Info: 60 Veg. Capsules (2 month supply)
Tongkat Ali, also known as Longjack, is a shrub native to South-East Asia, whose various parts (such as the leaves or bark) have been used in traditional medicine for many different purposes. There are a number of natural supplements for sexual health available that contain at least some Tongkat Ali, but this single-ingredient, concentrated extract from Prairie Naturals presents it in a very high dose, with twice the amount of its most important bioactive compound, compared to a rival brand.
Info: 60 Veg. Capsules (2 month supply)
Tongkat Ali, also known as Longjack, is a shrub native to South-East Asia, whose various parts (such as the leaves or bark) have been used in traditional medicine for many different purposes. There are a number of natural supplements for sexual health available that contain at least some Tongkat Ali, but this single-ingredient, concentrated extract from Prairie Naturals presents it in a very high dose, with twice the amount of its most important bioactive compound, compared to a rival brand.
Product Notes:
Several different active ingredients have been identified in the plant as a whole which might account for some of those other uses, but the roots contain one in particular called Eurycomanone which has been found to increase total testosterone levels in humans, especially in those below-normal levels to begin with, and which may improve energy levels and mood, as well. Several animal studies and also some human studies have found that Eurycomanone (but not a related type, to the same degree: see Chung et al., 2021) can also increase sperm concentration and fertility/reproduction rate.
As to how Eurycomanone actually accomplishes this, the scientific literature indicates it is a 'quassinoid' with the chemical form C20H24O9 that is believed to inhibit two enzymes (phosphodiesterase and aromatase) responsible for the synthesis of estradiol, a hormone. When the estradiol levels are reduced, the hypothalamus gets stimulated to secrete two gonadotropins, the FSH (follicle-stimulating) and LH (luteinizing) hormones, which influence the production of testosterone in the Leydig cells and spermiogenesis.
Of course, the concentrations of that active can vary from batch to batch and produce variable results (even from a single growing location!), so this Tongkat Ali product uses an extraction and standardization process to ensure it delivers the same amount of Eurycomanone in every single pill.
Ingredients:
Medicinal ingredients (per capsule):
500 mg Tongkat ali extract (Eurycoma longifolia, root, 50:1 extract, equivalent to 25,000 mg of dry herb).
Standardized to contain 2% Eurycomanone
Non-medicinal ingredients: Hypromellose, Magnesium Stearate.
This product is manufactured in a GMP-certified facility in Canada, and is Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, and Dairy-Free.
Suggested Usage:
Adults 18 years and older: Take 1 capsule once a day, with a meal. Consult a healthcare practitioner for use beyond 2 months. Store bottle in a cool, dry place.
Warnings:
Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you are taking propranolol, antidepressant medications, blood thinners, or digoxin; or if you have diabetes; or if you have benign prostate hypertrophy and/or prostate cancer; or if you have been diagnosed with hypoactive sexual disorder, sexual dysfunction or erectile dysfunction; or if you are following a low-protein diet.
Stop use if hypersensitivity/allergy, diarrhea, insomnia, anxiety, or headaches occurs, and for adult women, consult a healthcare practitioner if you experience abnormal hair growth.
Health Canada Natural Product Number: 80128845.
Supporting Science for Tongkat Ali &/Or Eurycomanone:
Lab Studies
Low, Bin-Seng et al. “Eurycomanone, the major quassinoid in Eurycoma longifolia root extract increases spermatogenesis by inhibiting the activity of phosphodiesterase and aromatase in steroidogenesis.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2013.
Human Studies (And Reviews Of)
Chinnappan, Sasikala M et al. “Effect of Eurycoma longifolia standardised aqueous root extract-Physta® on testosterone levels and quality of life in ageing male subjects: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre study.” Food & Nutrition Research, 2021.
Kotirum, S et al. “Efficacy of Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) on erectile function improvement: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2015.
Leisegang, Kristian et al. “Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) Improves Serum Total Testosterone in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.” Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 2022.
Leitão, Alice Erwig et al. “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.
Rehman, Shaheed Ur et al. “Review on a Traditional Herbal Medicine, Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali): Its Traditional Uses, Chemistry, Evidence-Based Pharmacology and Toxicology.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2016. As Rehman et al. report, some other traditional medicine uses for Tongkat Ali include for: malaria, diabetes, constipation, fever, osteoporosis, stress, syphilis and glandular swelling.
Animal Studies
Chung, Wan-Jie et al. “Comparing the pharmacokinetics of 13α,21-dihydroeurycomanone and eurycomanone exclusively enriched in Eurycoma longifolia extracts and their spermatogenesis enhancement in andrographolide-induced oligospermia in rats.” The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2021.
Low, Bin-Seng et al. “Standardized quassinoid-rich Eurycoma longifolia extract improved spermatogenesis and fertility in male rats via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2013.