FENUGREEK

Overview Information

Fenugreek is an herb similar to clover that is native to the Mediterranean region, southern Europe, and western Asia. The seeds are used in cooking, to make medicine, or to hide the taste of other medicine. Fenugreek seeds smell and taste somewhat like maple syrup. Fenugreek leaves are eaten in India as a vegetable.

Fenugreek is taken by mouth for digestive problems such as loss of appetite, upset stomach, constipation, inflammation of the stomach (gastritis). Fenugreek is also used for diabetes, painful menstruation, menopause, polycystic ovary syndrome, arthritis, poor thyroid function, and obesity. It is also used for conditions that affect heart health such as "hardening of the arteries" (atherosclerosis) and for high blood levels of certain fats including cholesterol and triglycerides.

Fenugreek is used for kidney ailments, a vitamin deficiency disease called beriberi, mouth ulcers, boils, bronchitis, infection of the tissues beneath the surface of the skin (cellulitis), tuberculosis, chronic coughs, chapped lips, baldness, cancer, Parkinson's disease, and exercise performance.

Some men use fenugreek for hernia, erectile dysfunction (ED), male infertility, and other male problems. Both men and women use fenugreek to improve sexual interest.

Women who are breast-feeding sometimes use fenugreek to promote milk flow.

Fenugreek is sometimes used as a poultice. That means it is wrapped in cloth, warmed, and applied directly to the skin to treat local pain and swelling (inflammation), muscle pain, pain and swelling of lymph nodes (lymphadenitis), pain in the toes (gout), wounds, leg ulcers, and eczema.

In foods, fenugreek is included as an ingredient in spice blends. It is also used as a flavoring agent in imitation maple syrup, foods, beverages, and tobacco.

In manufacturing, fenugreek extracts are used in soaps and cosmetics.

Uses & Effectiveness

• Diabetes. Some research shows that consuming fenugreek seed, mixed with food during a meal, lowers blood sugar levels after the meal in people with type 2 diabetes. However, while taking 5-50 grams of fenugreek seed once or twice daily seems to work, lower doses of 2.5 grams don't seem to work. In people with type 1 diabetes, taking 50 grams of fenugreek seed powder twice daily seems to reduce the amount of sugar in the urine.
• Painful menstrual periods (dysmenorrhea). Taking 1800-2700 mg of fenugreek seed powder three times daily for the first 3 days of a menstrual period followed by 900 mg three times daily for the remainder of two menstrual cycles reduces pain in women with painful menstrual periods. The need for painkillers was also reduced.

Insufficient Evidence for

• Exercise performance. There are conflicting results regarding the effects of fenugreek on exercise performance. Some early research shows that taking 500 mg of fenugreek supplement (Indus Biotech, India) for 8 weeks decreases body fat and increases testosterone levels, but does not change muscle strength or endurance in young men. However, other research shows that taking 500 mg of fenugreek extract (Torabolic, Indus Biotech) daily for 8 weeks reduces body fat and increases leg and bench press performance in a similar group of young men. Also, other early research shows that taking 300 mg fenugreek chemicals (Fenu-FG, Indus Biotech Private Limited, Pune, India) each day might help men do more bench press exercises. But it does not seem to help them lift more weight or do more leg press exercises.
• Heartburn. Research shows that taking a specific fenugreek product (FenuLife, Frutarom Belgium) before the two biggest meals of the day reduces symptoms of heartburn.
• High cholesterol. There is conflicting evidence about the effects of fenugreek on cholesterol levels. Early research shows that taking fenugreek seed reduces total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol. But the effects of fenugreek seed on high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol and triglycerides are inconsistent.
• Breast milk production. There are some reports that taking fenugreek capsules or drinking fenugreek tea beginning shortly after giving birth can increase milk production in breastfeeding women. Fenugreek seems to help the most when it is started a day or two after giving birth. But not all research agrees. And some research shows that taking fenugreek is less beneficial than taking Indian borage or palm date.
• Male infertility. Early research suggests that taking fenugreek seed oil drops by mouth three times daily for 4 months improves sperm count in men with a low concentration of sperm. But taking the other parts of the fenugreek seed does not seem to have this effect.
• Weight loss. Early research shows that a fenugreek seed extract can reduce daily fat intake in overweight men when taken by mouth at a dose of 392 mg three times daily for 2-6 weeks. But a lower dose does not appear to have this effect. Neither dose affects weight, appetite, or fullness. Adding 4 or 8 grams of fenugreek fiber to breakfast seems to increase feelings of fullness and reduce hunger at lunchtime. But it's not clear if this increases weight loss.
• Parkinson's disease. Research suggests that taking fenugreek seed extract (Indus Biotech Private Limited, Pune) twice daily for 6 months does not improve symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease.
• Ovarian cysts (polycystic ovary syndrome). There are conflicting results regarding the effect of fenugreek for ovarian cysts. Research suggests that taking fenugreek seed extract (Goldarou Pharmaceutical Co. Isfahan Iran) daily for 8 weeks does not improve symptoms for women with ovarian cysts. However, other early research suggests that taking 1000 mg of a specific type of fenugreek seed extract (Furocyst, Cepham Inc., Piscataway, NJ) each day might reduce the size of the ovarian cysts and help to regulate the length of the menstrual cycle and time between having a period.
• https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-733/fenugreek