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Fen7.5
Fenugreek Research
Likely helpsHigh safety
47 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Likely helps
Fenugreek appears to help in 11 of 12 studies with measurable effects — the evidence leans clearly favourable.
Most evidence is from high-quality meta-analyses and randomised trials published 2007–2025 with a typical study size of 82 participants.
Based on 47 studies · 20 meta-analyses · 13 RCTs · 13,631 total participants
Confidence
High
What the studies found
11helped1unclear· 35 more without graded effect data
Women's healthMay help manage menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes · 4-8 weeks · Supports healthy estrogen metabolism and hormonal equilibrium · 4-8 weeks · May help reduce menstrual discomfort and PMS symptoms · 1-3 cycles
Likely helps14 studies
Men's vitalityInhibits aromatase and 5-alpha reductase to modulate testosterone · 4-8 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational6 studies
Cholesterol & lipids
Mostly mechanism / observational6 studies
Heart & blood pressure
Mostly mechanism / observational5 studies
Safety profile
Mostly mechanism / observational4 studies
Therapeutic & clinical
Mostly mechanism / observational3 studies
Muscle strength & powerModest increase in testosterone and libido · 4-8 weeks
Too few graded studies1 study
InflammationImproved blood sugar control · 4-12 weeks
Too few graded studies1 study
By the numbers
Pulled from 30 studies with measurable effects
Likely real effects
54%
across studies
People studied
14k
typical study: 82 people
Strongest designs
33
20 pooled, 13 randomised
Showed benefit
92%
11/12 studies
How long studies ran
1–3 months
4
3+ months
1
Populations Studied
Adults4
Men3
Type 2 diabetes patients2
Diabetes patients1
Active research area
24 studies in the last 5 years · Latest meta-analysis: 2024
200720162025
1Fasting blood glucoseMeta-AnalysisCited 10×n=3,130 · very large study2023
Several herbs could be considered as a valuable adjuvant therapy regarding glycemic control of type 2 diabetes patients.
Kumar S et al. · Diabetes & metabolic syndrome (2023)
Huge benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -28.99), cinnamon (-9.73), curcumin (-13.15), and fenugreek (-19.64) significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG) compared with placebo (all p < 0.05).
Notably, only ACV (SMD = -2.10) and fenugreek seeds (0.84) were found significantly effective in reducing HbA1C.
Several herbs could be considered as a valuable adjuvant therapy regarding glycemic control of type 2 diabetes patients.
2Fasting blood glucoseMeta-AnalysisCited 22×n=894 · large study2023
Given the wider availability and lower cost of fenugreek, rigorous double-blinded randomized controlled trials should be conducted with fenugreek to understand its true potential as a diabetes control herbal agent.
Shabil M et al. · Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) (2023)
No clear effect
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Could be chance
The mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated to represent the analysis.
The results showed a reduction in fasting blood glucose levels (MD: 3.70, 95% CI of -27.02, 19.62; p = 0.76), postprandial blood glucose (MD: -10.61, 95% CI of -68.48, 47.26; p = 0.72), and HbA1c (MD: -0.88, 95% CI -1.49, -0.27; p = 0.00) with fenugreek consumption.
Fourteen trials, consisting of 894 participants, were included in the meta-analysis.
3Dysmenorrhoea symptomsMeta-AnalysisCited 69×n=3,101 · very large study2016
There is no high quality evidence to support the effectiveness of any dietary supplement for dysmenorrhoea, and evidence of safety is lacking.
Pattanittum P et al. · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2016)
Supplements versus other supplementsThere was no evidence of a difference in effectiveness between ginger and zinc sulphate (MD 0.02 points, 95% CI -0.58 to 0.62; one RCT, 101 women).
Vitamin B1 may be more effective than fish oil (MD -1.59 points, 95% CI -2.25 to -0.93; one RCT, 120 women).
There is no high quality evidence to support the effectiveness of any dietary supplement for dysmenorrhoea, and evidence of safety is lacking.
6Anabolic and performance effectsMeta-AnalysisCited 3×n=449 · medium study2023
Seven studies with 449 participants (378 male, 71 female) met the inclusion criteria.
Isenmann E et al. · International journal of sports medicine (2023)
Seven studies with 449 participants (378 male, 71 female) met the inclusion criteria.
The meta-analysis shows that chronic application of fenugreek has performance-enhancing and anabolic effects in male athletes, but no statements can be made for female athletes.Thieme.
7Testosterone concentrationsSystematic ReviewCited 28×n=32 · small study2021
Overall, 9 out of 32 studies demonstrated statistically significant increases in testosterone concentrations.
Smith SJ et al. · Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) (2021)
Overall, 9 out of 32 studies demonstrated statistically significant increases in testosterone concentrations.
Conclusions are moderated by the paucity of research for many herbs, the variation in dosages and extracts used, small sample sizes, and the heterogeneity of study characteristics.
Also, further research is required before definitive conclusions on efficacy and safety can be made.
The evidence presented in the current systematic review indicates that flour-derived foods intake is related to improve cardiometabolic risk factors parameters.
de Souza LVM et al. · Critical reviews in food science and nutrition (2024)
Chia flour, green banana flour, soy flour, and fenugreek powder showed improvements in blood pressure measurements.
Brazil nut flour and chia flour reduced total cholesterol.
Further high-quality studies should be conducted to establish the clinical efficacy of herbal medicines.
Correia AGDS et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR (2023)
Noticeable benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Could be chance
The mean difference (MD) and the standardized MD (SMD) were adopted, and subgroup analyses were performed according to patient's clinical condition.
Saffron supplementation reduced FBG (MD: -9.06 mg/dl; 95%CI: -16.25 to -1.86; I2 = 40%; p = 0.12) and HbA1c (MD: -0.19%; 95%CI: -0.23 to -0.14; I2 = 0%; p > 0.99).
Our results show that using saffron and fenugreek can reduce FBG, PPBG, and HbA1c; however, there are some shortcomings that require attention for these results.
10Weight reductionMeta-AnalysisCited 74×n=279 · medium study2020
High quality trials are still needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the plants in obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Payab M et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR (2020)
Huge benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Pooled effect of herbal medicines on obesity and metabolic syndrome were presented as standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI).
In addition, the intake of P. vulgaris and N. sativa resulted in a significant improvement in weight ([SMD]: -0.88, 95 % CI: [-1.13, -0.63]) and triglyceride ([SMD]: -1.67, 95 % CI: [-2.54, -0.79]), respectively.
In addition, C. fimbriata, flaxseed, spinach, and fenugreek were able to reduce appetite.
11Breast milk productionMeta-AnalysisCited 31×n=122 · medium study2018
The NMA using pairwise comparison demonstrated the effect of C. amboinicus and palm date in the stimulation of the breast milk production was comparable and superior to all comparators.
Khan TM et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR (2018)
Noticeable benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
League tables were generated using treatment effect, weighted mean difference (WMD; 95% confidence interval, CI) for all pairwise comparisons, where WMD > 0 favors the column-defining treatment.
The NMA results of 4 studies indicated that consumption of fenugreek significantly increased amount of the produced breast milk [11.11, CI 95% 6.77, 15.46] versus placebo.
The pairwise comparison revealed that fenugreek was effective as a galactagogue compared to placebo, control, and reference groups WMD 17.79 [CI 11.71, 23.88].
12Pain intensity in dysmenorrheaMeta-AnalysisCited 1×2024
The results showed that the effect of fenugreek on pain intensity in dysmenorrhea is highly uncertain.
Hassanzadeh R et al. · Current drug research reviews (2024)
Huge benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Likely real
The results showed that the pain intensity caused by primary dysmenorrhea decreased with fenugreek compared to placebo (pooled result SMD: -2.21; 95% CI: -3.26 to -1.17; Z: 4.17; p <0.001).
There was no significant difference between fenugreek with mefenamic acid (SMD: 0.05; 95% CI: -0.57 to 0.67; Z: 0.17; p = 0.86) and fenugreek with Chandrasura churna (SMD: 0.06; 95% CI: -0.56 to 0.68; Z: 0.19; p = 0.85).
The results showed that the effect of fenugreek on pain intensity in dysmenorrhea is highly uncertain.
15Glycemic controlMeta-AnalysisCited 59×n=487 · medium study2011
The current evidence suggests that supplementation with Ipomoea batatas, Silybum marianum, and Trigonella foenum-graecum may improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetes.
Suksomboon N et al. · Journal of ethnopharmacology (2011)
Noticeable benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Likely real
Ipomoea batatas, Silybum marianum and Trigonella foenum-graecum significantly improved glycemic control, whereas Cinnamomum cassia did not.
The pooled mean differences in HbA(1c) were -0.30% (95% CI -0.04% to -0.57%; P = 0.02), -1.92% (95% CI -0.51% to -3.32%; P = 0.008), and -1.13% (95% CI -0.11% to -2.14%; P = 0.03), respectively, for Ipomoea batatas, Silybum marianum, and Trigonella foenum-graecum.
The corresponding values for FBG were -10.20mg/dL (95% CI -5.32 mg/dL to -15.08 mg/dL; P<0.0001) and -38.05 mg/dL (95% CI -9.54 mg/dL to -66.57 mg/dL; P = 0.009), respectively, for Ipomoea batatas and Silybum marianum.
17Breast milk volumeMeta-AnalysisCited 62×n=20 · very small study2020
Due to extremely limited, very low certainty evidence, we do not know whether galactagogues have any effect on proportion of mothers who continued breastfeeding at 3, 4 and 6 months.
Foong SC et al. · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2020)
Noticeable benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Only one study (metoclopramide) reported on the outcome of infant weight, finding little or no difference (mean difference (MD) 23.0 grams, 95% confidence interval (CI) -47.71 to 93.71; 1 study, 20 participants; low-certainty evidence).
Three studies (metoclopramide, domperidone, sulpiride) reported on milk volume, finding pharmacological galactagogues may increase milk volume (MD 63.82 mL, 95% CI 25.91 to 101.72; I² = 34%; 3 studies, 151 participants; low-certainty evidence).
Three studies (fennel, fenugreek, moringa, mixed botanical tea) reported infant weight but could not be meta-analysed due to substantial clinical and statistical heterogeneity (I2 = 60%, 275 participants, very low-certainty evidence).
Further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the plant.
Heshmat-Ghahdarijani K et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR (2020)
The pooled weighted mean difference (MD) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated and pooled using a random-effect model.
There were no significant differences in TC, TG, and LDL between pre- and post-fenugreek studies in the noncontrolled studies however, the result of combination of four studies without control group showed a significant increase in mean HDL (0.81 [0.33,1.29]; p-value = .001).