Does Tribulus Raise Testosterone? What Trials Found
No. In human trials, tribulus did not raise testosterone at doses from 400 to 1,500 mg a day for 4 to 12 weeks. One maker-funded trial found a modest gain in erection scores, but another found none, and a 2025 review called the results mixed. ErecPower lists tribulus, but the amount is not published.
What is tribulus?
Tribulus terrestris is a low, spreading plant with spiky seed pods. People also call it puncture vine. It grows in warm, dry places around the world.
Traditional remedies have used the fruit and leaves for men’s vigor for a long time. Today it is one of the most common herbs in “testosterone booster” blends.
Quick facts
- Plant: Tribulus terrestris, or puncture vine
- Used for: traditional men’s remedies
- Sold as: capsules, powders and blends
- In ErecPower: yes, amount not published
Why is tribulus sold as a testosterone booster?
Tribulus is sold for testosterone because of its long use as a men’s tonic. Marketers took that tradition and turned it into a hormone claim.
The idea is simple. More testosterone might mean more drive and energy. The problem is that the idea needs proof in people, and that proof is what trials test.
A hormone claim is easy to check. Researchers give men tribulus or a dummy pill, then measure blood testosterone before and after. That makes tribulus a good test case for the whole booster category.
What a fair testosterone trial looks like
A fair trial splits men into two similar groups. One group takes the herb and the other takes a dummy pill that looks the same. Neither the men nor the staff know who got which.
Levels can shift from week to week, even without any pill. So a real effect has to beat the change seen in the dummy group. Every study in the next table used that kind of comparison or pooled trials that did.
What did the tribulus trials find?
The tribulus trials found no rise in testosterone. That result held across young men, older men and men with erection problems, and across a wide range of doses.
| Study | Who and how much | Testosterone result |
|---|---|---|
| Neychev 2005 (Neychev et al., 2005) | 21 young men; 10 or 20 mg per kg of body weight a day for 4 weeks | No difference from placebo |
| Santos 2014 (Santos et al., 2014) | Men with erection problems; 800 mg a day for 30 days | No difference from placebo |
| Kamenov 2017 (Kamenov et al., 2017) | 180 men with sexual problems; 1,500 mg a day for 12 weeks | No change |
| Vilar Neto 2025 review (Vilar et al., 2025) | Pooled trials; 400 to 750 mg a day for 1 to 3 months | No solid evidence of a rise |
Four sources, four ways of asking, one answer. Blood testosterone did not move in a way that stood apart from placebo.
Why the dose range matters
The doses spanned almost four times from the lowest to the highest. If tribulus raised testosterone, the higher doses would be the place to see it. The 1,500 mg trial ran the longest, at 12 weeks, and still found no change.
Did tribulus help erections in any trial?
One trial found a modest benefit for erections, and one found none. The 2025 review called the overall picture mixed (Vilar et al., 2025).
Kamenov 2017
Erection scores improved modestly compared with placebo over 12 weeks. The tribulus maker funded the trial.
Santos 2014
After 30 days at 800 mg a day, tribulus did no better than placebo on erection scores.
Vilar Neto 2025
Pooling the trials gave mixed results for erections. The authors could not call it a clear benefit.
Note what the positive trial did not show. Erection scores improved, but testosterone stayed the same. So even where tribulus seemed to help, a hormone rise was not the reason.
How does tribulus compare with tongkat ali?
Tongkat ali has stronger testosterone data than tribulus. A 2024 review of booster ingredients found that most did not raise testosterone, and it rated tongkat ali as possibly effective (Morgado et al., 2024).
| Question | Tribulus | Tongkat ali |
|---|---|---|
| Raised testosterone in trials? | No | Yes, mainly in men who started low |
| 2024 review rating | Not shown to raise it | Possibly effective |
| Erection results | Mixed | Not the focus of the main review |
| In ErecPower? | Yes, amount not published | Yes, amount not published |
Our post on what tongkat ali is covers its trials in detail, including who seemed to benefit.
See what else is inside ErecPower
Six named plant ingredients, 30 capsules a bottle and a 60-day money-back window. Amounts are not published, so read the label before you buy.
How much tribulus is in ErecPower?
The amount of tribulus in ErecPower is not published. No Supplement Facts panel was supplied, so the serving size and daily dose are unknown too. Follow the product label on your bottle.
| Detail | Tribulus trials | ErecPower |
|---|---|---|
| Daily amount | 400 to 1,500 mg | Not published |
| Length of use | 4 to 12 weeks | Seller suggests 3 months or longer |
| Testosterone change | None | Not tested as a product |
| Other herbs in the mix | None | Five more ingredients |
Without an amount, nobody can say whether ErecPower matches any studied dose. The full ingredient list is on the ErecPower ingredients page.
Why do tribulus ads sound stronger than the trials?
Ads lean on tradition and on the word “testosterone,” while trials measure blood levels. When the two disagree, the trials are the better guide.
- Small trials. Most tribulus studies used dozens of men, not thousands.
- Short trials. None ran longer than about 12 weeks.
- Who paid. The one trial with an erection benefit was funded by the maker of the extract.
- Label rules. A supplement can print a support claim without FDA review of the evidence.
None of this makes tribulus harmful or useless. It means a testosterone promise built on tribulus alone is not backed by the human data. The same review found that most booster ingredients fell short (Morgado et al., 2024).
Questions to ask about any booster claim
- Did the trial measure blood testosterone, or only how men felt?
- Was there a dummy-pill group for comparison?
- How many men took part, and for how long?
- Does the product print the same dose the trial used?
What should you do if you have low drive or erection problems?
Start with your doctor, not a supplement. A simple blood test can show whether your testosterone is actually low.
If you do choose a supplement, buy from a known seller and check the bottle. Our guide on how to spot a tainted male enhancement supplement explains the warning signs.
Tribulus and testosterone: the short version
Tribulus is a traditional herb with weak modern evidence for testosterone. Here is what the trials support.
- Tribulus did not raise testosterone in any human trial reviewed here.
- Erection results were mixed, with the best result from a maker-funded trial.
- Studied doses ran from 400 to 1,500 mg a day for 4 to 12 weeks.
- ErecPower does not publish its tribulus amount, so no dose comparison is possible.
- Tongkat ali has better testosterone data, mainly in men who start low.
Tribulus and testosterone: common questions
Does tribulus raise testosterone?
Not in the human trials we reviewed. Testosterone did not rise in any of them, at doses from 400 to 1,500 mg a day.
Does tribulus help with erections?
The results are mixed. One large maker-funded trial found a modest gain in erection scores, while a smaller trial found no difference from placebo.
How long did the tribulus trials last?
They ran from about 4 weeks to 12 weeks. None tracked men for longer than that.
How much tribulus is in ErecPower?
The amount is not published. ErecPower names tribulus as one of six ingredients, but no Supplement Facts panel was supplied.
Why do supplements still use tribulus?
It has a long history in traditional men's remedies, and its name sells. The human trial data on testosterone has not kept up with that reputation.
Is there a testosterone ingredient with better data?
Tongkat ali has the most consistent results in reviews, mainly in men who start with low testosterone.
