Tribulus terrestris,
does it really help with Male vitality, testosterone, and exercise performance?
research showsTribulus is often advertised as increasing testosterone, strength, and lean body mass, but this was generally not confirmed in RCTs of healthy men and athletes. Studies of some sexual-function outcomes need to be separated from testosterone and exercise-performance claims.
ads claimAdvertising emphasizes 'male vitality,' 'testosterone booster,' 'muscle,' 'stamina,' and 'saponins.' Clinical evidence often shows null results in the opposite direction from this wording.
Useful facts when choosing a product
- Even if protodioscin content is labeled, testosterone increase is not automatically proven.
- Gastrointestinal discomfort, insomnia, agitation, and case reports of liver and kidney abnormalities exist.
- People with hormone-sensitive conditions, liver or kidney disease, and people taking medications need caution.
- Possible doping contamination is a separate product-quality issue that needs checking.
What the research actually shows
Neychev 2005 RCT gave 10 or 20 mg/kg/day Tribulus to young men for 4 weeks and failed to increase testosterone, LH, or androstenedione. Rogerson 2007 RCT gave it to elite rugby players for 5 weeks and found that changes in strength, lean mass, and testosterone did not differ from placebo. Antonio 2000 also failed to confirm improvements in body composition or strength in resistance-trained men. Sports-supplement reviews such as Pokrywka 2014 also rate the evidence for androgen increase as low.
Why this is classified as F (14)
As the user pointed out, testosterone and strength claims are generally null in key RCTs. I do not repurpose some sexual-function studies for this claim, and place it at F, 14 points.
Counterpoint. If erectile function or specific infertility markers are evaluated as separate claims, a different conclusion may be possible. This judgment evaluates the advertising axis of testosterone, male vitality, and exercise performance.
Rejudgment record. Draft — Repeated null main RCTs for testosterone, strength, and exercise performance
Cross-check — Codex and Claude
Evidence Table
| Study | Design | Sample | Funding | Endpoint | Result | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neychev VK, Mitev VI. 2005 | Randomized placebo-controlled trial | 21 | Unknown/independent study | Testosterone, LH, and androstenedione | After 4 weeks of intake, increased androgen hormones were not confirmed. | Core counterexample |
| Rogerson S et al. 2007 | Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial | 22 | Unknown/sports-supplement study | Strength, lean mass, and testosterone | After 5 weeks of intake, strength, lean mass, and testosterone did not differ from placebo. | Core counterexample |
| Antonio J et al. 2000 | Randomized placebo-controlled resistance-training study | Unknown | Body composition and strength | Improvement in body composition or exercise performance was not confirmed. | Core counterexample |
Receipt — 4 References
Every cited source was opened and checked against the live page on 2026-07-09.
Reviewed and approved: Chamgap Editorial Team · Approval date: 2026-07-09 · Corrections: none
Cite this verdict
[Chamgap] Tribulus terrestris x male vitality, testosterone, and exercise performance — Evidence Grade F·14. 4 cited sources checked. Source: https://health-receipt.pages.dev/en/verdicts/mens/tribulus-testosterone-vitality-performance/ · CC BY 4.0CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution; do not distort grades, numbers, or verdict meaning.
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Chamgap is an information source. It reports what research has and has not confirmed; it does not tell readers what to take or buy. That decision belongs to readers and, when needed, medical or legal professionals. This verdict reflects literature available up to the search date and may change as new research appears. Nothing here is medical advice.