Fenugreek is making the rounds of the healthy eating circuit, being advertised as the newest Superfood. While we don’t take claims of magical, perfect foods as cure-alls seriously, we do like to investigate the genuine health benefits of various foods.
Fenugreek is a herb that presents with white flowers and light green leaves. A member of the pea family, fenugreek presents seed pods that contain up to 20 small yellowish seeds with a very distinct aroma.
As said, we don’t take claims of superfoods seriously; however Fenugreek has been scientifically linked to a number of health benefits due to the compounds contained in its tasty, aromatic seeds.
Fenugreek Benefits For Men
Contents
1. Improved Digestion
Acid reflux, upset stomach, nausea; digestive troubles are one of the key indicators of poor health among men. Consistent churning of stomach acid into the throat (such as in GERD) can damage the lining of the esophagus, even potentially leading to cancerous growths.
Fenugreek has been shown to ameliorate digestive conditions such as heartburn and constipation. Digestive upset can reduce nutritional intake, so any diet that helps mitigate these effects is a plus.
2. Improved Libido
Virtually every plant or herb on Earth has been declared an aphrodisiac at some point or another. As a result, we’re somewhat skeptical when a product claims to enhance the male libido.
However, in the case of Fenugreek, controlled study has shown that incorporating Fenugreek extract into the diet can significantly improve the desire for sex.
Even more interesting is the fact that it can improve satisfaction with orgasms. Leave the strawberries and oysters aside, and spoon up on Fenugreek for that romantic spark you’ve been missing.
3. Improved Athletic Performance
Much of the hubbub about Fenugreek is its proposed relationship to testosterone formation and improvement in athletic performance. While the data is still being gathered regarding the link between Fenugreek and testosterone, there is some data regarding its effects in athletes.
Specifically, study shows a strong effect between Fenugreek consumption and Creatine uptake. Creatine is foundational in helping build muscle mass.
The study showed that Fenugreek added to creatine is just as effective, if not more so, than the traditional creatine + carbohydrate formulation normally used in these situations.
4. Improved Body Composition
BMI, fat ratio, body composition; each of these is a fancy term for measuring how fat you are for your size. The human body is a marvellous survival engine, and it wants to pack fat on your midsection because it thinks you’re still a savannah wanderer who might starve soon.
Scientific research on lab rats shows that Fenugreek has the potential to inhibit the formation of body fats. This could potentially be a huge breakthrough in dietary needs, because the results were achieved without observable negative side effects.
5. Improved Strength
Another study has shown that Fenugreek has a significant, positive impact on upper body strength. Again, these results were achieved with no significant demonstrable negative side effects.
Benefits Summed Up
In short, Fenugreek has a lot of potential benefits for males who want to live their best possible life.
It can potentially improve physical strength, digestive health, upper body strength, libido, and overall body composition.
It must be stressed that studies into these phenomena are only just beginning to take off, and further research may validate or contradict these claims. However, there is evidently a great deal to be excited about when considering Fenugreek or Fenugreek extract as a dietary additive.
Potential Side Effects
These results were noted as not having any significant negative side effects in the studies we’ve examined so far. However, any substance we put into our bodies potentially has side effects, so we dug a little deeper to be sure.
A good overview of the topic can be found at this article at WebMD.
Fenugreek is rated as “Likely Safe” when taken in normal dietary amounts. Adding the seeds as a topping or garnish to foods, for example, will probably provoke few effects. This holds true for grown men or for children.
The real potential side effects show up when Fenugreek is taken in medicinal amounts (i.e., significantly higher amounts than in the average diet) for periods of up to six months.
These include “diarrhoea, stomach upset, bloating, gas, and a “maple syrup” odor in urine.” (source WebMD).
These side effects do contradict the claims of Fenugreek being good for digestive health, though again it is for large amounts taken over an extended period of time.
Allergies are another concern. Men with allergies to plants in the Fabaceae family (which includes soybeans and peanuts) have a good chance of being allergic to Fenugreek as well, so proceed with caution in such cases.
Final Thoughts
Fenugreek shows some potentially strong indications of being a very healthy addition to the diet of most men. However, as with any dietary change, consult with your doctor and ask for their expert opinion before making this one.
