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Athletes love Puncture Vine! Because it is believed to increase the body's levels of testosterone, the herb is widely used to enhance Muscle cell growth and boost bodily strength. Lovers also love Puncture Vine! It is said to be the closest and strongest natural herbal alternative to synthetic hormones and believed to effectively treat sexual dysfunction and boost a slow Sex Drive. In traditional herbal medicine, the herb is also used to treat urinary disorders and lower Blood pressure and cholesterol.

History:
Puncture Vine is an annual, trailing vine that grows predominantly in India and Africa, but may also be found in other tropical areas of the Americas, Asia, and Mediterranean regions, thriving in sandy soil at higher altitudes. Puncture Vine's botanical name, Tribulus terrestris, is derived from Latin, meaning "thistle of the earth," referring to the spiked seed case that can injure feet, also explaining the plant's name, Puncture Vine.

It has been used as a medicine for five thousand years in India, and is still widely used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine for the treatment of sexual dysfunction and various urinary disorders. In the folk medicine of many areas, such as India, China, and Turkey, Puncture Vine has been used to treat sexual Impotence, Edema, abdominal distention, cardiovascular disease, and kidney problems. Some of the constituents in Puncture Vine include natural steroidal saponins (the active principles), ligninamides, glycosides, alkaloids, and flavonoids.

Beneficial Uses:
Puncture Vine is widely known as an aphrodisiac that improves libido in humans. There may be two reasons for this effect: It elevates the testosterone levels in the body (sometimes by more than thirty percent in just five days), which are thought to stimulate centers of the brain having to do with increased sexuality in both men and women, and as such, the herb is said to enhance arousal, desire, and quality of sexual performance. Another reason for this effect may be the herb's hypotensive effects, which lower Blood pressure and increase blood flow to the reproductive organs of both sexes. In men it is believed to improve the quality of erectile function and increase the concentration of sperm. In women it is believed to enhance libido and increase ovogenesis (egg manufacture).

As a diuretic, Puncture Vine is said to stimulate the flow of urine and believed to benefit the urinary tract and kidneys. Moreover, its reputed antiseptic qualities help to relieve Urinary Tract Infections and urinary discharges; and the increased urine flow also helps to flush the kidneys of impurities and may inhibit calculus and stone formation.

Athletes use Puncture Vine to increase Muscle mass and build strength. Puncture Vine is not a hormone in itself, but increases the natural production of the body's lutenizing hormone (LH) levels, which play an important part in triggering natural testosterone. The herb is thought to be a natural herbal alternative to synthetic anabolic hormones, without producing any ill effects. Its use is said to produce significant results in athletes, and these results first gained recognition when the herb was used by some of the highly successful Bulgarian weightlifting teams. Persons using Puncture Vine (or Tribulus), who have engaged in active training and workouts, reported both increased bodily strength, as well as faster recuperation and recovery from muscular stress.

Puncture Vine is a cooling, tonic herb that may also support cardiovascular health. In recent scientific tests, the herb has demonstrated an ability to lower high cholesterol levels in the blood, which frequently helps to lower Blood pressure and increase Circulation. This may reduce hypertension and the risk of strokes and heart attacks. It is interesting to note that Puncture Vine is widely used in the folk medicine of Turkey to lower Blood pressure and cholesterol.