24-07-2012, 11:24 PM
Hi Karen,
Isn't there any orange dust at the bottom of the pot or the bag?
I stir one teaspoon of maca flour in water and drink it.
Hi GorgeousBlonde,
Fenugreek does a lot of different things, but none of them very strongly, so it's a relatively safe and easy herb to use.
The most important effect for NBE is the increase in prolactin: it's traditionally used as a galactogogue, mainly for horses. The increase in progesterone may be a consequence of the increase in prolactin. For me (186 lbs), 2,500 mg causes 1 cm of swelling after half an hour. After two hours, the swelling is gone.
Fenugreek contains a small amount of isoflavones, so it's slightly estrogenic. It contains much more diosgenin, and galactomannan. A few publications report a small increase of testosterone from low doses (500 mg), but the increase in estrogens is twice as high, and the increases in prolactin and progesterone are much higher. I use it mainly for prevention of estrogen dominance.
Fenugreek puts on weight. But because it increases insulin sensitivity, the weight does not go to the mid section. It goes mainly to the breasts.
Immediately after ingestion, fenugreek increases insulin. So it's hypoglycemic, and warming, because it turns the sugar into energy. If taken on an empty stomach, it should be followed by a meal with carbs. I once saw black before my eyes, because I didn't eat soon enough. Between 20 minutes and 1 1/2 hours is fine. Timing with respect to work outs is important too, but have little experience with that.
Fenugreek affects blood pressure too. Both upward and downward. I don't know which comes first.
Galactomannan is a fiber. So high fenugreek doses may cause some GI movement or even discomfort. In addition, fenugreek is a legume, so it may cause some gas.
I have taken up to 10, sometimes even 30 g for swelling on the day of the party. In some regions in India, people eat hands full of it for dessert. Those doses do not cause a stall, but because the effects on blood sugar are quite strong, one has to ease into it. Galactomannan absorbs a lot of water and forms a hard slime. It's important to drink enough water when using fenugreek.
Fenugreek has a strong, distinct smell as a topical. Some people write that when taken internally, it should also cause that smell. If not, they write, you're not taking enough. My dose is below that level, and I do have results. I grew fastest on 5,000 mg, and still grew on 2,500 mg too.
Fenugreek topicals for NBE are very effective and popular. But because of the smell and the color (yellow, hard to wash away), I would recommend wild yam for topicals, because it contains diosgenin too.
Because of the many effects, which are not simultaneous, fenugreek may cause confusing symptoms. Some people who have headaches from estrogen dominance, take fenugreek, and report the headache getting worse, probably because of low blood sugar and/or low blood pressure. These effects are temporary, though. Experimenting with timing is important for every use of fenugreek.
The weight gain from fenugreek may be too much of a good thing in some programs. Both estrogens and testosterone are anabolic, and estrogens may cause water retention. Added to this, the weight gain from fenugreek may be too much, certainly in combination with other weight gainers, like maca or saw palmetto.
Isn't there any orange dust at the bottom of the pot or the bag?
I stir one teaspoon of maca flour in water and drink it.
Hi GorgeousBlonde,
Fenugreek does a lot of different things, but none of them very strongly, so it's a relatively safe and easy herb to use.
The most important effect for NBE is the increase in prolactin: it's traditionally used as a galactogogue, mainly for horses. The increase in progesterone may be a consequence of the increase in prolactin. For me (186 lbs), 2,500 mg causes 1 cm of swelling after half an hour. After two hours, the swelling is gone.
Fenugreek contains a small amount of isoflavones, so it's slightly estrogenic. It contains much more diosgenin, and galactomannan. A few publications report a small increase of testosterone from low doses (500 mg), but the increase in estrogens is twice as high, and the increases in prolactin and progesterone are much higher. I use it mainly for prevention of estrogen dominance.
Fenugreek puts on weight. But because it increases insulin sensitivity, the weight does not go to the mid section. It goes mainly to the breasts.
Immediately after ingestion, fenugreek increases insulin. So it's hypoglycemic, and warming, because it turns the sugar into energy. If taken on an empty stomach, it should be followed by a meal with carbs. I once saw black before my eyes, because I didn't eat soon enough. Between 20 minutes and 1 1/2 hours is fine. Timing with respect to work outs is important too, but have little experience with that.
Fenugreek affects blood pressure too. Both upward and downward. I don't know which comes first.
Galactomannan is a fiber. So high fenugreek doses may cause some GI movement or even discomfort. In addition, fenugreek is a legume, so it may cause some gas.
I have taken up to 10, sometimes even 30 g for swelling on the day of the party. In some regions in India, people eat hands full of it for dessert. Those doses do not cause a stall, but because the effects on blood sugar are quite strong, one has to ease into it. Galactomannan absorbs a lot of water and forms a hard slime. It's important to drink enough water when using fenugreek.
Fenugreek has a strong, distinct smell as a topical. Some people write that when taken internally, it should also cause that smell. If not, they write, you're not taking enough. My dose is below that level, and I do have results. I grew fastest on 5,000 mg, and still grew on 2,500 mg too.
Fenugreek topicals for NBE are very effective and popular. But because of the smell and the color (yellow, hard to wash away), I would recommend wild yam for topicals, because it contains diosgenin too.
Because of the many effects, which are not simultaneous, fenugreek may cause confusing symptoms. Some people who have headaches from estrogen dominance, take fenugreek, and report the headache getting worse, probably because of low blood sugar and/or low blood pressure. These effects are temporary, though. Experimenting with timing is important for every use of fenugreek.
The weight gain from fenugreek may be too much of a good thing in some programs. Both estrogens and testosterone are anabolic, and estrogens may cause water retention. Added to this, the weight gain from fenugreek may be too much, certainly in combination with other weight gainers, like maca or saw palmetto.