My Basic Experience Taking Tribulus Terrestris
I’ve been taking TT (Tribulus Terrestris) as a stand-alone supplement, off and on, throughout my strength and muscle-building venture. I first learned of it while reading the active ingredients list for a respectable brand's test-booster product, which also had Fenugreek (more on Fenugreek later), among other stuff. The price was a bit steep for me, and so, I thought I’d try it out as a stand-alone supplement, being as how doing so, would be much more affordable, and it definitely is.
I still continue to take TT, and being age 42, I can say that I notice the difference between being on it and off of it. I have not had noticeable negative side effects.
After reading some peer reviewed studies, I noticed that nearly all of them conclude that “more studies are needed” to determine the effects of increased testosterone production, while making a subtle gesture that there appears to be some benefit to increased testosterone production, for example, in the study: The Effects of 6 Weeks of Tribulus terrestris L. Supplementation on Body Composition, Hormonal Response, Perceived Exertion, and CrossFit® Performance: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study, it was concluded:
“…our results suggest that it could potentially intervene in the recovery process by a tendency, although not significant, to increase serum testosterone and maintain a favorable trend in the testosterone/cortisol ratio, which would mean that it could potentially influence less fatigue and catabolism associated with exercise”
(Fernandez-Lazaro, 2021, 5)
Once I hit age 35, I did notice a “drop-off” in my sex drive, and when I began taking TT, I did notice a significant increase in my sex drive. However, I was more interested in maximizing testosterone production, as I was lifting 5 days a week. That this study suggests that TT aids in the recovery process by offsetting cortisol, reducing fatigue and catabolism, I do think this study is correct based on my experience taking TT over the last 7 years. It’s noticeable enough for me, that I’ll probably always take it.
Side Note: I don’t want to take synthetic test and I don’t take androgens, but this is not a judgment towards those who do, by any means, but rather, to answer such questions as “The benefits of Tribulus Terrestris is a joke compared to TRT; why don’t you just take TRT?” The basic answer to that I struggle to think synthetic anything being put in my body is a good thing.
Tribulus Terrestris is beneficial for male and female sex-drive according to most studies, but I will say, when I am feeling “horny” for a lack of a better word, I also do feel stronger. And so, when weightlifting, I tend to think there is some strength boost — even if it is as small as 5% or so, that addition must be compounding over the weightlifter’s time being committed to strength and or hypertrophy gains.
This is not a recommendation of Tribulus Terrestris to anyone, but is intended to be my basic experience with it. That said, the noticeable effects related to weightlifting were subtle and beneficial for me.
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