Tongkat Ali Root

Tongkat Ali Root

“Malaysian Ginseng”

Tongkat Ali, or to give it its proper name, Eurycoma longifolia is a herb with a long history of use in south east Asian countries, where it is native. Traditionally, it was used to treat many conditions such as malaria, skin conditions, cancer, blood sugar problems and anxiety. The main use for it though was as an aphrodisiac, particularly for older men and it was used to increase physical strength, fight ageing, aid recovery from physical work and exercise and as an adaptogen to counter the effects of stress. It has been referred to as the “Malaysian Viagra”!

The Malaysian name of the herb “Tongkat Ali” means “Ali’s walking stick” and this may be a reference to its pro-sexual effects! There are over 200 products containing Tongkat Ali registered with the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau of Malaysia and over 54,000kilos are harvested per year, making it very popular indeed.

The chemistry of Eurycoma root and the effect it has on humans has been studied. A review of the activity of this herb was carried out by a team led by Hnin Ei Thu et al in 2017 for example. The research team scoured the main research paper databases such as Medline, Wiley Online Library, BioMed Central etc., using search terms such as “Eurycoma longifolia”, “Tongkat Ali”, “male sexual health”, “sexual infertility”, “erectile dysfunction”, “male libido”, and “testosterone levels”. Only human clinical studies published between 2000 and 2014 were selected and thoroughly reviewed for relevant citations. Out of 150 articles, 11 met the inclusion criteria. The majority of articles included were randomized placebo-controlled trials, multiple cohort studies, or pilot trials. All these studies demonstrated considerable effects of Eurycoma on male sexual health. 7 of the studies revealed a positive correlation between the use of Eurycoma and the efficacy in the treatment of male sexual disorders.

Improve-Me Tongkat Ali is a highly concentrated extract in a capsule of which you take one or two daily.

CAUTIONS AND COTRAINDICATIONS:

Do not take Tongkat Ali if you are taking medicine for Parkinson’s disease, thyroxine or beta blockers such as propanalol. Do not take Tongkat Ali if you are taking psychoactive medication such as fluoxetine, other anti-depressant SSRI drugs or other nervous system medication such as anti-psychotics, pain killers, sedatives or stimulants.
Do not take Tongkat Ali if you are taking any medication that contains ephedrine such as anti-allergy or decongestant medication.
Do not take Tongkat Ali if you have glaucoma.
Do not take Tongkat Ali if you are taking any form of testosterone or anabolic steroid.