Research suggests that Mucuna pruriens may support male fertility by improving sperm count, motility, and quality, while also helping to regulate reproductive hormones including testosterone, LH, FSH, and prolactin toward more favorable patterns. The evidence base includes several randomized controlled trials and clinical studies conducted in infertile men, alongside a larger body of animal studies, in vitro research, and narrative reviews, with the overall direction of findings being supportive across multiple study types. Studies indicate that antioxidant activity — specifically a reduction in oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in seminal plasma — may be one mechanism through which the seed powder exerts these effects, and two reviews of herbal supplements for male reproductive health identified Mucuna pruriens as among the better-supported botanical options for testosterone and sperm parameters. Limitations worth noting include that most human clinical trials have been conducted in India with relatively small sample sizes, one animal study flagged potential toxicity at higher doses, some improvements in sperm motility were incomplete rather than full normalization, and reviewers have cautioned that the overall magnitude of effect from any supplement on testosterone may be modest and should be considered adjunctive to broader lifestyle factors rather than a standalone intervention.
Citations from PubMed and preprint sources. Match score (0-100) reflects automated search ranking, not clinical appraisal.
| Title | Type | Year | Direction | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mucuna pruriens improves male fertility by its action on the hypothalamus-pit... | RCT | 2009 | Supports | 97 |
| Mucuna pruriens Reduces Stress and Improves the Quality of Semen in Infertile... | Other | 2010 | Supports | 95 |
| Effect of Mucuna pruriens on semen profile and biochemical parameters in semi... | RCT | 2008 | Supports | 95 |
| A proton NMR study of the effect of Mucuna pruriens on seminal plasma metabol... | Other | 2011 | Supports | 92 |
| In vivo evaluation of medicinal effects of Myristica fragrans, Cinnamomum zey... | Other | 2024 | Supports | 90 |
| Beyond tribulus (Tribulus terrestris L.): The effects of phytotherapics on te... | Review | 2019 | Supports | 90 |
| Effect of dietary inclusion of small quantities of Mucuna pruriens seed meal ... | RCT | 2019 | Supports | 88 |
| Assessment of reproductive function in male albino rat fed dietary meal suppl... | Other | 2019 | Mixed | 88 |
| Effect of Mucuna pruriens (Linn.) on sexual behavior and sperm parameters in ... | Other | 2012 | Supports | 88 |
| Nonpharmacological Interventions for the Management of Testosterone and Sperm... | Review | 2022 | Supports | 87 |
| Effect of Mucuna pruriens (Linn.) on mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA damage... | Other | 2013 | Supports | 87 |
| Efficacy of aphrodisiac plants towards improvement in semen quality and motil... | Other | 2012 | Supports | 87 |
| Mucuna pruriens seed repeals the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis disru... | Other | 2023 | Supports | 85 |
| Plants in the management of male infertility. | Review | 2020 | Supports | 85 |
| Polyherbal Therapeutics Mitigate CCl(4)-Induced Testicular Toxicity through M... | Other | 2025 | Supports | 82 |
| The Magic Velvet Bean of Mucuna pruriens. | Review | 2012 | Supports | 82 |
| A Systematic Review on Use of Medicinal Plants for Male Infertility Treatment. | Review | 2021 | Supports | 80 |
| An evidence-based approach to medicinal plants for the treatment of sperm abn... | Review | 2016 | Supports | 80 |
| A Comprehensive Review of the Therapeutic Potential of Mucuna Pruriens. | Review | 2026 | Supports | 78 |
| Assessment of sub-chronic, hematological and histopathological toxicities of ... | Other | 2015 | Supports | 72 |
| Antineoplastic Effects of Mucuna pruriens Against Human Colorectal Adenocarci... | Other | 2024 | Neutral | 58 |