Tongkat ali, also known as Eurycoma longifolia, is a herbal medicine that has been used for centuries in Southeast Asia. Numerous scientific studies have suggested that tongkat ali can help boost low testosterone levels by stimulating the release of luteinizing hormone, which signals the testes to produce more testosterone.
Key points on tongkat ali and testosterone:
- Several human clinical trials have shown significant increases in total and free testosterone levels after supplementing with tongkat ali extract for 4-12 weeks. The increases typically range from 20-40%.
- Tongkat ali appears to stimulate the release of luteinizing hormone from the pituitary gland. Luteinizing hormone then signals the testes to produce more testosterone.
- Studies show tongkat ali can improve sperm quality by increasing sperm concentration, motility, and volume. This indicates tongkat ali supplementation benefits male reproductive health.
- Tongkat ali may also improve symptoms like low libido and erectile dysfunction, which are common side effects of low testosterone. One study found a 5% increase in testosterone resulted in a 35% increase in sexual well-being.
- Not only does tongkat ali increase testosterone, but it also lowers cortisol exposure. Chronically high cortisol reduces testosterone synthesis over time, so lowering cortisol is just as crucial.
Scientific evidence on tongkat ali and testosterone
Multiple
double-blind, placebo-controlled studies on tongkat ali supplementation in men have demonstrated significant improvements in various hormonal parameters:
- A 12-week study on 76 men showed tongkat ali supplementation increased total testosterone by 37%, free testosterone by 46%, muscular force by 16% and muscle size by 2%.
- Another study demonstrated that 100 mg/day of tongkat ali extract for 5 weeks increased total and free testosterone by about 15-20% in older men and women.
- Participants in a 4-week trial increased total testosterone by 32%, free testosterone by 61%, muscular force by 22% and lean body mass by 2.3 pounds after taking tongkat ali. Sexual well-being also improved tremendously.
The proposed mechanism behind tongkat ali's testosterone-boosting effects involves stimulating luteinizing hormone release from the
anterior pituitary gland. Most studies used 200-400 mg/day of tongkat ali standardized to contain 22-40%
eurypeptides - the active compounds linked to the testosterone benefits.
While more research is still needed, current evidence indicates
tongkat ali can significantly increase low testosterone in middle-aged and older men when supplemented daily for 4-12 weeks.
- If you're experiencing symptoms like low energy, reduced muscle mass, weight gain and low libido, having your testosterone levels checked is recommended.
In summary, multiple clinical studies demonstrate
tongkat ali helps boost total and free testosterone levels by stimulating luteinizing hormone release. The typical dose used in research is 200-400 mg/day of standardized extracts. When combined with
lifestyle optimization, tongkat ali supplementation can be an effective way to improve
testosterone deficiency naturally.