Fenugreek Capsules

Why Should I Take Fenugreek?

From embalming mummies to the “maple syrup event” which made all of New York City smell like maple syrup, fenugreek has quite an extensive and storied history! Today, fenugreek is often seen as top choice amongst androgen boosters, in part due to its content of protodioscin, which is also found in Tribulus terrestris. However, it seems that most fenugreek extracts, up until now, have perhaps missed the most exciting compound it contains, trigonelline!

Trigonelline, a unique vitamin B3 (niacin) analogue, has been a compound we have been fascinated by for years. However, it has always been very tricky to get a hold of it. Thus, we decided to look towards the plant that gave trigonelline its name, Trigonella foenum-graecum, also known as fenugreek! Trigonelline has some very unique mood boosting properties, likely mediated through its dopamine releasing, NMDA antagonist and neuroplasticity enhancing effects. Couple this with the androgenic effects of fenugreek, and you end up with an incredible motivating mood boost!* Add to this positive effects on general fitness and metabolic function, and you’ve got quite a winner!*

What is Fenugreek?

Fenugreek, also known as Trigonella foenum-graecum, is a part of the Fabaceae family and has been used in traditional Ayurvedic, and Chinese practices for generations! Traditionally Fenugreek was used for cardiovascular function, metabolic function and for pain management. In addition to its effects on the body, Fenugreek is also used as a wonderful flavor in many dishes, most notably, curry! Thus, it is no surprise that in high concentrations, fenugreek has a distinct curry-like aroma. This aroma can be attributed to the presence of an incredibly strong aroma compound found in fenugreek called sotolon. The fascinating thing about sotolon is that in high concentrations it smells like curry, but in very low concentrations it actually smells like maple syrup. This led to a very bizarre event, in which almost all of New York City was blanketed in a thick aroma of maple syrup. Residents at the time believed that it was perhaps a chemical weapons attack, however, it was discovered that this mysterious maple syrup smell was actually coming from a facility which was processing large amounts of fenugreek seeds!

That all being said, sotolon is not a compound we are particularly interested in when it comes to the bioactive effects. Instead, we are after two distinct compounds, the first of which is a steroidal saponin called protodioscin which is also found in Tribulus terrestris and the second of which is an niacin analogue called trigonelline. Interestingly enough, trigonelline earned its name due to it first being isolated from fenugreek. The name then of course comes from the first part of its latin name, ‘Trigonella’. Our Fenugreek extract is standardized to a minimum content of 1% protodioscin and 3% trigonelline.* This is quite unique, because to our knowledge, this may be one of the first products on the market that has been standardized to a high concentration of trigonelline!

Fenugreek Benefits & Uses

• Brightens mood*
• Supports fitness*
• Promotes metabolic function*

An Ancient Mood Booster

One of the things that led us to fenugreek, was actually research we conducted during the development of DynaMAX. With DynaMAX, we were aiming to develop a caffeine stack which better embodied the effects of a nicely brewed cup of coffee.* In our experience, coffee had a more rounded and pronounced mood boosting effect when compared to plain caffeine, so we were figuring out different ways to replicate this. In order to do this, we looked at lots of different compounds contained within coffee, and a few stood out, amongst which was trigonelline. The reason trigonelline stood out was because it is a B-vitamin analogue, which in our experience, more often than not, produces some very interesting effects. There was also research at the time indicating it could enhance dopamine release and neuroplasticity, and a few years later a study even came out showing potentially significant NMDA antagonist effects. However, we were never able to get a hold of trigonelline, until we started looking into fenugreek and realized trigonelline was abundantly present in it. Thus, when fenugreek entered the pipeline, we made sure to standardize it to trigonelline!

When we first started taking our fenugreek beta-testing samples, the first thing that immediately stood out was the mood boosting effect, it wasn’t subtle!* The really unique thing about the mood boosting profile, is that it felt quite motivating, which is likely due to trigonelline’s ability to enhance dopamine release.* We were also beta-testing Tribulus terrestris at the same time, and could feel some similarities in the motivating aspect of this fenugreek extract, which seemed to extend beyond the classic dopaminergic motivation boost. Lo and behold, after some analytical testing, we found that this fenugreek extract contained quite a good amount of protodioscin (one of the primary bioactives in Tribulus terrestris) too. Going back and forth between fenugreek and Tribulus terrestris, we realized that they had a bit of a Jekyll & Hyde relationship. With fenugreek being the more light hearted Jekyll and Tribulus terrestris being the intense Hyde. So, if you are looking for a confidence, motivation and mood boosting extract, without the overt stimulating and aggressive effects of Tribulus terrestris, then fenugreek is a perfect fit.* Of course, it also has some nice libido boosting and fitness promoting effects, due to its protodioscin content!*

The bulk of the mood boosting effects seem to come from trigonelline’s unique effects on dopamine release, neuroplasticity, NMDA receptors, oxidation and inflammation.* Trigonelline appears to enhance dopamine release, upregulate brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), block NMDA receptors, and mitigate neuro-oxidation & inflammation.* When summed up together, this results in a very clear headed and nootropic mood boosting effect when taken acutely, and a more memory enhancing effect when taken longer term due to the neuroplasticity effects.*

Some other mysteries remain about fenugreek though, as there are other compounds contained in it which seem to quite nicely boost testosterone production.* Perhaps most interesting though, is fenugreek’s purported benefits on increasing the proportion of free testosterone, making it a great pair with other testosterone boosters such as Tongkat Ali, Cistanche tubulosa and Pregnenolone.* This is also where the metabolic effects of fenugreek come into play. Fenugreek, via its trigonelline content, can positively impact glucose and fat metabolism.* Combine this with the androgen modulating properties of fenugreek, and you’ve got an excellent fitness promoting extract!*

Fenugreek Stacks

The Mood Stack: Fenugreek + High Potency Saffron Extract Capsules

During our testing, we found that the mood boosting effects of fenugreek are significantly bolstered when combined with something that has a serotonergic effect. The combination of fenugreek and saffron certainly stood out though, as this stack doubles down on the NMDA antagonist effects, and potentially on the dopamine release effects, whilst rounding out the effects profile with some serotonergic activity.*

Next Level DynaMAX: Fenugreek + DynaMAX Enhanced Caffeine Capsules

One of the reasons trigonelline was on our radar was due to research conducted during the R&D phase of DynaMAX. Trigonelline was a compound we considered adding to DynaMAX as it was shown in a study to enhance dopamine release, especially in concert with caffeine. Thus, as a throwback, we decided to try stacking fenugreek with DynaMAX, resulting in a very nice, punchy mood boosting and energizing effect!*

The Fitness Stack: Fenugreek + Tongkat Ali Extract Capsules

Fenugreek has long been viewed as an excellent androgen booster, mostly through its activity on liberating bound testosterone. With this in mind, it makes perfect sense to stack fenugreek with one of the best testosterone boosters around, our tongkat ali 10% eurycomanone extract! Combine this with the protodioscin content of our fenugreek extract, and you even get a tinge of Tribulus terrestris-esque effects in the mix!*

The Metabolic Stack: Fenugreek + Berberine Phytosome Capsules

Berberine is well-known for its effects on metabolic function and makes for the perfect pair in a metabolic stack. Berberine activates 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) to promote the metabolism of glucose, enhancing cellular energy and blocking the synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol and triglycerides. When combined with Fenugreek, this is a well-rounded metabolic stack!*

Fenugreek Dosage

As a dietary supplement, take one 500mg capsule of Fenugreek daily.

Fenugreek Reviews

To gain more insight, see the Fenugreek reviews and experiences below.

Where to Buy Fenugreek

Nootropics Depot offers 60ct. or 180ct. jars of high-quality Fenugreek. Nootropics Depot’s Fenugreek has been lab-tested and verified for both product purity and identity.