Tongkat ali
Summary
Tongkat ali raised total and free testosterone in a 2-week trial of 32 young men, and a meta-analysis of 5 small trials found higher testosterone. Pooled sexual-function results were not significant overall. One trial reported higher immune scores. It lowered propranolol absorption, and FDA warns many sexual-enhancement products contain hidden drugs.
Key facts
- No head-to-head human data between extracts in our sources[5]
- Testosterone in young men ↑ (D); sexual-function scores: no overall effect (C); immune scores ↑ (C)[1][2][3]
- 200–600 mg extract/day for 2 weeks to 6 months (the 6-month trial paired 200 mg/day with exercise training)[3][1][8]
- No severe adverse events in a 4-week trial of 200 mg/day; reduced the absorption of propranolol[3][4]
- Sold as a dietary supplement. FDA warns that many products sold for sexual enhancement or male energy are contaminated with hidden drug ingredients[7]
- 3 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 9, 2026
How it works
ProposedTongkat ali is proposed to raise testosterone via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal or -adrenal axes. In young men, testosterone rose without changes in luteinising or follicle-stimulating hormone, suggesting a mechanism other than pituitary stimulation (proposed).[1]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | Grade C | No effect | Meta-analysis · n = 139 · 2015 | 2 rows |
| Immune | Grade C | Improved | RCT · n = 81 · 2016 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sexual-function questionnaire scores (IIEF-5) | No effect | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 139 · 2015 Men in 2 randomized controlled trials of erectile function Form: Tongkat ali extract · Dose: Not stated in the abstract · Duration: 12 weeks No significant overall difference from placebo in IIEF-5 change at 12 weeks (heterogeneity 89.5%); a subgroup with lower baseline scores improved by 2.15 points. | 26365449 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| Immune vigor scores and T-cell counts | Improved | Grade C | RCT · n = 81 · 2016 Middle-aged Japanese adults with lower immune-vigor screening scores Form: Standardised root water extract (Physta) vs rice-powder placebo · Dose: 200 mg/day · Duration: 4 weeks Immune vigor score, immunological grade and total, naive and CD4+ T-cell counts were higher than placebo at week 4. No severe adverse events. | 26816234 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Total and free testosterone | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 32 · 2021 Healthy young men (mean age 24) Form: Eurycoma longifolia vs placebo · Dose: 600 mg/day · Duration: 2 weeks Total testosterone, free testosterone and estradiol rose more than with placebo; luteinising hormone, FSH and SHBG did not change. | 33559971 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
Forms
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 200 to 600 mg of tongkat ali extract a day, for 2 weeks to 6 months. The 6-month trial (45 men) paired 200 mg/day with exercise training, and its abstract is internally inconsistent about whether a tongkat-only group existed, so we draw no tongkat-only conclusion from it.[3][1][8]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Medicines
- PropranololPK studyTaken together, 200 mg of a water-based extract lowered propranolol bioavailability (AUC) by 29% in 14 healthy young men.[4]
Who should be careful
- People taking propranolol or other heart medicines
- Tongkat ali reduced propranolol absorption in a pharmacokinetic study.[4]
- Sexual-enhancement products
- FDA warns that many products sold for sexual enhancement, male energy or stamina are contaminated with hidden drug ingredients, are sometimes falsely sold as dietary supplements, and can cause serious health problems.[7]
- Before you start
- Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before adding this supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a chronic health condition.[3]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Articles about Tongkat ali
Plain-English answers to common questions, built on the evidence above.
Frequently asked questions
Does tongkat ali raise testosterone?
In 32 healthy young men, 600 mg/day for 2 weeks raised total and free testosterone versus placebo, and a meta-analysis of 5 small trials found higher total testosterone. The trials were small and short.[1][5]
Does tongkat ali help sexual function?
A meta-analysis of 2 trials (139 men) found no significant overall improvement in IIEF-5 scores; men with lower starting scores improved modestly.[2]
How does it compare with other 'testosterone boosters'?
A 2024 systematic review found most testosterone boosters fail to raise total testosterone; it rated tongkat ali as possibly effective.[6]
Does tongkat ali interact with medicines?
It lowered the bioavailability of propranolol by 29% in a study of 14 men.[4]
Sources
- [1]The effect of Eurycoma Longifolia on the regulation of reproductive hormones in young males.. Andrologia, 2021. RCT
- [2]Efficacy of Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) on erectile function improvement: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. Complement Ther Med, 2015. meta-analysis
- [3]Immunomodulation in Middle-Aged Humans Via the Ingestion of Physta® Standardized Root Water Extract of Eurycoma longifolia Jack--A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Study.. Phytother Res, 2016. RCT
- [4]Modification of propranolol's bioavailability by Eurycoma longifolia water-based extract.. J Clin Pharm Ther, 2010. crossover-RCT
- [5]Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) Improves Serum Total Testosterone in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.. Medicina (Kaunas), 2022. meta-analysis
- [6]Do "testosterone boosters" really increase serum total testosterone? A systematic review.. Int J Impot Res, 2024. systematic-review
- [7]Sexual Enhancement and Energy Product Notifications (content current as of 09/25/2026). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026. safety-communication
- [8]A 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate the effect of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) and concurrent training on erectile function and testosterone levels in androgen deficiency of aging males (ADAM).. Maturitas, 2021. RCT
What changed
- Removed a statement that the 6-month trial had no tongkat-only group; that trial's abstract contradicts itself on this point, so the page no longer asserts either reading.
- First draft. Every evidence-row PMID checked with NCBI E-utilities (esummary + efetch abstract) and re-read in an independent adversarial pass.