Tribulus terrestris extract
Unless you’re into body building, you may not have heard of tribulus terrestris extract. This natural herb does have medicinal properties, but it has mostly been used in China and Eastern Europe. The Chinese, in particular, use tribulus terrestris extract to deal with dizziness, headaches, liver problems, and even premature ejaculation. The active ingredient in tribulus terrestris extract is called steroidal saponins. There are two different kinds of these compounds in tribulus terrestris extract: furostanol glycosides and spirostanol glycosides.
The extract comes from a plant that grows in Southern Europe, Southern Asia, Africa, and parts of Australia. It has, however, been imported to the United States, where many consider it a weed and try to kill it.
You may wonder how tribulus terrestris extract is used in bodybuilding if it is mainly used to cure headaches and such. Bodybuilders actually use tribulus terrestris extract as a way of increasing testosterone. According to some studies, the extract can actually increase testosterone by 50%. This increase in testosterone makes it much easier to build up muscles, making it very popular among bodybuilders and athletes.
It is important to note, however, that tribulus terrestris extract is not a performance enhancing hormone like steroids. It works in a very different way. It increases the amount of lutenizing hormone, or LH, that is in the body. This hormone is what instructs the body to produce testosterone. Therefore, tribulus terrestris extract isn’t actually introducing anything artificial or unnatural into the body. It is simply encouraging the body to produce more LH and, therefore, more testosterone.
There are some other benefits to taking tribulus terrestris extract. As mentioned above, the Chinese use it to cure erective dysfunction, and the extract is used in a number of sexual stimulants. Again, this is done by increasing the amount of testosterone in the body. Tribulus terrestris extract is often combined with other herbs and stimulates in products, although the overall success of these products is debatable.
Of course, as with most extracts and natural enhancements, studies on tribulus terrestris extract have been somewhat contradictive. While companies that market tribulus terrestris extract products are going to say it’s a miracle drug, actual users may disagree. Some have had more or less success in using tribulus terrestris extract to build muscle. Some scientific studies have even shown different results, so it can be very difficult to say whether tribulus terrestris extract is really going to help you become stronger or not. One study showed that after four weeks of using tribulus terrestris extract, there was no noticeable change in the level of testosterone or LH in the subjects.
What it comes down to is that every person’s body chemistry is different. Therefore, tribulus terrestris extract will work differently for everyone who uses it. In some, it may greatly help them build muscles, but in others, the results may not be so noticeable. One simply has to try tribulus terrestris extract for a period of time to see how it will affect them.
When it comes to taking tribulus terrestris extract, most supplements contain between 85 and 250 mg. Most often, these supplements are taken three times a day with meals, although some supplements have different directions. Some people, however, should not take tribulus terrestris extract. This includes anyone with a hormone-dependent condition like prostate or breast cancer. Also, pregnant or nursing women should not use the supplement. While no major side effects have been discovered, some men have reported an increase in their breast size. tribulus terrestris extract has also been shown to be toxic to sheep, although it is perfectly safe for human use.
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