Curious about Tongkat Ali benefits for males? You’ve come to the right place.
Also known as Eurycoma longifolia, E. longifolia, or longjack, Tongkat Ali is a shrubby tree native to Southeast Asia. Many parts of the plant are used for different ailments. For example, Tongkat Ali root is traditionally used as an antibiotic, appetite suppressant, and aphrodisiac. More recently, the herbal remedy has been touted for its ability to boost testosterone and prevent ED.
But what does the research say?
Keep reading to explore the limited scientific evidence behind Tongkat Ali and find out whether this traditional medicine can improve intimate function, libido, male fertility, or other aspects of male intimate health.
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What Is Tongkat Ali?
You may have heard about the herbal medicine Tongkat Ali from men’s fitness blogs or podcasts. But Tongkat Ali has been around way longer than any fitfluencer.
Native to countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, Tongkat Ali is a flowering plant of the family Simaroubaceae. It contains various bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, alkaloids, and quassinoids like eurycomanone, that act as antioxidants. Antioxidants fight cellular damage caused by molecules called free radicals.
E. longifolia can be used as a powder or capsule and mixed with coffee to enhance well-being. A typical Tongkat Ali dosage is 50-200 mg, though different product labels may offer different guidelines.
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What Does Tongkat Ali Do?
The Tongkat Ali root extract has a long history in Southeast Asian folk medicine. It has traditional uses related to aging, mental health, intimate health, fertility health, and much, much more.
Some health conditions traditionally treated with Tongkat Ali include:
- Fever
- Malaria
- Diarrhea
- Dysentery
- Itching
- Aches
- Constipation
- Diabetes
- Intimate dysfunction
- Exercise recovery
- Weakness
- Bacterial infections
- Low energy
- Osteoporosis
- Swelling
- Syphilis
- Stress
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Tongkat Ali Benefits for Males
Though some studies suggest that Tongkat Ali may help men’s health issues like low testosterone, ED, infertility, and low libido, research on Tongkat Ali is limited, and much of it was performed on animals. We’ll share some of the health benefits of Tongkat Ali below, but keep in mind that more rigorous clinical trials are needed to confirm its efficacy and safety.
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Increased Testosterone Levels
Low testosterone levels can happen for several reasons, from medications and chemotherapy to something as simple as aging. Two effects of low testosterone levels include low libido and ED.
Does E. longifolia help testosterone production? Maybe.
Many clinical studies have looked at how Tongkat Ali’s male enhancement effects work by increasing testosterone levels in subjects with low hormone levels.
In one 2012 study, 76 of 320 patients with classic symptoms of low testosterone were administered 200 mg of Tongkat Ali for one month. At the end of the study, subjects taking the herbal remedy saw significant improvements in low T symptoms as well as testosterone concentration. Before treatment, only 35.5 percent had normal testosterone levels; after treatment with Tongkat Ali, 90.8 percent of the patients achieved normal values.
How does Tongkat Ali help users achieve more testosterone? Animal research shows that the quassinoids in Tongkat Ali, specifically eurycomanone, act as a testosterone booster by preventing testosterone from converting to estrogen. This can also have positive effects on male fertility by improving sperm production.
Though this research is promising, more extensive studies are needed to understand how and if Tongkat Ali can effectively treat low testosterone in human men. If the herb turns out to be a successful treatment, it has the potential to make a significant impact on multiple areas of men’s health, as testosterone plays a crucial role in regulating libido, arousal function, mood, muscle mass, and so much more. Until we know for sure, you should rely on proven testosterone therapies suggested by your healthcare provider.
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More Muscle Strength
Remember we said testosterone plays a crucial role in muscle mass? The hormone also contributes to muscle strength, and if Tongkat Ali can boost testosterone, it may boost your strength, too.
Along with boosting testosterone, research on Tongkat Ali supplementation shows that the herb increases muscle strength by acting as an ergogenic aid. This means the herb enhances energy utilization, production, and efficiency to support athletic performance and endurance.
One five-week, placebo-controlled study in older adults found that supplementing with 400 mg of Tongkat Ali extract every day significantly increased muscular strength along with free and total testosterone concentrations.
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Reduced Stress Levels
Tongkat Ali may lower stress hormones in your body, decrease anxiety, and result in an improvement in mood — all of which can help improve intimate performance, blood pressure, and overall well-being.
A month-long study of 63 moderately stressed subjects found that supplementing with 200 mg of Tongkat Ali extract per day reduced levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in saliva by 16 percent.
Participants also reported significantly reduced stress levels, as well as decreased anger and tension, after taking Tongkat Ali.
Another 2012 study of 109 men found that taking a 300-mg health supplement of Tongkat Ali extract daily over a 12-week period led to improvements in vitality, mental health, emotional health, and cognitive function. There were also improvements in testosterone levels. However, the subjects took Tongkat Ali with a multivitamin, so it’s unclear how well Tongkat Ali would’ve performed on its own. There may also be a conflict of interest as one of the study authors was an employee of a company that manufactured Tongkat Ali supplements.
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Improved ED
In the search for ED treatments, you might have stumbled across herbal extracts like Tongkat Ali as a way to boost performance.
But do the potential benefits of Tongkat Ali include treating ED?
Dietary supplements of Tongkat Ali may improve ED , according to a 2015 review of multiple clinical studies. However, the review found that the effects of Tonkat Ali may be more prominent in subjects with severe ED, and even then, the results were not “significant.”
A more promising 2017 systematic review found a “remarkable” association between Tongkat Ali and improved arousal function. Study authors claimed that the herb improved arousal, which can make penetration easier and enhance performance.
Even more, they claimed that the herb improved several aspects of male infertility, including semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm morphology, and sperm motility. The review shows there may also be Tongkat Ali benefits on libido and overall satisfaction.
Though promising, more evidence-based research and human studies are needed to know how exactly this herbal supplement helps.
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Is Tongkat Ali Safe?
Although a Tongkat Ali health supplement might have positive effects on ED , libido, and mood, there may still be possible risks.
According to a 2021 report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Nutrition, a high dose (2,000 milligrams per kilogram body weight) of the water extract from dried ground Tongkat Ali may damage DNA.
The few clinical studies on the use of E. longifolia in humans, however, have not reported any serious side effects.
In the 2012 study mentioned above, of 109 , taking Tongkat Ali for 12 weeks alongside a multivitamin was determined to be as safe as taking a placebo. Not to sound like a broken record, but more clinical studies are needed to examine the long-term use of a Tongkat Ali extract herbal supplement to ensure its safety over longer periods.
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Side Effects of Tongkat Ali Supplements
Potential side effects of Eurycoma longifolia jack include:
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- DNA damage
- Decreased availability of other drugs like propranolol
- Liver injury (rare)
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How Long Does Tongkat Ali Stay in Your System?
There’s not enough research on humans to definitively say how long Tongkat Ali stays in your system.
Animal research shows that eurycomanone, a quassinoid found in the herb, has a half-life of 0.30 h. However, the differences in the bioavailability of eurycomanone between different types of animals (like rats vs. mice) suggest that the pharmacokinetics cannot be directly applied to humans.
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Other Ways to Treat ED
While some of the research on Tongkat Ali shows promise, we don’t recommend you treat serious health conditions with herbal remedies.
The bottom line is that Tongkat Ali’s benefits for males aren’t thoroughly researched, so whether this herbal supplement can help men with low testosterone, ED, stress, or infertility is currently unknown.
If you’re struggling with ED or just beginning to see symptoms, there are better ways to address this problem.
If you need treatment, the first thing to do is seek out professional medical advice. Healthcare providers can address your particular needs and help you find safe and effective treatment.
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Other Changes
In addition to lifestyle changes and therapy, you might be prescribed prescription medication like PDE5 inhibitors, which regulate blood vessels in your privates to help treat ED. These drugs include:
- Tadalafil (Cialis)
- Sildenafil(Viagra)
- Vardenafil (Levitra)
- Avanafil (Stendra)
If the appeal of Tongkat Ali was taking a natural approach to treating ED and similar men’s health issues, there are also non-pharmaceutical methods you can explore.
They include:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
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A Final Word on Tongkat Ali Health Benefits for Males
Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) is an herbal supplement thought to have intimate health and mood benefits. Some studies suggest that Tongkat Ali may reduce stress levels, treat low testosterone, and improve low libido, but research is limited. Here’s what we know:
- Tongkat Ali has a long history in traditional Southeast Asian medicine. Traditional uses vary widely, from fever and bacterial infections to low libido and ED .
- Some research on Tongkat Ali benefits for males is promising. Some of the bioactive compounds in Tongkat Ali have been found to boost testosterone, improve arousal function, increase energy and strength, and raise your libido. There is also some evidence that the herb can improve male fertility.
- More human studies are needed to confirm the potential health benefits of Tongkat Ali and other herbal medicines. It’s important to remember that the FDA does not approve products like Tongkat Ali. Much of the research on the herb is limited and based on animal subjects or small groups. Until more research is performed, it’s best to rely on proven methods of treating issues like low testosterone, ED, or infertility.
Herbal extracts for ED don’t always live up to the hype as an effective ED treatment. Tongkat Ali does offer a range of health benefits — some of which might even help you in the bedroom, but they’re no replacement for FDA-approved medication.
This article originally appeared on hims.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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