Puncture vine

Puncture vine, scientifically called Tribulus terrestris, is one of the few herbs that historically originated in Europe and it’s documented to have been used for over a thousand years. Puncture vine grows in most parts of the world partly because it a very hardy plant, surviving and even thriving in harsh conditions that few other plants survive, especially deserts. For those who have encountered puncture vine, most find it an annoyance and even very painful due to its sharp thorny seeds that easily puncture bicycle tires, get stuck in shoes (allowing it to easily spread to other areas), and especially stepped on by bare feet. In fact it has been used by African tribes as a weapon by rubbing its seeds with poison and spreading those seeds in areas likely to be roamed by that tribe’s enemies.

Puncture vine’s use is very wide spread throughout Europe, specifically for erectile dysfunction problems. Puncture vine works by increasing production of luteinising hormone which in turn causes more testosterone to be naturally produced by the body. The increase in testosterone has made it a recent addition to an athlete’s diet allowing for more stamina and strength. Although puncture vine is researched through-out several studies perhaps the most famous is the Bulgarian study that showed a significant increase in testosterone of males who had fertility issues. More recent studies blur the picture some because there are studies that confirm the increase in testosterone, some even finding that puncture vine was able to outperform its prescription counterparts. Other studies show no increase whatsoever. Obviously much more still needs to be learned about this plant especially the conditions required for its sexual enhancing properties to be released. On a side note, all studies done on animals treated with puncture vine show a significant increase in testosterone. Perhaps it’s a dosage issue and may require a significant amount of puncture vine to be consumed in order for its healing properties to be released.

As with any ingested product, side effects must be considered. Puncture vine has no known medicine interactions and only rarely a minor upset stomach has been reported, which usually can be avoided if puncture vine is consumed with or after food. Even more rarely, some men have reported increased breast size in those suffering from such a condition already.