Tribulus Terrestris
Herb ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Traditional herb marketed for testosterone, though evidence is mixed.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Tribulus Terrestris is a herb most often used for libido, athletic performance, urinary health. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as emerging. A typical adult dose is 250-750 mg daily, commonly taken as standardized extract (45-60% saponins). This profile indexes 17 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating emerging. Most-documented uses: libido, athletic performance, urinary health. 17 sources indexed (2000–2025), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Protodioscin may increase LH (luteinizing hormone) release, theoretically stimulating testosterone production. Anti-inflammatory via COX-2 and LOX inhibition.6
Dosing & protocol.
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Standardized Tribulus Extract.
Assumes 250-750 mg/day. Vendor basis: NOW/iHerb, Vitacost, Amazon marketplace, and sports supplement brands; high-saponin extracts cost more. Updated 2026-05-28.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Tribulus is a medicinal plant extract and is not a common edible food with standardized saponin content.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- GI upset
- Insomnia
- Increased heart rate
Contraindications
- Hormone-sensitive conditions6
- Prostate conditions
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
2- 1Tribulus terrestris for management of patients with erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trialsPMIDNot specified et al. · Int J Impot Res · 2025
Tribulus supplementation may offer benefits in improving erectile function with a relatively good safety profile, but groups were not significantly different in testosterone levels.
- 2The effect of Tribulus terrestris on erectile dysfunction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PMIDSantos JED, Souza DBD, Burity EF et al. · Andrology · 2024
Systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of Tribulus terrestris on erectile dysfunction, finding limited but suggestive evidence of benefit for sexual function.
Randomized controlled trials
11- 3Dietary Tribulus Terrestris as a functional food combined with blood flow restriction to enhance the jump performance of basketball athletes: a randomized crossover studyPMIDKong J, Li J, Xu M et al. · Frontiers in nutrition · 2025
Kong J, Li J, Xu M et al.. Dietary Tribulus Terrestris as a functional food combined with blood flow restriction to enhance the jump performance of basketball athletes: a randomized crossover study. Frontiers in nutrition. 2025
- 4The effect of Tribulus terrestris supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and performance of recreational runners: study protocol for a randomized placebo-controlled trialPMIDNejati M, Dehghan P, Khani M et al. · Trials · 2022
Nejati M, Dehghan P, Khani M et al.. The effect of Tribulus terrestris supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and performance of recreational runners: study protocol for a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Trials. 2022
- 56-Week Supplementation with Tribulus terrestris L. to Trained Male CrossFit(®) Athletes on Muscle, Inflammation, and Antioxidant Biomarkers: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Placebo-Controlled TrialPMIDFernández-Lázaro D, Seco-Calvo J, Pascual-Fernández J et al. · International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
Fernández-Lázaro D, Seco-Calvo J, Pascual-Fernández J et al.. 6-Week Supplementation with Tribulus terrestris L. to Trained Male CrossFit(®) Athletes on Muscle, Inflammation, and Antioxidant Biomarkers: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2022
- 6The 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 StudyPMIDFernandez-Lazaro D et al. · Nutrients · 2021
Six weeks of tribulus supplementation did not significantly alter body composition, hormonal response, or CrossFit performance in resistance-trained men.
- 7Efficacy of Khār-i-khasak (Tribulus terrestris Linn.) in prehypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialPMIDSiddiqui MA, Itrat M, Mobeen A et al. · Journal of complementary & integrative medicine · 2021
Siddiqui MA, Itrat M, Mobeen A et al.. Efficacy of Khār-i-khasak (Tribulus terrestris Linn.) in prehypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine. 2021
- 8Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Tribulus terrestris in male sexual dysfunction-A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trialPMIDKamenov Z et al. · Maturitas · 2017
Tribulus (Tribestan) was evaluated in 180 males with erectile dysfunction; showed improvements in sexual function measures.
- 9Efficacy of Tribulus terrestris for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trialPMIDPostigo S et al. · Menopause · 2016
Tribulus terrestris might be a safe alternative for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in postmenopausal women, effective in reducing symptoms with few side effects.
- 10Tribulus terrestris for treatment of sexual dysfunction in women: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled studySource linkedPMIDde Souza KZ, Vale FB, Geber S · BMC Complement Med Ther · 2016
- 11Alga Ecklonia bicyclis, Tribulus terrestris, and glucosamine oligosaccharide improve erectile function, sexual quality of life, and ejaculation function in patients with moderate mild-moderate erectile dysfunction: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blinded studyPMIDSansalone S, Leonardi R, Antonini G et al. · BioMed research international · 2014
Sansalone S, Leonardi R, Antonini G et al.. Alga Ecklonia bicyclis, Tribulus terrestris, and glucosamine oligosaccharide improve erectile function, sexual quality of life, and ejaculation function in patients with moderate mild-moderate erectile dysfunction: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blinded study. BioMed research international. 2014
- 12Re: Comparison of Murraya koenigii- and Tribulus terrestris-based oral formulation versus tamsulosin in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in men aged >50 years: a double-blind, double-dummy, randomized controlled trialPMIDKaplan SA · The Journal of urology · 2012
Kaplan SA. Re: Comparison of Murraya koenigii- and Tribulus terrestris-based oral formulation versus tamsulosin in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in men aged >50 years: a double-blind, double-dummy, randomized controlled trial. The Journal of urology. 2012
- 13The effects of Tribulus terrestris on body composition and exercise performance in menSource linkedPMIDAntonio J, Uelmen J, Rodriguez R, Earnest C · Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · 2000
Reviews & position papers
2- 14Effects of Tribulus (Tribulus terrestris L.) Supplementation on Erectile Dysfunction and Testosterone Levels in Men-A Systematic Review of Clinical TrialsPMIDSantos HO et al. · Nutrients · 2025
Tribulus supplementation may improve erectile function but does not significantly increase total testosterone levels in men based on analysis of 10 studies with 483 participants.
- 15A systematic review on the herbal extract Tribulus terrestris and the roots of its putative aphrodisiac and performance enhancing effectPMIDQureshi A et al. · J Diet Suppl · 2014
Evidence for tribulus' effectiveness as testosterone enhancer is limited; evidence to date suggests it is ineffective for increasing testosterone in humans.
Reference material
2- 16Fernández-Lázaro D, Fernandez-Lazaro CI, Seco-Calvo J et al.. Effects of Tribulus terrestris L. on Sport and Health Biomarkers in Physically Active Adult Males: A Systematic Review. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2022Source linkedPMID
- 17Tahvilian R, Golesorkhi MA, Parhoudeh F et al.. The Effect of the Combination of Ginseng, Tribulus Terrestris, and L-arginine on the Sexual Performance of Men with Erectile Dysfunction: a randomized, double-blind, parallel, and placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of pharmacopuncture. 2024Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Tribulus Terrestris, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Tribulus Terrestris?
Traditional herb marketed for testosterone, though evidence is mixed.
What is Tribulus Terrestris used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Tribulus Terrestris include: Libido; Athletic performance; Urinary health. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as emerging.
What is a typical dose of Tribulus Terrestris?
A typical adult dose of Tribulus Terrestris is 250-750 mg daily. The commonly recommended form is Standardized extract (45-60% saponins). These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Tribulus Terrestris?
Reported side effects include gi upset, insomnia, increased heart rate. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Tribulus Terrestris?
NutriStack rates this as Emerging, meaning early RCT signal, mechanistic data, or limited human evidence. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
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