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Research · Supplements

Fenugreek

In people with diabetes, fenugreek seed lowered fasting glucose and HbA1c in pooled trials of mostly low quality. Lipids improved in a separate pooling. A 2026 meta-analysis found a small rise in total testosterone at very low certainty, and no change in free testosterone. Case reports describe a warfarin interaction and severe allergy.

Add to Bio HackChecked 2026-11-09
Status
Dietary supplement and food spice in the US.
Also called
Trigonella foenum-graecum, methi, Testofen, Torabolic, Trigozim, fenugreek seed, furostanolic saponins
Taken for
testosterone, libido, muscle strength, blood sugar, cholesterol, breast milk supply, appetite

Strong several reviews agree · Moderate one review or consistent trials · Limited one or a few small studies · Untested no study in people, listed with what it rests on

Shown to help5

Reported risks3

What people take it for, and what was found

Shown to help5

Strong

Blood sugar in diabetes

Shown to lower fasting glucose by about 1 mmol/L and HbA1c by about 0.85% in people with diabetes, only at medium or high doses.

The numbers and sources
Effect
Across 10 trials, fenugreek seed changed fasting glucose by -0.96 mmol/L (95% CI -1.52 to -0.40, I² 80%), 2-hour glucose by -2.19 mmol/L and HbA1c by -0.85% (95% CI -1.49 to -0.22, 3 trials). Significant effects appeared only at medium or high doses in people with diabetes [1]. A 2023 meta-analysis of 10 RCTs (706 participants) with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes also reported lower fasting glucose, 2-hour glucose and HbA1c, and no change in HOMA-IR [2].
Population
People with and without diabetes [1]; type 2 diabetes and prediabetes [2].
Sources
[1], [2]
Caveats
Most trials in [1] were of low methodological quality. The 2023 abstract does not report effect sizes [2].
Moderate

Blood lipids

Shown to lower total cholesterol and triglycerides and raise HDL in controlled trials, more in people with diabetes. Sources disagree on LDL.

The numbers and sources
Effect
Across 15 RCTs, fenugreek lowered total cholesterol (-1.13, 95% CI -1.88 to -0.37), LDL (-1.26, 95% CI -2.09 to -0.43) and triglycerides (-1.07) and raised HDL (0.70, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.34) compared with control. Effects were larger in people with diabetes [3]. The 2023 diabetes meta-analysis reported lower total cholesterol and triglycerides, higher HDL, and no change in LDL [2].
Population
281 people on fenugreek and 255 controls in controlled trials [3].
Sources
[2], [3]
Caveats
The sources disagree on LDL. The abstract of [3] does not state the units of its pooled estimates.
LimitedStudied in men

Testosterone

Limited evidence: total testosterone rose by a small amount in men, free testosterone did not change, and certainty was very low.

The numbers and sources
Effect
Across 6 placebo-controlled trials, fenugreek preparations raised total testosterone by a small amount (SMD 0.25, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.48, I² 0%), while free testosterone did not change (SMD 0.08, 95% CI -0.48 to 0.63). None of 13 studies was rated low risk of bias, and certainty was very low. The authors state the evidence does not support testosterone-boosting claims [4]. An earlier meta-analysis of 4 trials reported a significant effect on total testosterone without stating its size in the abstract [5]. In 95 men aged 40 to 80, 12 weeks of an extract did not raise plasma testosterone over placebo (9.0%, p = 0.122) but raised salivary testosterone (37.2%, p = 0.042) [6].
Population
Adult men [4][5]; 95 men aged 40 to 80 who completed a 12-week trial [6].
Sources
[4], [5], [6]
Caveats
The trial in [6] was funded in part by Vitas Ltd and PurOmega Ltd, and its product also contained essential nutrients.
Limited

Muscle strength with training

Limited evidence: 4 of 6 small trials reported gains in strength, lean mass or lower body fat with fenugreek extracts alongside exercise.

The numbers and sources
Effect
A systematic review of 6 RCTs found 4 reported gains in muscle strength, repetitions to failure, lean mass or lower body fat with fenugreek extracts. Of two small glycogen trials, one found faster resynthesis and one did not [7].
Population
Participants in 6 RCTs of exercise or sport [7].
Sources
[7]
Caveats
Narrative synthesis without pooled effect sizes. Two of the trials had fewer than 10 participants [7].
LimitedStudied in women

Breast milk supply

Small trials found more breast milk than placebo. In mothers of preterm infants, the day 7 difference was gone by day 15.

The numbers and sources
Effect
In a network meta-analysis of 4 studies, fenugreek increased breast milk volume over placebo (11.11, 95% CI 6.77 to 15.46). Coleus amboinicus and palm date produced larger effects than fenugreek [8]. In a 2025 trial of 68 mothers of infants born before 32 weeks, 500 mg three times a day from day 5 to day 14 after delivery gave higher milk volume than placebo on day 7 (p 0.017) but not on day 15 (p 0.073). Prolactin, infant weight and breastfeeding satisfaction did not differ [9].
Population
122 lactating women on fenugreek across 5 studies [8]; 68 mothers of preterm infants in Iran [9].
Sources
[8], [9]
Caveats
Few small studies, and the abstract of [8] does not state the unit of the milk volume estimate. The preterm trial lasted 10 days, and its day 7 difference was gone by day 15 [9].

Doses studied

The testosterone trial in older men compared 600, 1,200 and 1,800 mg a day of extract for 12 weeks [6]. Glucose effects appeared at medium or high doses of seed [1]. The review describes glycoside supplementation during 8 weeks of resistance training [7]. The preterm lactation trial used 500 mg capsules three times a day for 10 days [9].

Risks

Reported risks3

LimitedHow often is not known

Gut side effects

Small trials found mild gut side effects in some studies, with no liver or kidney toxicity or severe adverse events.

The numbers and sources
How common
How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
Effect
In diabetes trials, no liver or kidney toxicity or severe adverse events were observed, and mild gastrointestinal side effects appeared in some studies [2]. The older-men trial observed no side effects [6].
Population
706 participants in 10 RCTs [2]; 95 men [6].
Sources
[2], [6]
Caveats
Trials were short and not designed to detect rare harms.
LimitedHow often is not known

Interaction with warfarin

Case reports: INR rose in a woman on warfarin taking boldo and fenugreek, fell after stopping and rose again on restarting.

The numbers and sources
How common
How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
Effect
A woman on warfarin for atrial fibrillation had a rise in INR while taking products including boldo and fenugreek. INR returned to normal a week after stopping and rose again on reintroduction. The Naranjo algorithm rated the association probable [11].
Population
One case report [11].
Sources
[11]
Caveats
Two herbs were taken together, so fenugreek's share cannot be separated.
LimitedHow often is not known

Allergy

Case reports: two people had severe immediate allergy to fenugreek with wheezing, and both also reacted to chickpea.

The numbers and sources
How common
How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
Effect
Two patients had severe immediate allergy to fenugreek, one with wheezing and fainting after inhaling the powder and one with facial angioedema and wheezing after scalp application. Both had a peak flow drop of more than 20% on double-blind challenge with fenugreek and with chickpea [12].
Population
Two cases from a food allergy survey [12].
Sources
[12]
Caveats
Case reports. Cross-reaction with chickpea was seen in both [12].

Checked, no increase found1

Moderate

Liver enzymes

Liver enzymes did not change significantly across 16 controlled trials. Alkaline phosphatase fell at doses above 1 g a day.

The numbers and sources
How common
How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
Effect
A 2026 meta-analysis of 16 controlled trials (1,171 participants) found no significant change in ALT (-1.41 IU/L, 95% CI -3.07 to 0.26), AST (0.03 IU/L, 95% CI -0.12 to 0.18) or alkaline phosphatase (SMD -0.21, 95% CI -0.44 to 0.03). Alkaline phosphatase fell at doses above 1 g a day [10].
Population
Participants in 16 controlled clinical trials [10].
Sources
[10]
Caveats
Liver enzymes are a marker, not a count of liver injury. The authors call for trials in more uniform populations [10].

Claims tested and not found

  1. That fenugreek raises free testosterone. Pooled free testosterone did not change (SMD 0.08, 95% CI -0.48 to 0.63) [4].
  2. That fenugreek raises blood testosterone over placebo in older men. Plasma total testosterone did not differ from placebo after 12 weeks [6].

Sources

  1. Neelakantan N, Narayanan M, de Souza RJ, et al. Effect of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) intake on glycemia: a meta-analysis of clinical trials. Nutrition Journal. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-13-7
  2. Kim J, Noh W, Kim A, et al. The Effect of Fenugreek in Type 2 Diabetes and Prediabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241813999
  3. Heshmat-Ghahdarijani K, Mashayekhiasl N, Amerizadeh A, et al. Effect of fenugreek consumption on serum lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytotherapy Research. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6690
  4. Yang P, Niu Z, Guo J, et al. Effects of oral fenugreek-derived preparations on testosterone-related outcomes in adult men: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1903508
  5. Mansoori A, Hosseini S, Zilaee M, et al. Effect of fenugreek extract supplement on testosterone levels in male: A meta-analysis of clinical trials. Phytotherapy Research. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6627
  6. Lee-Ødegård S, Gundersen TE, Drevon CA. Effect of a plant extract of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) on testosterone in blood plasma and saliva in a double blind randomized controlled intervention study. PLOS ONE. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310170
  7. Albaker WI. Fenugreek and Its Effects on Muscle Performance: A Systematic Review. Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13030427
  8. Khan TM, Wu DB, Dolzhenko AV. Effectiveness of fenugreek as a galactagogue: A network meta-analysis. Phytotherapy Research. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5972
  9. Rouhi M, Hossieni MB, Khodaie L, et al. Investigating the Effectiveness of Fenugreek on the Quantity of Breast Milk and the Level of Prolactin in Mothers of Preterm Newborns: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Current Drug Research Reviews. 2025. https://doi.org/10.2174/0125899775313919240822102906
  10. Mohit M, Mahmoudizadeh M, Hashempur MH, et al. The Effect of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) Supplementation on Liver Function Enzymes; a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Clinical Trials. Health Science Reports. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.72960
  11. Lambert J, Cormier J. Potential interaction between warfarin and boldo-fenugreek. Pharmacotherapy. 2001. https://doi.org/10.1592/phco.21.5.509.34492
  12. Patil SP, Niphadkar PV, Bapat MM. Allergy to fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum). Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 1997. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1081-1206(10)63185-7

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