Wait! Isn't Fenugreek marketed to lactating mothers?
Why would a middle aged man want to take that?
Fenugreek is a herb which grows up to 90cm in height and has the scientific name Trigonella foenum-graecum. Evidence of it having been used by humans dates back at least 6000 years and specimens have been found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. Its domestic origins are thought to have been in the region of modern day Iran and Iraq, and it has been used extensively as a spice and medicine in both Chinese and Indian culture.
The interesting thing about Fenugreek is that it has a number of pro-ported benefits on our metabolic and hormonal function.
For those of you who aren't too interested in the science we'll start with a brief summary of what Fenugreek is thought to do:
1. Increased serum testosterone in males.
2. Increased strength as measured in 1 RM and muscle endurance
3. Improved lean body mass
4. Improvements in blood glucose and markers of diabetic control in people with Type 2 diabetes
5. Aids creatine uptake in muscle ( which for those on low carb diets can help not needing that fruit juice to assist creatine uptake)
So let's dive a little bit deeper for those of you interested.
A. The first is a review paper from Iran looking at the effects of Fenugreek on testosterone levels in males.
Testosterone falls with advancing age in males . These lower testosterone levels can be associated with fatigue, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, mood disorders, decreased lean body mass and bone mineral density , increased fat mass and decreased strength.
Published in 2019, the authors whittled the number of useful papers for review down to only 4 randomized controlled trials with the total number of subjects only 206. So not highly powered.
The meta-analysis of the four clinical trials indicates that fenugreek extract supplement has significant effect on elevating total serum testosterone.
The mechanism is thought to be through a number of sapogens which have been studied in animals and humans .
B. The second study is a systematic review paper from Saudi Arabia published in February 2023 exploring the effects of Fenugreek on muscle performance. Again the number of studies was small and those trials comprised low numbers of subjects.
This review showed that fenugreek extracts "positively reduced body fat, increased lean body mass, improved muscle strength and endurance, and accelerated the rate of glycogen resynthesis during post-exercise recovery".
It highlighted one trial which found that combining 3.5 g of creatine with 900 mg of a fenugreek extract for eight weeks had the same effect on male body composition and strength as combining 5 g creatine with 70 g dextrose when both groups used a structured resistance training program. This shows promise that fenugreek extracts have increased muscle creatine uptake without needing " excessive amounts of creatine or carbohydrates ".
C. While on the subject of carbs, a third study reviewed the effect of Fenugreek extracts on Type 2 diabetic and prediabetic individuals.
The pooled results from the reviewed randomized controlled trials showed fenugreek is safe and effective in reducing elevated fasting blood glucose, HbA1c and total cholesterol in those subjects .
So what's the bottom line here ?
More study is required but so far there is promise that Fenugreek may be a useful supplement in middle aged to older males for both health and ergogenic (sports performance) reasons.
The good news is that no study has reported any side effects of this supplementation.
The best dose to take? This is not yet clear but 500mg - 900mg per day seems reasonable.
If you need any help achieving your health and fitness goals and want to keep skiing, surfing, hiking or snowboarding as you get older reach out to Primal Regeneration . I offer Health Coaching specialising in these areas . My background as doctor, Primal Health and Fitness Coach, ski coach and surfer all contribute to my ability to help you on your journey.
