Velvet Bean Extract (Cowhage) – How Does it Work?

Velvet Bean Extract (Mucuna Pruriens, Cowhage) is a natural medicinal agent, most notably used in the Indian ayurvedic medicinal system.

It has been utilized widely across the Indian subcontinent since Vedic times (1500 – 1000 BCE).

Traditional uses for M. pruriens include as a treatment for male infertility, a libido enhancer and a remedy for various nervous disorders.

Today, it continues to be used to improve mood, enhance focus and boost sex drive. It is also taken by bodybuilders and athletes because it can increase energy levels, weight loss and lean muscle mass.

Velvet bean extract also has anti-parkinsons, neuroprotective, antidiabetic and antioxidant effects. The medicinal properties are attributed to the high concentrations of L-dopa found in the seeds of this plant. L-Dopa is a precursor to dopamine, one of the primary “feel-good” neurotransmitters.

L-dopa is utilized by both eastern and western doctors as a primary defense against and treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Research seems to indicate that natural L-dopa from velvet bean seeds is superior to synthetic L-Dopa and has a lower risk of side effects.

Mucuna Pruriens

Herbal Supplement

Mood

Nootropic

Body -building

How It Works:

• Elevates dopamine & norepinephrine
• Boosts mood, focus & motivation
• Improves stress response & libido

Dosage:

Between 500 - 1000 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

Top Mucuna Pruriens Products* ❯

View User Ratings* ❯

Velvet Bean Extract:

Traditional usage of Mucuna pruriens was mostly four nervous disorders and to promote vitality.

It was also used for its anthelmintic properties (kills parasitic worms) and as a prophylactic for snake bites.

In Ayurveda, ground velvet bean seed powder was used to treat Parkinson’s disease.

The seed pods of the Velvet Bean plant contain 3.6 – 4.3% L-dopa (levodopa), which is the natural precursor to dopamine. It gets converted into this neurotransmitter once it has crossed the blood-brain barrier.

By consuming Velvet Bean extract, you can effectively increase dopamine levels in the brain. This is known to restore neurotransmission efficacy, especially when dopamine concentrations have been reduced because of inability to convert tyrosine to L-dopa.

Parkinson’s is a degenerative disorder in which the brain can no longer use or make dopamine. This neurotransmitter also plays a role in accommodating muscle movements. When levels of dopamine are low or dopaminergic neurons become damaged or prematurely die off, the result is muscle tremors and impaired coordination.

Taking Velvet Bean Extract which contains L-Dopa has been shown to improve Parkinson’s symptoms in three different research treatments.

Velvet Bean for Bodybuilding and Mood:

Two of the most common uses of this compound are among bodybuilders and as a mood enhancer. Bodybuilders often take mucuna pruriens to increase energy levels, focus, and drive in a pre-workout stack. This supplement is also believed to stimulate increased metabolism by raising levels of dopamine.

It has also been linked to increased lean muscle mass and a reduction of body fat composition. However, most studies have looked at the effects of the ingredient L-Dopa on weight loss as opposed to using Velvet Bean Extract.

This supplement is also commonly used by individuals with low energy, feelings of depression, brain fog and difficulty focusing. It shows some nootropic benefits, namely increasing concentration and heightening energy and alertness.

It is an ingredient in a number of brain supplements, but there is limited research into this use. Temporarily raising dopamine levels should be able to lift mood in the short-term, but long-term use could result in a tolerance forming.

Anti-Diabetic Effects of Velvet Bean Extract

In murine tests, velvet bean extract has been shown to produce antidiabetic effects. It reduces spikes in blood-glucose levels for up to 8 hours after meals. The efficacy diminishes with time, to exhaustion.

7 different doses ranging between 5mg/kg and 100mg/kg of bodyweight were tested. Results showed corresponding decreases in blood-glucose levels ranging from 18.6% up to 55.4%.

Long-term supplementation with velvet bean extracts seems to be more effective at reducing blood-glucose spikes than short-term usage. This supplement may be helpful at controlling the symptoms of diabetes mellitus type II.

In another rodent test, 5mg/kg of bodyweight dosing over twelve weeks caused a 55.3% decrease in blood-glucose spikes following a meal. Short-term benefits (after one week) showed an 18.6% decrease.

Diabetes was not a prerequisite of this study, showing that the blood-glucose lowering effects also manifested in rats with normal health.

Velvet Bean’s Antioxidant Properties

Mucuna pruriens demonstrates strong antioxidant effects. Free radicals are generated in the body via various sources, including as byproducts of routine cellular metabolism.

ROS (radical oxygen species) are very attracted to free radicals and may easily become radicalized themselves.

Unregulated ROS synthesis and the peroxidation of lipids are known to increase the risk for premature aging and numerous diseases and adverse health conditions.

Several phytonutrient constituents of velvet bean extracts are known to slow down oxidative mechanisms. The phenolic acids, flavonoids and polyphenols in Mucuna pruriens scavenge free radical agents like hydroperoxide, peroxide, lipid peroxyl and others.

Velvet bean supplements may help to reduce damages caused by free radicals and thereby improve health generally.

Velvet Bean for Healthy Skin

Skin is the largest organ; measuring about 20 square feet per average human. Various exogenous agents attack the skin constantly; including UV radiation, tobacco smoke, smog, ozone and others.

All of these attacks can induce oxidative stress and cause various skin disorders including psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis and more.

These conditions are also associated with upregulated ROS production. Velvet bean extract shows strong promise for protecting the skin from oxidative damages and maintaining long-term health.

Antivenom Properties

For thousands of years now, velvet bean extracts have been used to treat snake bites. Research confirms that compounds in this extract can protect against the poisonous effects of certain snake bites. These effects are triggered by certain chemicals including proteases, cytotoxins, PLA2 (phospholipase A2) and cardiotoxins.

M. pruriens seems to be effective at neutralizing the effects of all of these toxic substances. Nigerian shamanistic doctors claim that when the seeds of M. pruriens are swallowed whole, the individual will remain protected against the bite of any snake for an entire year.

Conclusions

Mucuna pruriens is both a wholesome food source with more than 25% protein and a diverse medicinal agent. It is a source of oligosaccharides, protease inhibitors, cyclitols and various other important nutrients. It contains concentrated levels of L-dopa, a natural precursor to dopamine.

In research studies, velvet bean extract demonstrates antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, neuroprotective and other medicinal properties. While generally viewed as safe, there is limited information on the risk of adverse effects, particularly with long-term use.

Rate This Article

(7 votes, average: 4.71 out of 5, rated)