Tribulus Terrestris: What It Is, Effects and Dosage

What is tribulus terrestris?

Tribulus terrestris is a popular plant extract used for increasing testosterone levels, which can boost sexual interest and build muscle mass faster and more efficiently. It is most commonly available in capsule form and can even be grown at home! Although, it's probably best to leave it to professionals to get the highest content of active ingredients. The most common reasons for taking tribulus include:

• increasing testosterone levels
• boosting libido and sexual performance
• increasing fertility
• improving post‑workout recovery
• promoting strength performance
• faster building of muscle mass

...and preferably all at once. But if that were the case, everyone would be on it. Unfortunately, that's not the case. What can we realistically expect from tribulus?

Tribulus, libido and sex

Healthy sexual behaviour and libido, even in old age, are seen as quite taboo to talk about, even though it's a perfectly natural part of human behaviour. Libido is mainly influenced by testosterone levels, which are falling at a meteoric rate in men in modern times. Not to mention that testosterone levels in men start to naturally decline from the age of 30 to 40, so the outlook for the future is not exactly rosy. For older men, it is reported that every year, free testosterone levels reduce by about 2‑3%.

The result? About 20‑50% of men in older age experience testosterone deficiency; among post‑menopausal women, reduced sexual interest has been found in about 9‑12% of them. So it's no wonder that the hope of improving this situation makes tribulus the no. 1 supplement for many. 

What can we expect from it?

1. Taking tribulus can help with an increase in sexual interest (libido), especially in people who have previously experienced a lack of it.
2. In men e who have reduced testosterone levels, there may be an increase as a result of taking it.
3. In young, healthy men, taking tribulus does not affect testosterone levels.

If you do not suffer from any symptoms of reduced testosterone levels (reduced libido, lack of energy, frequent fatigue), there is no point in taking tribulus. Similarly, taking tribulus will have virtually no impact on teenage boys and young men. But if you feel like your libido could use a boost, tribulus may offer a good solution for you (and clearly easier than a sudden change of partner...).

Tribulus and women

Although women don't usually have tribulus on their dietary supplement radar, they can benefit from its effects on increasing sexual interest in a similar way to men. Either alone or in a complex with other plant extracts, tribulus has been found to help increase libido in women who have problems with low sexual interest.

Tribulus and muscle growth

Many athletes take tribulus believing that it will provide them with better recovery, higher‑quality performance, and, most importantly, faster muscle growth. Such athletes wait but rather in vain because in healthy athletes, tribulus has virtually no effect.

How can tribulus help build muscle mass?

1. Long‑term increase in testosterone levels. When it comes to muscle growth, testosterone levels need to be high, and stay high, to see visible results. So, for people who have reduced testosterone levels, tribulus can raise their levels to support muscle growth.
2. Increase in energy. Tribulus can also help increase overall vitality and energy. While this won't build any extra muscle, it can boost our efforts in the gym. And what's more conducive to building muscle than a workout?

We can summarise the overall effects of tribulus on sexual and athletic performance in the table below:

Are there different types of tribulus?

When it comes to plant extracts, it can get quite confusing trying to fully understand their functions and properties. This is because different plant extracts are often completely different "cocktails" of various chemical compounds, and so two seemingly identical products may not actually be the same at all. See for yourself the differences between tribulus from different countries of origin:

Different extracts also have varying strengths and can be made from different parts of the plant. The Protodioscin content is considered to be crucial, so extracts from plants from Bulgaria or Turkey are considered the most valuable. Therefore, be guided by the country of origin and the number of saponins (look for products guaranteed to contain at least 60% saponins in the extract).

How should I take tribulus?

In addition to the origin, the dose is, of course, also important. In studies, a daily dose of about 5mg of tribulus saponins per 1kg of weight is often given (which can often be even more than what is commonly recommended on available supplements), which then yields the following daily doses for 60% extract:

• A person weighing 60kg should take about 500mg of tribulus extract daily.

• A person weighing 70kg should take about 580mg of tribulus extract per day.

• A person weighing 80 g should take about 670mg of tribulus extract daily.

Tribulus Terrestris Extract with 40% Protodioscin

Bottom line

Tribulus terrestris is a frequently used supplement to support sexual interest and athletic performance. People of older age or those with reduced testosterone levels can benefit from the effects of tribulus, whether it be to increase it or, more importantly, to boost sexual interest and libido.

For young and healthy individuals, taking tribulus has virtually no positive effect. Tribulus terrestris is unlikely to support athletic performance or recovery, so healthy athletes are also unlikely to feel much of an effect on their physical performance from its use. However, it may increase overall vitality and energy during the day, so training performance could be impacted and lead to better results and potentially more muscle mass.

If you've decided to tribulus, preferably choose an extract from Turkey or Bulgaria as they are high in Protodioscin. Take about 5mg of tribulus saponins per 1kg of weight for positive effects on increasing libido.