[tanysquirrel]

bael leaves - testosterone suppression?

http://www.livestrong.com/article/412385...tagonists/

Bael Leaf

Leaves from the bael tree, Aegle marmelos, play a significant role in Ayurvedic medicine. Eaten in salads to relieve constipation, bael leaves may help treat diabetes. This finding indicates that the food may affect hormone regulation. A 2007 article presented in "Contraception" evaluated bael's effect on testosterone. Laboratory animals received extracted bael leaves daily for two months. Relative to baseline, bael leaves suppressed testosterone and reduced fertility in male rats. Ending the treatment reversed these effects, and that change eliminated all signs of toxicity within four months. While suggestive, results obtained in animals may not generalize well to humans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aegle_marmelos

http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?pt06003
"DISCUSSION The present paper provides a number of observations regarding effects of aqueous extract of leaf of A. marmelos on testicular functions in male albino rats. From results, it has been revealed that there was no significant alteration in somatic growth in treated rats compared to the control. This suggests that this leaf extract has no general toxic effect on body growth. Diminution in the weight of testiculo-somatic, seminal vesiculo-somatic, prostato-somatic and epididymal somatic indices in the treated group may be due to low plasma level of pituitary gonadotrophins and testosterone as these growth indices are controlled by plasma level of pituitary gonadotrophins and testosterone [ 13,  14].

The diminution in the activities testicular Δ5, 3βHSD and 17β-HSD, the key enzymes for androgenesis [ 15,  16], may be due to inhibition in pituitary gonadotrophins secretion [ 17,  18]. The low plasma level of testosterone reported here also supports this inhibition in steroidogenic enzyme activities."

https://www.bimbima.com/ayurveda/know-th...eaves/668/
"Bael leaves have anti-fertility effect. It reduces fertility in both sexes. In a clinical study male albino rats were given aqueous extracts (250 mg/kg body weight) of leaves of Aegle marmelos for 45 days. The treatment resulted in highly significant decrease in the weights of testes, epididymis, seminal vesicle, ventral prostate and vas deferens. Sperm motility as well as sperm density in the cauda epididymis was reduced significantly. Fertility was reduced by 70%. Various tribal men across India uses its leaves for contraceptive purposes. Traditionally the leaves are used to induce sterility in females."

Available on amazon in various forms (powder, tea, etc) at various prices.

Edit: IF one can shut down the stimuli/ suppress the pituitary that signals the output/production of testosterone, and replace it with xeno-estrogens (outside source of estrogen such as pills or natural estrogens, ) can one rewire the pituitary to look for the estrogens, if one should stop taking the bael leaf ? Thoughts?