Tribulus

Tribulus terrestris

No health effect currently reaches grade A or B under the new rubric. Sexual-function, testosterone, exercise, and metabolic claims are either mixed or too thin to grade, rather than clearly supported. Most positive trials remain small and rely on proprietary extracts.

What the research says

Each row is a different health effect. A means the support looks strongest, B likely helpful, C mixed or modest, and — not enough human evidence yet.

B · Likely helpful
B
Erectile dysfunction
4 of 5 papers positive. 2024 meta-analysis confirms meaningful effect on IIEF scores. See featured health effect above.
5 papers
— · Not enough human evidence yet
Exercise performance / strength
5 papers, zero clearly positive. 2024 systematic review: "TT is ineffective for increasing testosterone in humans, and any performance effect is only seen in combined supplements." CrossFit RCT: no improvement.
5 papers
Testosterone / androgen levels
Only 4 papers — not enough to grade. What exists is not supportive: 0 of 4 showed positive effects on total testosterone. The "testosterone booster" positioning is not supported.
4 papers
Cardiovascular markers / blood pressure
3 papers (2 positive, 1 mixed). Small signal for improvements in lipid profile. Needs more evidence.
3 papers
Male fertility / sperm parameters
Only 2 papers, mixed. Some improvement in sperm parameters reported, but very limited data.
2 papers
Libido / sexual desire
Only 1 paper. Positive but isolated.
1 paper
Muscle strength / body composition
Only 1 paper. CrossFit athlete trial showed no effect.
1 paper
Blood glucose / diabetes
1 small RCT in women with diabetes showed glucose-lowering and lipid improvements. Needs replication.
1 paper
Female sexual function
No qualifying human trials found.
0 papers
Menopause symptoms
No qualifying human trials found.
0 papers

Quick facts

Dose and form from the papers available. Evidence base is limited — apply more skepticism than with better-studied supplements.

Typical dose
750–1,500 mg/day of standardized extract
Best taken
Split into 2–3 doses with meals
Form
Standardized extracts (Tribestan, furostanol saponin extracts) used in trials. Whole-herb capsules vary widely
Common side effects
Mild stomach discomfort. Generally well-tolerated in the trials reviewed
Drug interactions
Limited data. Theoretical concern with diabetes and blood pressure medications
Testosterone-boost framing
Tribulus is widely marketed as a testosterone booster. The data does not support this claim. The B grade applies only to erectile function, not testosterone elevation

Quality-verified products

Products that pass third-party quality testing.

Coming soon
Quality-verified tribulus products will be listed that are tested for purity and accurate dosing. Keep in mind: only the erectile-function use has moderate evidence. Performance and testosterone claims are not promoted.

How we graded Tribulus

Grades come from 13 unique research papers indexed from PubMed — including 3 meta-analyses, 2 systematic reviews, and 8 randomized trials. Multiple positive trials use proprietary extracts (Tribestan, furostanol-saponin standardized) where standalone tribulus effect cannot always be isolated. Most health effects were below the threshold to grade. Each supplement is graded by health effect using a certainty × effect matrix applied across PubMed evidence per health effect. Cochrane reviews and high-quality systematic reviews carry the most weight. From abstract-only data, "high certainty" is rare — most A grades come from moderate certainty plus consistent meaningful-positive evidence. See Methodology for full detail.

Read the full methodology → · Download all 13 citations (PDF)