Definition: "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance "
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11.08.2011 |
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Is fenugreek a growth hormone booster?
You probably know of fenugreek - scientific name Trigonella foenum-graecum - as an herb that should boost testosterone levels and improve the ratio of muscle to fat mass. Well, it might be that you'll be seeing the same fenugreek as a component in supplements that are supposed to boost growth hormone levels. Korean researchers at Yeungnam University discovered the effect when they did experiments with cells from rats.
Growth hormone & fenugreek
The activity of the pituitary increases if the hypothalamus - another gland in the brain - synthesises more LHRH and more GHRH.
The Koreans were looking for substances that stimulate the production of growth hormone as remedies for osteoporosis, muscle decline and other signs of old age. In 2007, 2003 and 2004 they published studies which showed that growth hormone production is boosted by glycyrrhizin and glycyrretic acid in Glycyrrhizae radix, 1-monopalmitin and 1-monlionlein in Astragalus membranaceus and puerarin in Pueraria thunbergiana.
Study
When the researchers isolated compounds from the extract and studied them individually, it turned out that two components were active: fenugreek saponin I (compound 1) and dioscin (compound 9). These boosted the growth hormone emission by a factor of 13 and 18 respectively, at a concentration of 20 micrograms per millilitre.
Unknown mechanism
The theory most posited is that fenugreek extracts boost testosterone production. Fenugreek does indeed do this, but not to the extent that you can expect to see the effects measured.
The Korean study helps explain the paradox. Fenugreek does work, but in a different way.
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