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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Herb

Cistanche Tubulosa

Desert plant tonic for libido and cognition.

Libido & Sexual HealthTestosterone SupportBrain & Cognitive

Overview

Desert plant tonic for libido and cognition.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Mechanism of action

      Echinacoside and acteoside upregulate testosterone synthesis enzymes and exhibit neuroprotection.

      Pathways

        Effects on the body

        Organ system effects

        Evidence-based benefits

        Improves erectile function in aged rats

        Limited evidence

        Modest cognitive improvement in mild dementia

        Limited evidence

        Potential side effects

        Common
        • · GI upset
        Rare
          Serious

            Drug interactions

            No notable interactions reported.

            Safety & non-supplemental interactions

            Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

            Avoid if you are
            • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
            • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)
            Avoid with these conditions
            • ·Hormone-sensitive cancers (breast, prostate, ovarian, uterine)
            Avoid / monitor with these medications
            • ·Hormonal contraceptives, HRT, tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors

            Supplement interactions

            Pairs well with

            None listed.

            Avoid combining with

            No specific avoidances listed.

            Dosing & bioavailability

            Typical dose
            300–600 mg
            With food?
            With food

            Where to buy

            Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

            Herb
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            iHerb
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            Thorne
            Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

            Scientific evidence (9)

            RCTJ Alzheimers Dis · 2017

            Cistanche on cognition in mild AD

            Wang T, et al.

            48-week trial in mild-moderate AD patients.

            Key findings

            Improved MMSE and ADAS-cog vs placebo.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Cistanche Tubulosa — Improves erectile function in aged rats

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Cistanche Tubulosa Improves erectile function in aged rats" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Cistanche Tubulosa and "Improves erectile function in aged rats". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Cistanche Tubulosa — Modest cognitive improvement in mild dementia

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Cistanche Tubulosa Modest cognitive improvement in mild dementia" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Cistanche Tubulosa and "Modest cognitive improvement in mild dementia". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Cistanche Tubulosa — randomized controlled trial

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Cistanche Tubulosa randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Cistanche Tubulosa and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Cistanche Tubulosa — meta-analysis

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Cistanche Tubulosa meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Cistanche Tubulosa and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Cistanche Tubulosa — pharmacokinetics

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Cistanche Tubulosa pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Cistanche Tubulosa and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Cistanche Tubulosa — safety adverse events

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Cistanche Tubulosa safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Cistanche Tubulosa and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Cistanche Tubulosa — dose response

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Cistanche Tubulosa dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Cistanche Tubulosa and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

            Google Scholar: Cistanche Tubulosa — clinical evidence

            Live Scholar search

            Cross-database citation index for Cistanche Tubulosa as it relates to "clinical evidence".

            Key findings

            Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

            Open study
            Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.