Study: Fenugreek supplement improves fertility and mental alertness in men
Fenugreek (aka Trigonella foenum-graecum) has been demonstrated to contain a diverse number of phytochemicals including saponins, steroids, alkaloids like trigonelline, coumarins such as cinnamic acid, vitamins, polyphenols, flavonoids, lipids, amino acids, hydrocarbons, glycosides, fiber, iron, manganese, and magnesium.
A number of preclinical and clinical investigations have established the versatile benefits of fenugreek seeds as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, anti-obesity, anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial, and galactogogue, as well as for diverse medicinal and pharmacological benefits.
Rao et al. indicated that fenugreek seed extract is a safe and efficacious therapy for reducing androgen deficiency, and boosting serum free and total testosterone levels, as well as sexual competence middle-aged and elderly subjects.
Poole et al. has previously demonstrated the efficacy of Furosap (500 mg/kg/day) in boosting free testosterone, healthy sperm profile, mental alertness, mood alleviation, and reproductive well-being.
The current longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the broad spectrum safety and efficacy of a unique, patented fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed extract fortified in 20% protodioscin (Furosap) to enhance free and total testosterone levels, sperm count, motility and abnormal sperm morphology, reproductive health, mood alleviation and mental alertness, in 100 male volunteers (aged 35–60 years).
A total of 100 subjects were recruited and directed to take one Furosap capsule (500 mg/day) after breakfast everyday for 12 weeks.
Assessments were carried out at baseline, 4-, 8-, and 12 weeks of treatment, including: Body weight, BMI, blood pressure, free testosterone level, total testosterone level, haemoglobin level, fasting blood glucose (FBS) levels, sperm count, sperm motility and abnormal sperm morphology, mood alleviation, mental alertness, and reflex erection.
The resulting data suggests that free- and total testosterone levels escalated by approximately 1.73-fold (p value = 0.0004) and by 1.28-fold (p-value = 0.0003), respectively.
Sperm count significantly increased at each time point, while sperm motility (%) significantly increased at 8- and 12-weeks post-treatment. Simultaneously, abnormal sperm morphology (%) decreased at all time points, but significantly decreased at 12-weeks post-treatment, respectively.
Overall scores of mental alertness, mood alleviation, and reflex erection increased. Moreover, time- and age-dependent increases (%) in all these three factors were observed.
Significant decreases were observed in the total cholesterol (mg/dl) levels at all time points. A decreasing trend was observed in LDL-C levels at all time points, while significant reduction was observed at week 12 of treatment.
The report concludes that 12-weeks supplementation with Furosap (500mg/day) is effective on multiple parameters including enhanced production of free and total testosterone levels, sperm profile, sperm morphology, reproductive health, mood alleviation, mental alertness, reflex erection, and reproductive health. Furthermore, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and DHEA-S significantly decreased at 12weeks of treatment.
Source: Journal of the American College of Nutrition
S. N. Sankhwar, Pawan Kumar, Manashi Bagchi, Mehul Rungta & Debasis Bagchi
"Safety and Efficacy of Furosap, a Patented Trigonella foenum-graecum Seed Extract, in Boosting Testosterone Level, Reproductive Health and Mood Alleviation in Male Volunteers"
