BELTON, Texas—Trained athletes who add a fenugreek supplement to their regime may realize improvements in strength and body composition without side effects, according to a new study (J Intl Soc Sports Nutr. ePub 27 Oct 2010;7:34. DOI: 10.1186/1550-2783-7-34). Researchers from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor noted fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), a leguminous plant from India, has been promoted recently as an ergogenic aid; the study, supported by Pune, India-based Indus Biotech, sought to evaluate the effects of Indus’ Torabolic™ fenugreek supplement on strength and body composition.

The researchers recruited 49 resistance-trained men, who were matched into one of two groups according to total body weight and randomly assigned to receive placebo or 500 mg/d of fenugreek. Supplements were prepared for double blind administration and consumed once in the morning on non-training days and prior to a workout on training days for eight weeks. Subjects participated in a supervised four-day-per-week periodized resistance training program split into two upper and two lower extremity workouts per week for the eight-week intervention.

Significant group x time interaction effects were observed among groups in changes in body fat, leg press 1-RM strength and bench press 1-RM strength. Men taking fenugreek reduced their body fat percentage by 2.34 percent, likely related to a significant increase in lean body mass also observed in these subjects. There were no changes among the groups in any clinical safety data including lipid panel, liver function, kidney function and/or CBC panel; there were nonsignificant impacts on muscular endurance and hormonal concentrations, suggesting different dosages and extractions could exert an anabolic effect that could further enhance exercise performance.