Gokshura's Emerging Benefits 

In traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, gokshura is a popular medicinal plant. Gokshura is most often recognised in Western countries as the nutritional supplement Tribulus Terrestris. It's used to increase libido and testosterone, among other things. However, study into the plant's health implications is still in its early stages, and further research into its numerous potential consequences is required. 

This article investigates the claims made about gokshura and outlines eight of its recently discovered health advantages.  

What Exactly is Gokshura?

A member of the caltrop family, gokshura is a tiny leafy plant. It thrives in hotter climates, such as southern Asia, southern Europe, Africa, and northern Australia. People have traditionally utilised its roots and fruit to treat a wide range of health issues in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Urinary tract infections, renal illness, inflammation, persistent coughing, asthma, and erectile dysfunction are among them.

Tribulus Terrestris is the common name for gokshura in Western countries. It's marketed as a natural testosterone enhancer by companies. Gokshura is available in a variety of forms, including powder, capsules, and pills. It's more generally known as Tribulus Terrestris in stores.  

Health Advantages of Gokshura

Many studies have been done on gokshura, particularly in the field of increasing testosterone levels and increasing libido. However, there are few human studies on the health advantages of gokshura outside of this field of study. However, test-tube and animal studies have indicated that it may have health advantages. 

Here are some of the newer gokshura advantages, as well as the research that supports them.  

1. Antioxidant properties: Antioxidants are substances produced by your body. They can also be found in a wide range of foods, plants, and spices. These molecules aid in the protection of your cells from potentially dangerous compounds known as free radicals. 

Free radical damage has been related to a variety of chronic ailments, including heart disease, neurological issues, type 2 diabetes, and numerous malignancies, according to research. In the body, gokshura has a number of chemicals that act as antioxidants. Polyphenols and coumaroylquinic acids are two examples.  

Gokshura antioxidants have been shown in test tubes and animal experiments to help prevent damage to kidneys, hearts, liver, and brain cells.  

2. It has the potential to increase your libido: According to studies, gokshura can help men and women increase their libido. In one older study, ingesting 750–1,500 mg of gokshura daily for two months increased sexual desire by 79 percent in individuals with low sex drive. In a trial of 45 postmenopausal women with poor libido, participants were given 750 mg of gokshura daily for 17 weeks. When compared to those who took a placebo, those who took gokshura reported dramatically enhanced sexual desire and arousal, as well as significantly reduced pain during sex, making it simpler for them to reach orgasm.  

3. May aid in the reduction of blood sugar levels: Gokshura has been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels in studies. In a test tube investigation, gokshura inhibited the activity of enzymes that break down carbs and make them easier to absorb, such as alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase. Blood sugar levels may rise if the body absorbs carbohydrates efficiently from the digestive tract into the blood. As a result, inhibiting enzymes involved in this process could potentially lower blood sugar levels and minimise these spikes. 

It's worth noting, though, that this was a test-tube study that didn't directly examine the consequences of stopping these enzymes in humans. Gokshura treatment resulted in significantly decreased fasting and total blood sugar levels in diabetic animals.  

In a 12-week study of 98 women with type 2 diabetes, ingesting 1,000 mg of Tribulus Terrestris daily reduced fasting blood sugar levels considerably more than a placebo. Furthermore, women who took Tribulus Terrestris had considerably lower triglyceride, cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels than those who did not. However, human research in this field is very restricted. Although these findings are promising, a further human study is needed to evaluate these potential consequences.  

4. It's possible that it'll be beneficial to women's health: People utilise gokshura in Ayurvedic medicine to help women's health.  According to research, gokshura may be beneficial in this area. When compared to a placebo, taking gokshura helped minimise menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, sleep difficulties, low mood, irritability, vaginal dryness, and reduced libido in women going through menopause. 

It may also aid those suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disease that affects up to 10% of women worldwide.  Treatment with gokshura greatly improved ovarian health in mice with PCOS when compared to a placebo, according to animal research. 

Test-tube studies also looked at the impact of gokshura on malignancies that are more common in women, such as breast and ovarian cancers. They discovered that gokshura extract inhibited tumour cell proliferation and spread.

While these findings are encouraging, additional human study on these areas is required. 

Other Potential Health Benefits 

Other health advantages have been linked to gokshura in studies. However, the evidence for them is either insufficient or non-existent. 

Inflammation may be reduced. Various gokshura chemicals, such as tribulusamide, have been shown to help reduce inflammation in test tubes and animals. 

It has the potential to reduce blood pressure. Gokshura may help lower blood pressure levels by blocking several enzymes involved in blood vessel constriction, according to test-tube and animal research.  

It's possible that it'll help with the pain. Gokshura was proven to aid provide pain alleviation in animal research. 

Kidney stones may be treated. Gokshura may help prevent kidney stones, according to animal studies, in part because it has a diuretic impact. 

Testosterone & Gokshura 

Companies frequently promote gokshura as a testosterone booster. This is partly due to animal research showing that eating gokshura greatly increased testosterone levels in animals. 

Human studies, on the other hand, does not appear to back up this health benefit. For example, when participants took 200–1,350 mg of gokshura per day, a review of 11 studies, including 7 human trials, looked at the effects of the supplement on testosterone levels.  

Researchers did not find that it increased participants’ free or total testosterone levels  Similarly, consuming 1,500 mg of gokshura daily for 12 weeks did not boost free or total testosterone levels in 180 males. It did, however, help with sexual function and erectile dysfunction. In other words, whereas gokshura appears to increase testosterone levels in animals, it does not appear to have the same impact on humans.

Body composition, Gokshura & Exercise Performance

Gokshura is frequently marketed as a dietary supplement to boost exercise performance, recuperation, and muscle mass. This is most likely due to gokshura's propensity to increase testosterone levels. However, there is a lot of conflicting and inconclusive studies in this area. 

A 5-week study of 22 professional rugby players concluded that consuming 450 mg of gokshura pills daily had no effect on muscle mass, strength, or fat loss when compared to a placebo. In a previous 8-week trial, 15 males were given daily doses of 1.46 mg of gokshura per pound of body weight (3.21 mg per kg). When compared to a placebo, this treatment had no effect on body weight, the muscular mass, or strength. 

10-week research in 15 male boxers found that consuming 1,250 mg of gokshura daily during training weeks had no effect on muscle mass or testosterone levels when compared to a placebo.  

During high-intensity training, however, the supplement appeared to prevent muscle damage and improve anaerobic exercise performance. 

In short, there is still a lot more research to be done on gokshura and its ability to affect exercise performance. It could help with high-intensity exercise. To fully comprehend this potential effect, scientists must do more human studies in this area.  

Take Away

Tribulus Terrestris, often known as gokshura, is a staple in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. According to research, gokshura may have a variety of health benefits. It contains antioxidant effects, for example, and may increase libido, lower blood sugar, help women's health, lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, remove kidney stones, and relieve pain. 

However, there are very few studies on its impact on testosterone production. Despite the fact that many individuals take it, for this reason, several studies have discovered that it does not raise levels in persons. More research into gokshura and its many potential benefits is needed.