Legacy AI grade · Sources dated 2026-07-25. Not expert reviewed. Coverage is limited to the listed sources. About the new summary workflow
Tribulus Terrestris for Sexual Function
Tribulus terrestris may modestly improve sexual desire and function in men and women already diagnosed with sexual dysfunction, but the supporting trials are small, low-quality, and partly industry-funded, so the evidence remains weak and far from conclusive.
Why this grade7-layer evidence engine
The signal is real but thin. A 2026 meta-analysis (PMID 40360723, 8 RCTs) found statistically significant gains in erectile-function scores (IIEF-5 MD 4.21; IIEF-15 MD 15.88), and randomized trials in women report improved desire and arousal, including a placebo-controlled trial in postmenopausal women with hypoactive desire (PMID 27760089) and a female systematic review (PMID 32736394, n=279). The benefit appears largely independent of testosterone, which is not reliably raised.
Study quality caps the grade at weak. A 2025 systematic review (PMID 40219032) rated half its trials low-quality and found only 3 of 5 erectile-dysfunction studies positive; the female review (PMID 32736394) graded overall certainty 'very low'; a key male RCT (PMID 28364864) was industry-funded by the maker of Tribestan; and one female RCT (PMID 34142638) lacked a placebo arm.
Authorities are unconvinced. EU EFSA authorizes no health claims and has flagged the herb for possible safety (CMR) concerns; the US FDA, NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Harvard Health, and the sexual-medicine specialty society (ISSM) are all cautious, calling the evidence mixed and insufficient. Guideline-backed options such as PDE5 inhibitors and lifestyle change remain first-line.
Scoring transparency
All scores computed by a 7-layer evidence engine — fully auditable▸View the full decision path (audit trail)
- compute_raw_score — 加權公式: L2×0.30 + L3×0.25 + L5×0.25 + L11×0.10 + L1×0.10 = 0.588
- tier_from_score — 依分數區間映射至 tier letter
- apply_hec_rules — 高品質 SR/MA 顯示 positive (2 篇 > 0 negative)
- tier_strict_requirement_check — | B→C 因 scope.conflation_risk=true 且 L11 獨評較低 (B7-2 tier cap)
- detect_disputes — 偵測到 0 個 hard + 0 個 soft dispute
- decide_status — 依 tier + dispute 結果決定 status