What is Tongkat Ali?
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Eurycoma longifolia, commonly known as Tongkat Ali, long jack, or Malaysian ginseng, is a plant found in the Malaysian rainforest [1].
It is best known for its ability to enhance libido, testosteron
However, this plant also has a variety of other benefits including:
- Promoting bone formation [3]
- Increasing muscle strength and athletic performance [4]
- Improving physical and mental energy levels and overall quality of life [5, 6]
- Reducing anxiety and stress [4
] - Anticancer effects [7]
- Antimicrobial and antifungal effects [8]
- Antiulcer effects [9]
- Antioxidant effects [10]
- Lowering blood sugar [11]
Components
The stem and root extracts of the Eurycoma longifolia plant contain:
- Quassinoids (e.g., eurycomaoside, eurycomanone, pasakbumin-B): These compounds have anticancer, antiparasitic
, and antiulcer effects [12, 9, 12]. - Alkaloids, which have anticancer and antibacterial properties [13, 11, 14].
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- Stimulating the production of testosterone from pregnenolone and 17-OH-pregnenolone
- Blocking aromatase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogens
- Stimulating bone cell growth (via testosterone)
- Increasing the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), an enzyme that plays a role in the development of bones and teeth
- Enhancing the deposition and mineralization of collagen
- Inhibiting tumor growth and progression (by inhibiting NF-κB)
- Promoting cancer cell death
- Reducing excess stomach acid, which helps prevent ulcers
Health Benefits of Tongkat Ali
1) Tongkat Ali May Increase Testosterone
A 5-week pilot study of 25 seniors found that Tongkat Ali increased testosterone levels and muscle strength in both men and women [19].
Tongkat Ali supplementation also increased testosterone levels in a 4-week study of 76 men with hypogonadism (an impaired function of the testes) [6].
However, in a 15-week study (DB-RCT) of 13 recreational athletes, Tongkat Ali did not increase testosterone levels in the urine, prompting the researchers to conclude that it does not breach the International Olympic Committee doping policies [20].
2) Tongkat Ali Improves Male Fertility
A 12-week study (DB-RCT) of 109 men (ages 30 to 55) found that Tongkat Ali increased sperm motility and semen volume
In another 9-month study of 75 males with infertility, Tongkat Ali supplements improved semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, and sperm quality, thereby enhancing fertility [1].
Studies in rats also showed that Tongkat Ali reversed the inhibitory effects of estrogen on testosterone
3) Tongkat Ali Improves Male Sexual Health
A 12-week study (DB-RCT) in 109 men found that Tongkat Ali increased libido and improved erectile function compared to placebo [5].
Similarly, a 12-week study (DB-RCT) of 26 men found that a freeze-dried water Tongkat Ali supplement improved sexual performance and increased the hardness and duration of erection[24].
Tongkat Ali also enhanced libido, sexual arousal, and performance in healthy, impotent, castrated, and old male rats, and middle-aged mice [25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30].
4) Tongkat Ali May Enhance Muscle Strength
Tongkat Ali supplements increased muscle strength in both men and women in a 5-week pilot study of 25 seniors [19].
Similarly, in a 5-week pilot study of 14 healthy men, Tongkat Ali increased muscle strength and size and improved athletic performance [31].
5) Tongkat Ali May Promote Weight Loss
Tongkat Ali reduced fat mass, waist circumference, and hip size compared to placebo in a 12-week study (DB-RCT) of 109 men [5].
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Tongkat Ali also reduced body weight and belly fat in mice. However, it did not affect the weight of the internal organs [21].
6) Tongkat Ali May Treat Male Osteoporosis
- Increasing testosterone levels
- Stimulating the production of osteoblasts, or bone-forming cells
- Triggering the death of cells that break down bone tissue (osteoclasts)
- Decreasing bone loss and preserving bone mass
Thus, it may be used for male osteoporosis treatment.
In the lab, Tongkat Ali activated the production of bone-building proteins (such as BMP-2, RUNX-2, and OCN), which increases bone formation [16, 32].
Tongkat Ali also prevented calcium loss in the bones of castrated male rats with osteoporosis [33, 34].
However, in another study, Tongkat Ali did not restore testosterone levels and bone volume in the castrated rats with osteoporosis [35].
7) Tongkat Ali May Combat Cancer
Lab studies found that Eurycoma longifolia (the plant that Tongkat Ali originates from) contains specific compounds (quassinoids) that prevent cancer cell growth and progression [12, 17, 18, 36].
Other cell-based studies found that Tongkat Ali was effective against various types of cancers including leukemia, and lung and breast cancers. However, it only showed moderate effectiveness against gut cancer [7, 37].
8) Tongkat Ali May Reduce Stress And Anxiety
A 4-week study on 63 moderately stressed people showed that Tongkat Ali root extract reduced stress hormone (cortisol) levels, tension, anger, and confusion [15].
Tongkat Ali also reduced the frequency of fighting episodes and increased exploratory behavior in mice [38].
9) Tongkat Ali May Enhance the Immune System
In a 4-week study (DB-RCT) of 83 subjects, Tongkat Ali supplements increased T cells, CD4+ T cells, and naïve T cell numbers, which enhanced overall immune function [39].
10) Tongkat Ali May Reduce Blood Sugar
11) Tongkat Ali May Decrease Blood Pressure
12) Tongkat Ali Decreases Pain And Inflammation
In the lab, Tongkat Ali exhibited antioxidant (free radical scavenging) and anti-
13) Tongkat Ali May Combat Bacteria
Tongkat Ali inhibited the growth of harmful bacteria in the lab (such as Salmonella, E. coli, staph, and typhoid-causing bacteria) [42, R].
14) Tongkat Ali May Fight Parasites
In the lab, Tongkat Ali inhibited the growth of Blastocystis sp, a parasite that causes intestinal problems [43].
Another lab study showed that Tongkat Ali inhibited the growth of Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite causing toxoplasmosis [44].
This is likely due to its content of quassinoids, compounds that exhibit anti-parasitic properties by inhibiting parasitic growth, movement, and reproduction [12].
These compounds are also toxic to Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for malaria[45, 46, 47].
15) Tongkat Ali Has Antiulcer Properties
Tongkat Ali contains quassinoids (eurycomanone and pasakbumin-B), which prevent ulcers by reducing excess stomach acid [9].
