08-08-2010, 01:43 PM
I was doing some internet searching for liquid extracts of some of the herbs I am taking, thinking they might be absorbed more easily (but unless you practically gargle with them, they still have to be absorbed through the GI system, so there may not be an absorption advantage) and came across some hilarious "info" on fenugreek. It seems that the body building world is using fenugreek with the idea that it increases testosterone in men.
Try a search using "fenugreek extract testosterone" and you'll see what I mean. Here's one example from 2005: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0...n13653752/
If FG does increase testosterone in males, we might want to reconsider taking it as part of a male NBE program. The research cited in the link above was done with another herb (Tribulus terrestris) and NOT fenugreek. They made the FG connection since FG and the studied herb both contain "high amount of furostanolic saponins. Therefore, fenugreek extract works in a manner similar to Tribulus--elevating testosterone via increases in the amount of LH and DHEA the body produces."
I suppose it is possible that it can have that effect on males and not females, since the scant info I read above indicates it works partly by stimulating the pituitary production of luteinizing hormone which stimulates the testes to produce testosterone; hence the effect in males and not females. Another substance supposedly stimulates the adrenals to produce DHEA which would then be metabolized into testosterone.
Whew! Getting way to complicated for me. And way too much guess work. In any event, I know body builders are "plagued" by the occurrence of 'bitch tits' so I don't think they've researched this completely, and the amount of misinformation coming out of that part of the fitness industry is legendary. They could be wrong.
Just couldn't help but laugh: as we discuss taking it for NBE, they think it elevates testosterone.
Yikes! and ROFL at the same time!
chrishoney
Try a search using "fenugreek extract testosterone" and you'll see what I mean. Here's one example from 2005: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0...n13653752/
If FG does increase testosterone in males, we might want to reconsider taking it as part of a male NBE program. The research cited in the link above was done with another herb (Tribulus terrestris) and NOT fenugreek. They made the FG connection since FG and the studied herb both contain "high amount of furostanolic saponins. Therefore, fenugreek extract works in a manner similar to Tribulus--elevating testosterone via increases in the amount of LH and DHEA the body produces."
I suppose it is possible that it can have that effect on males and not females, since the scant info I read above indicates it works partly by stimulating the pituitary production of luteinizing hormone which stimulates the testes to produce testosterone; hence the effect in males and not females. Another substance supposedly stimulates the adrenals to produce DHEA which would then be metabolized into testosterone.
Whew! Getting way to complicated for me. And way too much guess work. In any event, I know body builders are "plagued" by the occurrence of 'bitch tits' so I don't think they've researched this completely, and the amount of misinformation coming out of that part of the fitness industry is legendary. They could be wrong.
Just couldn't help but laugh: as we discuss taking it for NBE, they think it elevates testosterone.
Yikes! and ROFL at the same time!
chrishoney
unless I missed a point between the 2.