Supplement
Fadogia agrestis is a shrubby plant from West Africa whose stem extract has long been used in traditional medicine, though its role in the human body is not established. People mostly look at it for testosterone and sexual function, and rat studies found higher testosterone and more sexual behavior, though the evidence is very limited. Nothing has been tested in humans, and at higher doses the rats showed testicular tissue damage.
Sources: PMID 16281088; PMID 18023305
- Updated
- How we grade
- 2 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade D
- Conditions studied
- 0
- Outcomes
- 4
- Graded outcomes
- 0004
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
General
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sexual Function (Aphrodisiac Activity) Rat studies reported increased sexual behavior parameters (mount frequency, intromission frequency, ejaculatory latency) following Fadogia agrestis administration. These findings are limited to animal models with no human replication. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 2 studies | |||
Studies that measured sexual function (aphrodisiac activity) | ||||||
| Testicular Toxicity Risk In rat studies, higher doses of Fadogia agrestis caused adverse effects on testicular histology and function, including tissue damage. Lower doses (18 mg/kg) showed partial recovery, suggesting dose-dependent toxicity. Long-term effects remain unknown. | Worsens (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured testicular toxicity risk | ||||||
| Testosterone Levels In rodent models, aqueous stem extract of Fadogia agrestis produced dose-dependent increases in serum testosterone (18–100 mg/kg), with up to a 5-fold increase at the highest dose. No human studies exist to confirm any testosterone-elevating effect. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | ||||
| Liver and Kidney Stress Markers In rodent models, higher doses were associated with increased lipid peroxidation and decreased alkaline phosphatase activity, suggesting potential hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects. No clinical signs or organ weight changes were observed, but subclinical damage cannot be ruled out. | Changes; see studies | Small effect | ||||
Key findings
- Sexual Function (Aphrodisiac Activity)Improves (the measure goes up)
- Testicular Toxicity RiskWorsens (the measure goes up)
- Testosterone LevelsImproves (the measure goes up)
Safety notes in the studies
- In rat studies, higher doses of Fadogia agrestis caused adverse effects on testicular histology and function, including tissue damage.
- Lower doses (18 mg/kg) showed partial recovery, suggesting dose-dependent toxicity.
Studies cited
2 studies from PubMed