Fadogia agrestis
Fadogia agrestis is a West African shrub extract that surged in popularity as a testosterone and libido booster after being featured in podcast culture, usually stacked with tongkat ali. Its reputation rests almost entirely on a single rat study showing raised testosterone; there are essentially no controlled human data, and animal work also flagged testicular toxicity at higher doses.
01 Overview
The proposed mechanism is an LH-like stimulation of testicular testosterone production, based on a 2005 rodent study in which aqueous stem extract raised serum testosterone dose-dependently. That same body of animal work, however, reported signs of testicular damage at higher doses, which is a significant unresolved safety concern given the absence of human trials.
Despite this, standardised extracts are sold and widely used at 300-600 mg/day, typically alongside tongkat ali. There is no established human dosing, no human efficacy data and no long-term safety data. Anecdotal reports mention libido increases but also aggression and, worryingly, cases of liver-enzyme elevation. It should be regarded as experimental.
02 Mechanism
Quinovic-acid-glycoside-containing shrub extract proposed to stimulate testicular testosterone production via an LH-like action, based almost entirely on rodent data.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative trial dose | 100–300 mg/day | Oral | Lower, more cautious range some users adopt given toxicity uncertainty. |
| Common anecdotal dose | 300–600 mg/day | Oral | No established human dosing; this range is convention, not evidence-based. |
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increased testosterone (rodent)A rat study showed dose-dependent increases in serum testosterone; not demonstrated in humans. | animal only | Preclinical | |
| Reported libido increaseUsers report improved libido, consistent with its traditional aphrodisiac use, but no controlled human data exist. | subjective | Anecdotal |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testicular toxicityHigher doses in rodent studies produced signs of testicular damage; human relevance is unknown but concerning. | Severe | Uncharacterised | Preclinical | |
| Liver-enzyme elevationCommunity reports and self-tested bloodwork describe raised transaminases in some users. | Moderate | Anecdotal | Anecdotal |