IO Genix Tribulus

What is IO Genix Tribulus?

IO Genix Tribulus is a dry extract of Tribulus terrestris in capsules, enriched with vitamin B6. Two capsules provide 2,000 mg of extract, of which 1,800 mg are saponins, i.e. a 90% standardisation. The bottle holds 100 capsules, which comes to 50 days at the daily dose set by the manufacturer.

Tribulus, also known as puncture vine, is a creeping plant from dry regions, long used in the Ayurvedic and Chinese traditions. What interests supplement manufacturers are its steroidal saponins, and protodioscin in particular. Hence the importance of standardisation: an extract at 90% saponins has nothing to do with raw plant powder, where the content is measured in single-digit percentages.

This is the point to watch when comparing two tribulus products. A product advertising "1,000 mg of tribulus" without saying what percentage it is standardised to may contain ten times fewer saponins than this one. Here, the figure is printed on the label and can be checked. The rest of the Spanish range can be browsed in our IO Genix section, and the full category in our tribulus terrestris section.

What does a dose of Tribulus contain?

1,800 mg of saponins per day is a straightforward dose, at the top of what is offered in this category. Many products on the market stop at 500 or 750 mg of extract standardised to 40 or 60%, which gives three to five times fewer saponins for an equivalent number of capsules. If you are comparing two labels, that is the line to set side by side, never the gross weight of the extract.

The vitamin B6 is not there by chance, and it is the only ingredient in the formula that carries authorised claims in Europe. Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. These are the exact wordings of the European framework. At 1.4 mg, the daily dose covers 100% of the nutrient reference value, which is amply enough to qualify for these wordings.

As for tribulus itself, let us be clear: no health claim is authorised in Europe. Not for testosterone, not for libido, not for strength, not for muscle mass. The dossiers submitted did not succeed. And on the substance of it, the published work in healthy adult men does not show any increase in circulating testosterone. This is information most sellers in this category would rather not give; we prefer you to have it before you buy rather than after.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: the composition of the capsule shell is not specified, so it is not possible to state that it is plant-based. We will not infer it. The information appears on the packaging as received.

List of ingredients

Tribulus dry extract (Tribulus terrestris L., 90% saponins), bulking agent (microcrystalline cellulose), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride).

May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGG, MILK, FISH and SOYA.

How should Tribulus be taken?

Dose: 2 capsules. Liquid: a glass of water, 200 to 250 ml. Timing: 30 minutes before training, or split one in the morning and one in the evening with a meal. Frequency: two capsules per day, in one or two servings. Duration: a 6 to 8 week course, then one to two weeks off before any repeat course.

The manufacturer allows two possible dosing patterns and they are not equivalent depending on how you use it. Taken all at once before the session, you concentrate the dose; split morning and evening, you spread the intake across the day. If you have a delicate stomach, the second option is the right one: tribulus taken on an empty stomach sometimes causes digestive discomfort, and a meal solves the problem.

Duration matters more than timing. A two-week course makes no sense with this kind of plant: the manufacturer sets out 6 to 8 weeks, and that is the minimum needed to form an opinion. The 100-capsule bottle covers 50 days, i.e. a little over seven weeks — it is sized exactly for one full course, which is rather well judged.

The one to two week break between courses comes from the traditional use of the plant, not from any documented safety constraint. Above all it has the merit of forcing you to take stock: if you notice nothing after eight weeks, it is more honest to stop than to reorder out of habit.

Tribulus combines without overlap with a ZMA taken at bedtime, with maca or with fenugreek, which belong to the same category but are based on different plants.

Who is Tribulus for, and who is it not for?

The manufacturer restricts this product to adult men. That is a firm position, and it deserves to be respected exactly as it is written on the packaging.

It is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, nor for minors. It is not advised for people on medical treatment: tribulus is not an innocuous plant and the opinion of a doctor or pharmacist is essential before combining it with any medicine. People with allergies should note the possible traces of gluten, egg, milk, fish and soya.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the heart of this page. Tribulus does not build muscle. It does not raise testosterone in a healthy adult man — the available studies do not show it. It replaces neither structured training, nor adequate protein intake, nor proper sleep. If your goal is muscle mass, the money is better spent on a protein and on creatine monohydrate, two products whose effect on strength and mass is, by contrast, extensively documented.

It remains an interesting plant for anyone who wants to try it as part of a traditional use, with a standardised extract and a clearly stated dose. That is what we sell here: a dosed and transparent extract, not a promise.

Tribulus or ashwagandha?

The two plants often turn up in the same basket, and yet they do not answer the same logic.

Tribulus is a saponin-bearing plant, associated in the Ayurvedic tradition with male vitality. Its interest lies in the standardisation: at 90% saponins and 1,800 mg per day, this product is seriously dosed. But in terms of human data, the file remains thin.

Ashwagandha sits on different ground: it is an adaptogen, traditionally associated with stress management and sleep quality, and it is the more studied of the two plants. If your motivation is poor sleep or a demanding period, it is our ashwagandha section you should go to, not this one.

In which case is tribulus the better choice? When you are looking for precisely that plant, for a traditional use, and you want a highly standardised extract rather than a raw powder. That is a legitimate choice, provided you know what you are buying. For an intake of minerals linked to hormonal metabolism, zinc rests on authorised claims, which is not the case for tribulus — that is a difference in kind, not in degree.

Frequently asked questions

How many saponins per day with two capsules?

1,800 mg, from 2,000 mg of dry extract, i.e. a 90% standardisation. That is the only line to compare between two tribulus products. A product advertising 1,000 mg of extract standardised to 40% delivers only 400 mg of saponins, i.e. more than four times fewer for a similar-looking claim.

Does tribulus raise testosterone?

The published work in healthy adult men does not show it, and no claim of that kind is authorised in Europe. It is a plant of traditional use, sold as such. If you have a question about your hormone levels, what you need is a blood test and a doctor, not a supplement.

Why is there vitamin B6 in a tribulus product?

Because it is the only ingredient in the formula that carries authorised claims. Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. The 1.4 mg covers 100% of the nutrient reference value.

How long does one bottle last?

100 capsules, two a day: 50 days, i.e. a little over seven weeks. The pack size corresponds exactly to the 6 to 8 week course recommended by the manufacturer, which avoids having to reorder halfway through.

Can women take it?

The manufacturer explicitly restricts this product to adult men, and it is not advised for pregnant or breastfeeding women. We stick to what is written on the packaging. For use by women, turn to other plants in the category and seek the advice of a healthcare professional.

Should it be taken on an empty stomach or with a meal?

Both are provided for by the manufacturer. On an empty stomach or between meals if you tolerate it well, with a meal if you have a sensitive stomach — tribulus sometimes causes digestive discomfort on an empty stomach. The pattern of one capsule in the morning and one in the evening with meals is the most comfortable.

Can it be combined with a creatine or a protein?

Yes, without overlap: these are three categories that do not work on the same basis. If your goal is mass and strength, start with creatine and protein, whose data are solid, and treat tribulus as a traditional-use supplement that comes afterwards.

Where can I buy IO Genix Tribulus?

The 100-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we are happy to sell, but never without saying what the studies do and do not show — a customer who buys in full knowledge comes back, a disappointed customer does not. The rest of our plants and supplements can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.