MediHerb Tribulus is now available after a long absence. Here’s why it took so long to reach us:
It’s rare! There are huge disparities in the content of active substances. This is due to using the wrong part of the plant and buying it from the parts of the world where its value is essentially useless.
There are oodles of ‘Tribulus’ products on the market, but very few contain steroidal saponins (foamy part of the plant that acts like a steroid building block) and terpenes- the highly aromatic compound responsible for the way plants smell. With Tribulus-these are known as furostanol saponins and protodioscin.
Many labels claim to contain a percentage of total saponins but that’s not verifiable proof of authenticity.
The furostanol saponins, especially protodioscin can only be found in the aerial parts of the Bulgarian species of the herb. As such, it’s not interchangeable with cheaper and inferior Indian or Chinese Tribulus or Tribulus fruit (berry) in clinical practice. When samples of these were analyzed, they were shown to contain none of the essential compounds of Tribulus.
Now that MediHerb Tribulus is available, here are a few interesting ways in which Tribulus is studied:
Increased Libido
Some researchers found that when men with reduced sex drives consumed 750–1,500 mg of Tribulus terrestris daily for two months, their sexual desire increased by 79%. Also, 67% of women with very low libidos experienced increased sexual desire after they took supplements of 500–1,500 mg for 90 days. This is thought to be due to the conversion of the protodioscin into DHEA- which can also convert into estrogen and testosterone as needed.
Cardiovascular Strength
In clinical studies, protodioscin in Tribulus increases serum growth hormone, insulin, and aldosterone without exceeding normal values. Aldosterone is said to have an important role in cardiovascular health- it can increase the amount of sodium the body sends into the bloodstream or the amount of potassium released in the urine. The hormone also causes the bloodstream to re-absorb water with sodium to increase blood volume. All of these actions are integral to restoring salt levels and blood pressure. Indirectly, the hormone also helps maintain the blood’s pH and electrolyte levels.
People with adult growth hormone deficiency have higher than normal levels of low-density lipoproteins in comparison to their high-density lipoproteins. They also tend to have higher triglyceride levels. Protodioscin has also been shown to have positive effects for those with angina, and diabetes.
Please remember to look at the left side of the label for the actual starting amount of Tribulus, which is 13.5 g or 13,500 mg of Tribulus. The 245.45 mg is the amount of concentrated extract.
Suggested use is 1 tablet up to 3 times daily. Tribulus is generally recognized as safe, though it’s suggested not using during pregnancy/lactation. For a better understanding of contraindications, please download the MediHerb document here: Contraindications and Cautions for MediHerb Botanicals
Additional References
- A novel furostanol saponin from Tribulus terrestris of Bulgarian origin
- Protodioscin
- Tribulus terrestris
- Clinical trial of a tribestan preparation in infertile men
- Pro-sexual and androgen enhancing effects of Tribulus terrestris L.: Fact or Fiction
- A Comprehensive Review of the Phytochemical, Pharmacological, and Toxicological Properties of Tribulus terrestris L.
- What is Aldosterone?
