Tongkat Ali Supplement May Help Increase Testosterone Levels

Eurycoma longifolia, or tongkat ali, is a shrubby tree native to Southeast Asia. A recent study suggests that supplementation with tongkat ali may help increase levels of testosterone, free testosterone, and estradiol in young men.

Thirty-two men with an average age of 24 participated in the study. They were given 600 mg of tongkat ali or a placebo daily for 2 weeks. Blood samples were taken at baseline and at the end of the study to measure levels of testosterone, free testosterone, and estradiol.

Participants in the tongkat ali group saw significant increases in testosterone, free testosterone, and estradiol levels compared to the placebo group. Testosterone is the key male sex hormone that regulates fertility, muscle mass, fat distribution, and red blood cell production. Estradiol is an estrogen hormone that, in men, helps with bone maintenance, nitric oxide production, and brain function. 

The study was conducted by researchers from Abdul Rahman University College. It was published online ahead of print on February 9, 2021 in the journal Andrologia.