Only took it one day, then stopped due to anxiety from 2 a day. I will resume with one.

 

[rei]

Tribulus undeniably has an effect. I have found it and also a friend that split the purchase with me asked "is it normal this causes boners?"

I also suspect tribulus has an anabolic/androgenic effect, what i noticed is increased stamina/recovery and a tighter body.

I would love to be able to compare this to some anabolic steroids but sadly they are illegal and something i don't have access to.

 

[Frankdee20]

I wish all herbs could undergo legit standardization so we know what we buy

 

[blitzy]

No lab tests but I'm taking 1 tablet per day of the now sports 1,000mg tribulus and after about 2 weeks I'm also noticing more hair loss. I've had diffuse thinning for a while but it's been stable for years, tribulus is the only thing that's changed.

 

[Frankdee20]

I finally went for blood work after 7 months a few days ago. I will post Total T, Free T, Vitamin D, Thyroid, Lipid, and Estrogen Panel. If changes to my prior 460 T occured, then that could've been from Boron, increased Vitamin D, Zinc, Magnesium, more saturated fat, etc. I have not been using Tribulus for very long. Off and on for about 2 weeks, the Himalaya brand. It definately has an effect with just one capsule, even though potency does not seem high on paper.

 

[Lokzo]

No lab tests but I'm taking 1 tablet per day of the now sports 1,000mg tribulus and after about 2 weeks I'm also noticing more hair loss. I've had diffuse thinning for a while but it's been stable for years, tribulus is the only thing that's changed.

I definitely think Tribulus does boost DHT as well.

 

[vulture]

Labs or didn’t happen

I definitely think Tribulus does boost DHT as well.

 

[RedMars]

Hey Guys! I got blood tests after 6 weeks of 750 mg per day.

T: from 508 ng/dL to 476 ng/dL (basically no change)
Estradiol: 34 pg/ml to 32 pg/ml (basically no change)
SHBG: from 44 to 62 nmol/L (Huge increase) (range <50)
prolactin: 145 miu/L to 153 (basically no change) (range 45-375)
progesterone: 1.5 nmol/L to 1.6 (basically no change)
DHEAs: 5.3 umol/L to 6.1 (minor increase) (range 4.8-13.9)

Wish I could have done DHT but they don't do it here (for free).

Overall I felt good on this and didn't feel the huge increase in SHBG. As we all know the jury is a little bit out on whether T bound to SHBG is always inactive. It's not a well studied molecule SHBG. Mood was good. Energy and strength was slightly improved. Morning erections were improved. Libido was improved. Lost around a kilo of fat - can't be sure it was the TT. I would use this again. Higher SHBG might suggest it was binding to the TT. Or can SHBG bind to DHT? Maybe that was happening. Anyway nothing super alarming and basically good results that were definitely not reflected in blood tests.

 

[rei]

The lack of consensus on SHBG is puzzling, one would think it is at the base of hormone research. People almost universally seem to report morning wood with TT, so maybe SHBG is important in activating some aspect of the hormones, or then it is purely from the supposed DHT increase that you sadly did not get measured.

 

[RedMars]

It’s crazy under researched. I read a recent review of the literature and here’s what I remember learning.

1. Actually I’m general a higher SHBH correlates with a better health status including a better thyroid state and a healthier liver (even in men) which is crazy.
2. Super high SHBG can be caused by an estrogen burden in the liver or liver cirhossis (SHBG is produced in the liver)
3. SHBG prevents steroids from entering the cells but there’s some argument as to whether it can be atoll affect just by touching the membrane without crossing over. There doesn’t seem to be much research being done to work this out.

I forgot some basics though about what steroids can bind with SHBG and I also forgot if Steroid bound SHBG has a high affinity for binding with other cells or not. I’ll have to look it up again.

 

[vulture]

Hey Guys! I got blood tests after 6 weeks of 750 mg per day.

T: from 508 ng/dL to 476 ng/dL (basically no change)
Estradiol: 34 pg/ml to 32 pg/ml (basically no change)
SHBG: from 44 to 62 nmol/L (Huge increase) (range <50)
prolactin: 145 miu/L to 153 (basically no change) (range 45-375)
progesterone: 1.5 nmol/L to 1.6 (basically no change)
DHEAs: 5.3 umol/L to 6.1 (minor increase) (range 4.8-13.9)

Wish I could have done DHT but they don't do it here (for free).

Overall I felt good on this and didn't feel the huge increase in SHBG. As we all know the jury is a little bit out on whether T bound to SHBG is always inactive. It's not a well studied molecule SHBG. Mood was good. Energy and strength was slightly improved. Morning erections were improved. Libido was improved. Lost around a kilo of fat - can't be sure it was the TT. I would use this again. Higher SHBG might suggest it was binding to the TT. Or can SHBG bind to DHT? Maybe that was happening. Anyway nothing super alarming and basically good results that were definitely not reflected in blood tests.

Congratulations, finally a blood test.

Let’s wait if someone is willing to perform a before after DHT test and know if it actually does anything with that hormone

 

[Douglas Ek]

Congratulations, finally a blood test.

Let’s wait if someone is willing to perform a before after DHT test and know if it actually does anything with that hormone

Haidut said he did blood test with increased DHEA and DHT on page 12 on this thread

 

[Cameron]

What are the best brands people have used?

 

[Cameron]

@haidut what brand did you use bad monkey seems to be having customer issues?

 

[Frankdee20]

Himalaya Brand has no excipients whatsoever, it is just a pressed tablet. It has the standardized extract, about 250 mg, and the whole plant portion, about 500mg. One of those pills a day gave me boners for 2 days. LOL.

 

[haidut]

@haidut what brand did you use bad monkey seems to be having customer issues?

I used the bad money one as I bought it from Amazon when they were still handling the fulfillment. Now that Amazon seems to now do that any more I would just look for any brand that has 40% or more protodioscin.

 

[Hanzo]

I bought the badmonkey small packet how is it that I measure 750mg

 

[Mateo Wiechers]

Does anyone know if it stabilizes mast cells? I hace a lot of phlegm and also get fatigued often. I'm taking Ginseng but wondering if Tribulus is more potent Adaptogen.