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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Herb

Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean)

Natural L-DOPA source studied for Parkinson's, libido, and fertility.

Male FertilityLibido & Sexual HealthBrain & Cognitive

Overview

Natural L-DOPA source studied for Parkinson's, libido, and fertility.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Mechanism of action

      L-DOPA precursor crosses BBB to raise dopamine; modulates prolactin.

      Pathways

        Effects on the body

        Organ system effects

        Evidence-based benefits

        Improves seminal parameters in subfertile men

        Moderate evidence

        Improves Parkinson's motor symptoms

        Strong evidence

        Potential side effects

        Common
        • · Nausea
        • · Insomnia
        Rare
        • · Dyskinesia at high dose
        Serious

          Drug interactions

          MAOIs
          Hypertensive crisis risk.
          severe
          Antipsychotics
          Antagonism.
          moderate

          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)

          Supplement interactions

          Pairs well with

          None listed.

          Avoid combining with

          No specific avoidances listed.

          Dosing & bioavailability

          Typical dose
          5 g standardized to 15% L-DOPA
          With food?
          Empty stomach

          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
          Mucuna Pruri…
          Amazon
          Wide selection · fast shipping
          Herb
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          iHerb
          Global delivery · curated brands
          Herb
          Mucuna Pruri…
          Thorne
          Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

          Scientific evidence (9)

          RCTFertil Steril · 2009

          Mucuna pruriens for male infertility

          Shukla KK, et al.

          3-month trial in 75 infertile men.

          Key findings

          Increased sperm concentration, motility, and testosterone vs baseline.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) — Improves seminal parameters in subfertile men

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) Improves seminal parameters in subfertile men" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) and "Improves seminal parameters in subfertile men". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) — Improves Parkinson's motor symptoms

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) Improves Parkinson's motor symptoms" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) and "Improves Parkinson's motor symptoms". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) — randomized controlled trial

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) — meta-analysis

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) — pharmacokinetics

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) — safety adverse events

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) — dose response

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

          Google Scholar: Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) — clinical evidence

          Live Scholar search

          Cross-database citation index for Mucuna Pruriens (Velvet Bean) 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.