Tribulus Terrestris has been used by Humans for thousands of years because of the Medicinal benefits associated with this plant.
It has traditionally been used to treat various human problems like kidney stones and even sexual problems like Erectile Dysfunction.
However, in the modern times you would find everyone just visiting a supplement store and buying the supplement instead of using the plant itself to make tea.
But it does not matter in which way you consume the supplement, one can never deny the fact that including this plant in your diet will have some great positive impact on your health.
If you have never heard of Tribulus Terrestris before, there are some other common names with which it is known like-
- Goathead Weed
- Cow’s Hoof
- Bindii
- Devil’s Weed
- Puncture Vine
- Caltrops
- Gokshura
Tribulus Terrestris is commonly known as Goathead weed by many local tribes because of its appearance which looks similar to a goat’s head.
It is also known by names of Bindii and puncture wine and it is found all across the world. It belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family of plants and it grows very well in regions where most of the other plants and herbs are unable to survive especially in dry regions and tropical areas.
It is a small horny flowering plant which produces a flower or a fruit which comprises five spiky nutlets. The horns present on this plant are very sharp and can harm the bare feets of humans by penetrating deep into the skin causing discomfort and pain.
These horns are also capable of puncturing the tires present in the lawn mower and this is why it also gets the name of Puncture vine.
Tribulus Terrestris has established its name as a potent medicinal plant because of it has been used for various medical purposes for over thousands of years.
However, Tribulus Terrestris is now slowly gaining immense popularity as a dietary supplement and it is now available in form or pills, powder and liquids for human use.
It is now being used by modern humans to boost their sexual libido and treat various sexual dysfunctions and has loads of other benefits as well like eczema, enlarged prostate, infertility and chest pains which we will be discussing in great detail in this topic ahead.
How it works?
Tribulus Terrestris is known to increase the levels of some primary hormmones in our body which increases the efficiency of various functions in our body. However, it is not known to increase the level of main male sex hormone Testosterone.
Active Components of the Plant
Sceintists believe that the tremendous benefits associated with the Tribulus Terrestris plant is because of the presence of various saponins and flavonoids in it and amongst all of these, saponin protodioscin steroid is the most important steroid. Some of the other active ingredient of this plant are-
- Alkaloids
- Phenolic Amides
- Tannins
- Phytosterols
- Organic Acids
- Amino Acids
Benefits of using Tribulus Terrestris
Following are some of the most beneficial uses of Tribulus Terrestris.
- Enhances libido
- Ability to act as a natural diuretic
- Lowers your blood sugar levels
- Reduces Inflammation
- Improves the health of your heart
- Might help Humans in winning the fight against cancer
Enhances Libido
Increasing the sex drive in humans and increasing the satisfaction of sex is one of the prime benefits Humans get from using Tribulus Terrestris. It is even used as an ingredient in Viasil.
Women have reported an increase their sexual desire, sexual arousals, sexual satisfaction and lubrication apart from witnessing a decrease in the pain experienced by them during sex. This claim has also been backed by several researches and studies.
A study based out of Bulgaria also proved that it can treat issues related with Sexual desires and cure erectile dysfunctioning in men. However, no report till now has been able to prove the working behind Tribulus Terrestris.
Ability to act as a Natural Diuretic
Tribulus Terrestris helps the body a lot because of its ability to act as a Natural Diuretic as users experience an increase in their urine flow and the flushing out of Toxic Chemicals from the body.
This claim is also proved by a vitro study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology which proved that Tribulus Terrestris was capable of promoting Diuresis and it might be a natural ingredient capable of treating Kidney Stones.
Tribulus Terrestris might have many other medical benefits such as reducing bloating and inflammation in the body, lowering of the blood pressure, and flushing out waste products and toxins from our body.
Lowers your Blood Sugar Levels
Research studies have proved that including the required dosage of Tribulus Terrestris in your diet can lead to a decrease in your blood sugar levels and help you achieve huge benefits.
Another study proved that women who suffered from Type-2 Diabetes benefitted from the use of 1000 mg Tribulus Terrestris everyday in a period of just three months when compared to women who were on a placebo diet.Another research study which was conducted on animals in Shanghai showed that Tribulus Terrestris was able to reduce blood sugar levels in Mice by upto 40%.
Reduces Pain and Inflammation
Research studies conducted on both humans and animals proved that tribulus Terrestris is quite effective when it comes to relieving users from pain and inflammation.
A research study conducted by Kerman Faculty of Pharmacy proved that when rats were administered with high does of Tribulus Terrestris, there was a reduction in the levels of their pain.
Another research also showed that there was a decrease in symptoms of inflammation and swelling in animals who were administered with Tribulus Terrestris.
Improves the health of your heart
If you look up for the diseases which can be credited with the maximum number of Human deaths worldwide, Heart disease will surely lead the list of such diseases and millions of people suffer from various heart diseases worldwide.
Inflammation plays a very critical role in your heart’s health and Tribulus Terrestris reduces this inflammation and thus reduces the risk of Heart diseases.A research study showed that users who consumed over 1,000 milligrams of Tribulus Terrestris everyday witnessed a decrease in your body’s bad LDL Cholesterol and it was also found that these users also witnessed a reduction in the risk of damage caused to the blood vessels by Bad LDL Cholesterol.
Might help you win the battle against Cancer
There are some research studies which suggest that Tribulus Terrestris might help naturally in the treatment of cancer because it has been found that in humans, Tribulus terrestris was able to induce the death of cells and it was also able to prevent the spreading of Liver Cancer Cells in humans.
Another research has also discovered that Tribulus Terrestris might help humans win the fight against prostate as well as breast cancer. However, these results are still not conclusive enough and more research work is needed to verify and prove the same result.
Side Effects associated with Tribulus Terrestris
Just as every coin has got two sides, even with the numerous health benefits associated with this product, Tribulus Terrestris might have some side effects on your body as well. Some of the most commonly reported side effects of Tribulus Terrestris are-
- Cramps
- Stomach aches
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Difficulties in sleeping
- Heavy bleeding during menstrual cycles
However in spite of all these negative effects associated with Tribulus Terrestris it is still considered to be quite safe for human consumption when consumed orally for a period of up to 90 days.
However it is not recommended to consume the fruit of Tribulus Terrestris when it is still covered in spikes as it might cause some problems in your lungs and might affect your breathing.
Precautions and Warnings
Tribulus Terrestris is considered to be unsafe for consumption by women who are pregnant because some studies show that it might lead to some fetal damage. The ill effects of Tribulus Terrestris on women who are breastfeeding are still not fully discovered yet and it is recommended to maintain distance from Tribulus Terrestris if you are a woman and expecting a child.
Diabetic patients too need to be careful while consuming Tribulus Terrestris because it might lead to a decrease in your blood sugar levels a bit too much. If you are a diabetic patient you should try to consult your doctor about the dosage of your medication.
If you are expecting to undergo a surgery in the upcoming few weeks you should remove Tribulus Terrestris from your diet immediately because it is known to affect your blood pressure and sugar levels and these changes might prove to be extremely critical before and especially after your surgery.
Dosage
- In order to reap different benefits, one needs to consume different doses of Tribulus Terrestris.
- One needs to consume about 750 to 1500 milligrams of this product every day to reduce the blood sugar levels and increase the sexual libido.
- One needs to consume about 1 to 3 grams of Tribulus Terrestris every day to control their body’s cholesterol levels.
- One needs to consume about 12 grams of Tribulus Terrestris every day to increase their fertility, especially men.