Fenugreek - A Testosterone Booster That Does So Much More

The Fenugreek plant has green leaves, tiny white flowers, and pods that hold golden-brown seeds. ^[5] If you happen to run across a patch of fenugreek on your daily run, or in a neighbor’s garden, it may be easily misidentified as clover. The flowers and pods are that small. But trust me when I tell you they have nothing in common.

Even if you followed the brightest, most colorful rainbow all the way to a pot o’ gold where a magical leprechaun was sitting, and you ate clover out of his wee little hand, that clover wouldn’t come close to having the same medicinal and nutritional benefits as the fenugreek plant.

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Really, there’s no plant on God’s green Earth—magically delicious or not—that compares to the fenugreek plant.

Don’t believe me? Well, you’re in luck, because I’m going to break down all the benefits fenugreek has for we men while explaining how the ingredients in MTS Nutrition’s latest testosterone booster, Barracuda™, make its fenugreek extract even more powerful.

Fenugreek History and Nutrition

Across the pond in the Middle East, Asia and India are where the fenugreek plant calls home. And that’s where it has been used for its medicinal benefits, in the form of oil and powder, for a long, long time. I’m talking centuries. ^[1]

Since then, it has found its way over to the states.

Need proof? Look at the ingredient label on the soap and shampoo you’re using; some form of the fenugreek plant may be in there. It’s also used all over the world to this day as a spice to enhance flavor and to thicken up many typical dishes. ^[5]

There’s a good reason, aside from taste, why people use fenugreek in their meals. There’s a lot of nutritional value in such a small package: Just one tablespoon of whole fenugreek seeds has 35 calories including three grams of fiber, three grams of protein, six grams of carbs, one gram of (good) fat, 20% of your daily recommended iron intake, 7% of your manganese and 5% of your magnesium. ^[5]

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties

It’s all about reducing oxidation and inflammation in the body these days. The healthy chemical compounds—trigonelline, saponin, flavonoids, polyphenols, and polyunsaturated fats—found in fenugreek do just that. ^[1]

Flavonoids and Polyphenols

These antioxidants are powerful and are usually found in veggies and other plant-based foods that have been proven to improve your cardiovascular system, erectile dysfunction and even limit the risk for Parkinson’s and heart disease.

And as you get older, it helps your cognitive abilities while helping you live as long as you possibly can—something we all want, right? But they’re not only powerful antioxidants; they reduce inflammation in your cells, too. ^[1]

Trigonelline

This plant hormone helps stave off diabetes and central nervous system diseases. Like flavonoids and polyphenols, it’s an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. When tested on rodents it improved their memory while reducing cognitive decline and learning impairments. ^[1]

Polyunsaturated Fats

These are the good fats. When part of a healthy diet they can do wonders for your body. They’re good for the heart and reducing bad cholesterol. They also reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure. ^[1]

Saponin

This phytochemical is also found in plant-based foods. (Starting to see a trend here?) Out of the five compounds discussed here, these are the most mysterious when it comes to what they can actually do for us.

There are some preliminary studies that show anti-inflammatory properties because they trigger the release of cytokines, which are anti-inflammatory molecules. They may even attack cholesterol in a way that really benefits the body. ^[1]

Antioxidant? Check. Anti-inflammatory? Double check. Why do we care?
Well, oxidation and inflammation have been linked to cancer. What about free radicals you may be asking yourself? Fenugreek has got you covered. In vitro studies, fenugreek has been shown to protect cellular structure from free radicals. ^[1]

Exercise Performance

Alright, we’re getting to the good stuff now.

Fenugreek extract is used by many to increase testosterone. And as we know, increased testosterone can definitely improve your exercise performance and take you to the next level.

There are a few studies out there regarding exercise performance and fenugreek. One has shown increased strength in leg press and bench press performance. Another has shown significant improvement in resistance training, upper and lower body strength more specifically. When used with other supplements, like creatine, it has helped with absorption and utilization. ^[1]

MTS Nutrition’s Barracuda has an ingredient called Testosurge™. It’s the leading form of fenugreek extract on the market today. And it is kickass. It reduces body fat percentage, increases testosterone and promotes healthy aromatase levels, which plays a big part in balancing your estrogen and testosterone. And that means more muscle growth and fat loss. ^[2][7]

Sold on fenugreek already? Don’t go ripping off your neighbor’s garden just yet. We’re off to a good start, sure, but there’s much more to discuss.

In fact, there’s so much to discuss that I’m going to make it a little easier to follow by plotting out a journey through the body, stopping a few times along the way to discuss how fenugreek benefits those specific areas.

Alright, from the top down, hands up, here we go!

Baldness

Thinning hair or hair loss is something a lot of us must deal with as we age. Some of the time-consuming treatments out there include pills, ointments, shampoos, lasers, headgear and a slew of other applications that will quickly have you embracing your inevitable cue-ball look.

Good news though. A few studies out there do suggest that fenugreek may help with hair loss as well as producing new hair. ^[1]

In my opinion, this is a bonus when taking fenugreek. But if it’s a significant decider in your choice to bring fenugreek into your diet, keep this in mind: MTS Nutrition’s Barracuda has an ingredient called D-Aspartic Acid that helps with the production of the follicle-stimulating hormone. ^[2][8] Cue the wind fan; get ready for your close up.

Brain Health

The next stop on our full, body-scan journey is at the most complicated organ in our body: The brain.

There are many neurological conditions that affect the brain, like depression and Parkinson’s, but probably one of the most well-known is Alzheimer’s. Some rodent studies out there show that fenugreek seed powder fights the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s and the main reason why the disease affects us: plaque formation. ^[1]

Research on fenugreek and the effect on the brain is still ongoing, but there is initial proof that it can aid and strengthen the brain—a benefit similar to what Macapure™ Maca Extract, an ingredient found in Barracuda, can do.

Macapure Maca Extract works as an adaptogen to reduce stress and improve memory and learning and, of course, brain performance. In addition to that, it boosts fertility and sex drive in men, too. ^[2][9]

High Cholesterol

As we know, there’s good and bad cholesterol and bad cholesterol could lead to a heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, a condition called atherosclerosis that narrows and hardens the arteries and dementia. ^[1][3]

Fenugreek may not be able to increase good cholesterol, but it fights the bad, LDL cholesterol, and that’s half the battle. And the way it fights that bad cholesterol is with the polyunsaturated fats it’s made up of. ^[1]

Heartburn

OK, your heart isn’t really burning, but damn, if you suffer from heartburn you know at times it can sure feel like it is. But heartburn isn’t just a discomfort or annoyance. It can lead to many health problems like ulcers and esophageal cancer if left untreated.

So, if you’re popping antacids like Tic Tacs, maybe it’s time to try fenugreek. There’s a study out there that proves fenugreek can reduce the symptoms of frequent heartburn. It was so effective that it held its own against antacid medications. ^[5]

Blood Sugar

Let’s hang out at the heart for a bit longer before we move on because fenugreek really thrives in this area. What’s the heart’s primary function? Pumping blood. And what’s in our blood? Glucose.

Blood sugar level can affect a lot of things including your mood. Ever wonder why some people are cranky when they first wake up? Well, it could be their commute, or their job, or maybe even their dog’s bad breath, but chances are it’s because our glucose levels are super low in the morning. ^[4] It’s also very important to how your body functions on a day to day basis. ^[1]

And if you’re a person living with Diabetes, fenugreek, when eaten with a meal, slows the absorption of sugars in the stomach. It also stimulates insulin, which lowers blood sugar. ^[1]

Upset Stomach

OK. Here we go, moving right along to the stomach. No, not your washboard abs or those tight obliques. I’m talking about what’s on the inside: Your gut.

You’re a guy. You know the exact status of your stomach at every waking second of the day. You know when it’s doing good or bad, but you may not know why it’s in the current state it’s in. It has to do with gut microbiome.

Think of gut microbiome as a little village of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract. In that village, there are good and bad bacteria. Your lifestyle determines how much good or bad bacteria is in your gut.

If your diet and workout schedule are less than stellar, the baddies are setting up camp. Smoking, drinking, and misuse of antibiotics can also help greet the bad boys with open arms into your little gut village. And when your bacteria gut balance it out of whack, it can lead to some problems: nausea, gas, and bowel irregularity. ^[1]

Fenugreek seed supplementation has proven to help rodent gut microbiome. The verdict is still out on how it helps human gut microbiome, but the fiber content of fenugreek seeds has shown to help with constipation. No one wants to be constipated. ^[1]

Weight Loss

If you’re looking to lose that spare tire before bikini season, fenugreek could be just what you need.

Fenugreek seed extract can reduce daily fat intake in guys that are overweight. It doesn’t help with weight, appetite or fullness, but fenugreek fiber (4 to 8 grams) added to breakfast seems to make guys feel fuller and less hungry at lunchtime. ^[5] So maybe it’ll be easier to make healthier choices when your next power lunch finds you at Buffalo Wild Wings.

And get this: If you combo fenugreek with L-Carnitine, like Barracuda does, you get some serious fat burning going on. ^[2][10]

Male Infertility

OK. We’re moving right along from the gut to your reproductive health. Fenugreek seeds help in this area too. They help with sperm count (more is better), ED, and low sex drive. Fenugreek supplements may help increase free testosterone as well, which is why Barracuda is so damn effective. ^[1]

Barracuda has an ingredient called Safed Musli. Safed what now? It’s an adaptogenic herb that’s been used for a long time as an aphrodisiac. This herb helps your body create more little swimmers and helps with the strength of your erection while lowering stress. ^[2][11][12] Harder erections and less stress? Yes, please!

Ways to Prepare Fenugreek

Fenugreek leaves and seeds have been used in kitchens and for medicinal purposes for centuries. In India, it’s used in a popular blend of spices called Garam Masala. Fenugreek leaves are also simply eaten as a veggie. ^[1]

What does it taste like? Maple syrup. Who doesn’t like syrup? The leaves can also be used in everyday dishes like stir fry, curry, and salads. You can also dry those leaves out and use them, and the seeds, in soups, baked goods and roasted meats for a tasty little dry rub. ^[1]

But life happens, and sometimes we don’t have the time to whip up a culinary masterpiece. That’s why supplementation is sometimes the best way to get what we need nutritionally. It’s always best to get your vitamins and compounds from whole foods because they all work together to make sure your body gets all the goodness.

MTS Nutrition thought of this when creating Barracuda. They added Bioperine, a black pepper extract. But this isn’t for taste; it’s to make sure your body absorbs all the good stuff that’s in the fenugreek and every other muscle building, healthy ingredient it has. Technically speaking, this extract ensures the bioactives in Barracuda hang around long enough in your body, so you reap the benefits. ^[2][13]

Fenugreek's Magic Revealed

We’ve been all over the place: over a magic rainbow, into our neighbor’s garden, and through the entire male body while highlighting the medicinal and nutritional benefits fenugreek holds in its leaves and seeds. And what a journey it’s been.
Fenugreek is a very powerful plant that can help:

• Reduce oxidation and inflammation
• Increase exercise performance
• Stimulate hair growth
• Improve brain health
• Fight bad cholesterol
• Treat heartburn
• Balance blood sugar levels
• Sooth an upset stomach
• Curb your appetite
• Improve sex drive and low sperm motility

All this and it can even spice up a bland dish. One thing that stands out about the fenugreek is how it can help other supplements, and nutrients work even better. And that’s precisely the thought process behind Barracuda, MTS Nutrition’s testosterone booster.

MTS took Testosurge, the leading fenugreek extract on the market, and included a slew of other powerful ingredients that boost the magical benefits of fenugreek.

So, slap down your laptop, go chew on a fenugreek leave, toss some seeds in your dinner tonight and if you really want to reap the benefits of everything fenugreek has to offer, grab a bottle of Barracuda.

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