Does Fadogia Agrestis Increase Testosterone?

What is Fadogia Agrestis?

Fadogia Agrestis is a plant found in various regions of Africa. It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, primarily for its purported aphrodisiac properties and potential to enhance fertility. The plant is often consumed in the form of a supplement, with users reporting a range of effects, from increased luteinizing hormone and testosterone levels to no noticeable changes.

Today, supplements touting this obscure herb promise it naturally elevates testosterone. But few robust studies exist and no human trials have occurred. The primary evidence stems from a lone rat study by a Nigerian research team in the 2000s.

Promising Animal Research...But No Human Study Data

This solitary rodent study reported remarkably huge testosterone increases up to 600% from fadogia agrestis supplementation. But unfortunately, no attempts at replicating these results or testing the herb in humans have been done by any other groups in the 20 years since.

Human research is essential to confirm safe, effective dosing. The animal doses equate to a whopping 1,000-4,500 mg daily for humans - far beyond typical supplements. And higher doses showed possible toxicity in later rat studies. Not great when safety and efficacy remain unknown for humans.
A handful of existing rat studies found:

• Fadogia doses increased testosterone up to 600% at higher doses.
• Sexual function improved in male rats supplemented with fadogia.
• Possible anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing effects.

However, no human studies have been conducted, making safe and effective dosing unclear. The high doses in rat studies equate to 1,000-4,500 mg daily for humans, far exceeding most supplements.

Huberman & Ferris Discuss Tongkat Ali & Fadogia Agrestis

400 mg/day of Tongkat Ali & 425 mg/day of Fadogia Agrestis Increased Andrew’s Testosterone - Andrew Huberman

#521: Dr. Andrew Huberman A Neurobiologist on Optimizing Sleep, Performance, and Testosterone

PodClips

In the video, Hubberman and Ferries delve into a comprehensive discussion about Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis, two supplements traditionally used in herbal medicine for their aphrodisiac and fertility-enhancing properties. They highlight that despite the long-standing use of these supplements, particularly Fadogia Agrestis, the scientific research supporting their benefits is sparse. They point out that there are very few studies, even in pre-clinical literature, and no human studies on Fadogia Agrestis. Most of the available data is anecdotal, with individuals reporting varied results such as increased luteinizing hormone and testosterone levels, or no noticeable changes.

They also discuss potential toxicity concerns, particularly for doses of Fadogia Agrestis exceeding 200 milligrams. They suggest that the effectiveness of Fadogia Agrestis may be influenced by baseline levels of certain enzymes. Individuals with higher baseline levels of these enzymes may see less benefit from the supplement, while those with lower levels could potentially see more benefit. Despite observing significant increases in luteinizing hormone in individuals with relatively low starting levels while using Fadogia Agrestis, they caution that the supplement's effectiveness can vary greatly among individuals. They conclude that while there may be potential benefits, Fadogia Agrestis may be overrated due to the sparse data supporting its use.

If your interested in the topic Andrew Huberman discusses Fadogia Agrestis and Bloodwork in the spotfiy podcast below.

Concerns Over Limited Evidence

Several concerns exist regarding the lack of evidence on Fadogia Agrestis:

• All studies are from one research group - no independent replication.
• No human trials, making translation of animal data questionable.
• Possible toxicity like liver and kidney damage at higher doses in rats requires further safety research.

Fadogia Agrestis The Verdict

Despite potential testosterone and sexual effects in rats, hype around fadogia agrestis currently seems premature given the complete lack of human evidence and possible toxicity risks. Well-conducted clinical trials are needed to demonstrate safe and effective dosing in humans before conclusions can be made. While animal data shows some promise, it does not necessarily translate to humans. More extensive research is needed before declaring this herb an effective testosterone booster.

Without adequate evidence and potential toxicity concerns, taking obscure herbal supplements sold with exaggerated testosterone claims seems unwise. Stick to proven lifestyle interventions like strength training, quality sleep, and managing stress for a natural testosterone boost.

Let me know if you would like me to modify or expand this post in any way! I aimed to provide a balanced, evidence-based perspective.