Black Galingale

The anabolic steroid testosterone plays an important role in human health. Important for sexual maturation and reproductive fertility, it also affects many other bodily processes. Disease and aging often cause testosterone levels to decrease and produce deficiency syndromes. Prescription drugs, nutritional supplements, and behavioral changes can increase circulating testosterone. Although many substances enhance testosterone, these items may also cause unwanted reactions. Thus, people wanting to increase testosterone should first consult with their doctor.

Black Galingale

The herb Kaempferia parviflora, also known as black galingale, is a member of the ginger family. Traditional healers in Thailand use this herb for its anti-malaria and anti-fungal properties. Thai men take it to treat impotency due to its alleged effects on the reproductive system.



A report by H. Trisomboon and co-workers in the April 2007 edition of "Journal of Reproduction and Development" looked at the impact of Kaempferia parviflora on testosterone levels. One group of male rats received black galingale and another group received an inert treatment for five consecutive days. Relative to controls, rats given the Thai herb showed large increases in testosterone production.



This study tested castrated rats, and such results may not generalize well to healthy humans. Also, the long-term effects of Kaempferia parviflora remain unknown. People should, therefore, wait for additional research before ingesting black galingale.