Tongkat Ali Supplement Uk
Bulk Supplements Longjack
Photo by Innerbody Research
Bulk Supplements is typically a smart place to stop if you’re looking for a low price on a given supplement. Its tongkat ali is no exception, costing far less per gram of the substance than any of the competitors in our guide.
One big caveat is that, unlike the options from Nootropics Depot and Akarali, Bulk Supplements’ Longjack is not a standardized extract. That means there’s no effort put into controlling the concentration of eurycomanone or any other compound in each dose. The makeup of a wild Eurycoma longifolia plant includes around 0.8-1.5% eurycomanone, so that’s about what you can expect per dose.
Pure Indonesian Tongkat Ali Extract Supplement - 400mg and 600mg
Our best-selling supplement of all time. Whole herb, mature (guaranteed to be at least 10 years old), Indonesian Tongkat Ali root extract at a ratio of 200:1. It is sourced from the roots of Eurycoma longifolia and is extracted by water and ethanol, which is removed during processing.
We are now offering Indonesian Tongkat Ali extract supplement 200:1 in either a 600mg capsule or 400mg capsule. Whilst neither is better value than the other we wanted to give our customers more options when purchasing this product.
We also offer a Tongkat Ali extract standardised to contain 3% Eurycomanone, which is stronger - HERE.
It's difficult to recommend a dose that will suit everybody but if you are slightly built or elderly, 1 capsule daily may be enough. If, on the other hand, you are a huge hulking bodybuilder you may need 2-4 daily. We recommend starting with 1 capsule daily increasing as required. For best results we suggest taking Tongkat Ali in cycles, for example a 7 days on 4 days off cycle, or a 10 days on 5 days off cycle, whatever is most convenient for you.
Akarali pricing and returns
Akarali doesn’t sell single bottles of Physta. A 60-dose two-pack of bottles is the smallest possible order. There are some bundles that can save you a little money, though.
Here’s how the pricing works out for the company’s most recommendable products:
Shipping from Akarali costs $8, and the company doesn't accept returns unless a product arrives damaged or defective. That’s not as generous as some of the other return policies in the space, like Innerbody’s 30-day money-back guarantee.
What are tongkat ali’s benefits?
Tongkat ali has a fairly long list of potential benefits when you consider its uses in traditional medicine. That list gets a lot shorter when you confine your examination to the available scientific research. Still, there are apparent and noteworthy benefits of tongkat ali delivered at commercially available doses that are worth exploring. These can include:1
Most of these effects have been examined in both human and animal studies, and some researchers have even narrowed down the specific mechanisms of action behind them.
As we discussed earlier, tongkat ali comprises numerous bioactive compounds that may be responsible for its benefits, but one of its quassinoids — eurycomanone — seems to get the most attention in the research we’ve reviewed.2 That’s not to say that the plant’s steroids, glycosaponins, and other constituent parts aren’t important, only that eurycomanone is the compound for which tongkat ali manufacturers will standardize their extracts, so we take its abundance in a given supplement very seriously.
Let’s take a closer look at tongkat ali’s potential benefits to see what the research says:
One of the most common reasons men seek out tongkat ali is to increase their testosterone levels. It’s also a big part of the supplement’s marketing from various brands, and the science backs it up. A study in men with late-onset hypogonadism found significant improvements in Aging Males’ Symptom (AMS) scores after one month of taking 200mg of tongkat ali per day.5 Another study went so far as to suggest tongkat ali as a substitute for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).6 And a third study saw increases in total testosterone, free testosterone, and muscular force among male participants aged 57-72 years.7
A systematic review from 2022 concluded that “although more research is required before its use in clinical practice, [tongkat ali] may represent a safe and promising therapeutic option, particularly in hypogonadal men.”8
Research in rats points to a reduction in aromatase activity in the presence of eurycomanone, which ultimately inhibits the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. High concentrations of eurycomanone have also exhibited phosphodiesterase (PDE)-inhibiting effects not unlike those caused by Viagra and Cialis (albeit to a much lesser extent).2
Tied to tongkat ali’s apparent testosterone-boosting potential is its role in male fertility. Numerous studies have looked at longjack’s ability to increase sperm counts in both rats and humans, often with positive effects. One 12-week study using 300mg of Physta saw significant improvements in Seminal Fluid Analysis, with increases in both semen volume and sperm motility.9 A similar study in rats used a human equivalent dose of about 115mg on subjects that either were or were not treated with estradiol to harm sperm production.10 Tongkat ali inhibited the effects of the high estradiol dose and dramatically increased sperm count and motility in rats that weren’t exposed to a high estradiol dose.
Just as testosterone and spermatogenesis may be interrelated effects of tongkat ali, there also appears to be an increase in sexual desire and erectile performance among study participants. Some of this could directly be attributed to increases in testosterone for men who experience libido or erectile issues related to hypogonadism. But other mechanisms of action may be at play, as well.
As we said, at least one study has observed PDE-inhibiting effects from tongkat ali in mice. PDE5 is the specific PDE enzyme group that drugs like Viagra and Cialis target to allow men with erectile dysfunction (ED) to achieve an erection.2 Another study we’ve mentioned, the one that saw increases in seminal volume and sperm motility, also saw improvements in self-reported libido and erectile performance measures.9
Less research exists into tongkat ali’s anxiolytic effects, but there are noteworthy studies in both animals and humans. Human participants in one study reported reductions in tension, anger, and confusion, which all correlated with reductions in salivary cortisol.30 However, there were some competing interests for two of that study’s four authors, which may have introduced bias.
An older study in rats from 1999 equated the effects of tongkat ali to those provided by the prescription anti-anxiety medication diazepam.31
These studies don’t begin to approach the quantity or quality of those looking into a similar botanical — ashwagandha, which we’ll explore below — but they do show promise.
Cytotoxicity typically refers to a substance's ability to kill cells, with researchers looking specifically for compounds that can target cancer cells. Numerous in vitro studies have shown cytotoxic effects from tongkat ali on cells associated with ovarian, liver, skin, and breast cancers, among others.1 But this research is in its infancy, and we don’t recommend tongkat ali as a cancer preventive or treatment.
Researchers have also looked into tongkat ali’s influence on inflammation and rheumatism, ulcers, and osteoporosis, as well as its potential as an antimicrobial agent.1 At this time, these efforts aren’t robust enough to recommend tongkat ali along these lines, but it may prove beneficial here in future research.
Activate and hold the button to confirm that you’re human. Thank You!
Photo by Innerbody Research
Whether you’re searching for a natural remedy to enhance sexual performance, raise testosterone levels, or reduce stress, you may have heard about tongkat ali, also known as longjack. There’s certainly some clinical evidence to support the idea that this botanical ingredient could make a difference.1
But you can get tongkat ali/longjack from an endless parade of manufacturers out there, some of whom claim to use special patented extracts that are more potent or consistent than others. We wanted to cut through all the noise, look at the science, try these supplements ourselves, and let you know which ones might be worth your time and effort.
If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at what we found — what’s best for you really depends on your budget and goals:
Why you should trust us
At Innerbody Research, we do everything we can to get reliable information about supplements, prescription treatments, and other products and services that you might want to incorporate into your regimen. Our efforts include poring over seemingly countless pages of scientific literature, talking to experts in related fields, and even trying products for ourselves.
In the case of tongkat ali, we reviewed more than 50 scholarly articles pertaining to the substance itself and the ailments it may be able to help treat. We scoured the marketplace to identify which products offered the best extracts for the best prices, and then we ordered and tried them for ourselves. Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this guide was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy and will continue to be monitored for updates by our editorial team.
Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions about staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles.
Who might want to look elsewhere?
The 1-3 months it could take to see results from a potent tongkat ali supplement would likely be too long of a wait for certain individuals. Men with clinically significant hypogonadism who are experiencing immediate symptoms would do better to seek prescription interventions like TRT (after appropriate testing, of course).11
The same thing can be said for those experiencing more significant mental health issues, as tongkat ali may be able to help treat certain kinds of mild stress and irritation, but not more significant issues with anxiety and depression that may require more direct professional interventions.
Research into certain potential tongkat ali benefits is also far too immature to suggest it as a daily supplement for those purposes. For example, individuals predisposed to certain cancers from things like genetics or environment shouldn’t look to tongkat ali as a preventive or a cure. A recent overview of tongkat ali’s potential in common cancers reinforces this perspective.12
Who is tongkat ali for?
Owing to all of its potential applications, tongkat ali may be suitable for a wide variety of consumers. Perhaps most notably, it makes sense as a supplemental approach to treating various sexual disorders in men, including low testosterone and libido, fertility issues, and poor erectile performance.
It may also be a helpful component of a larger anti-anxiety effort, combined with either other botanicals and supplements or things like talk therapy or meditation.
Tongkat ali vs. ashwagandha
We’ve spent a lot of time reviewing the literature investigating tongkat ali and a similar botanical ingredient called ashwagandha. Both are well-regarded for their abilities to increase testosterone and other aspects of male wellness, and both have research behind them indicating that they can ameliorate stress and anxiety.
So, which one should you take?
Well, the good news is that they don’t appear to be mutually exclusive of one another. You can take both together. It’s up to you whether to seek out a standalone ashwagandha supplement or try to find a single product that combines tongkat ali and ashwagandha.
Innerbody’s Testosterone Support actually combines them alongside nine other ingredients, and it does so using clinically relevant doses of both. It contains 400mg of tongkat ali and 600mg of a branded, standardized ashwagandha extract called KSM-66.
If you absolutely had to take one and not the other, we’d probably steer you toward ashwagandha at this time, as it boasts a little more research, especially into the anti-anxiety potential.13 14 That said, if you were more concerned with sexual health symptoms (ED, testosterone, libido), tongkat ali may be slightly superior. That’s even more true if you have any thyroid issues or take medication to manage your thyroid hormone levels, as ashwagandha may influence those.15
For most people consuming doses recommended on the bottle (typically 100-500mg), tongkat ali should be perfectly safe. Studies looking into these dose ranges only seem to report occasional adverse GI effects, which are extremely common among dietary supplements.
Larger doses of tongkat ali have been associated with more serious effects, including the potential to damage DNA in the GI tract. However, a close examination of the relevant study reveals several important caveats:3
In more responsible doses that have shown efficacy in studies, we often see few to no adverse effects reported. One study on Physta’s potential immunomodulation used a 200mg daily dose for four weeks and reported that “the frequency of reported [adverse events] did not statistically differ between the [tongkat ali] and [placebo] groups.”16 There’s even a study looking into tongkat ali-infused coffee, like the one available from Akarali, that indicates no adverse effects at doses below 14g. For reference, the serving size for Akarali’s coffee is 3.3g.17
Ultimately, this all paints a picture in which there are some theoretical risks associated with tongkat ali at very high doses, but those doses are far higher than the amount you’d need to experience the effects of a tongkat ali supplement.
Best single-ingredient tongkat ali supplement
Photo by Innerbody Research
Nootropics Depot manufactures a wide assortment of supplements, including a pair of tongkat ali options that are standardized extracts. These aren’t patented or branded extracts the way Akarali’s Physta is, but they are made by Nootropics Depot, and we haven’t found a comparably strong alternative to its 10% formulation.
The two available tongkat ali strengths from Nootropics Depot are 2% and 10% eurycomanone. Again, eurycomanone is thought to be one of the more important constituent parts of tongkat ali, responsible for the lion’s share of its positive effects. What’s less clear from the research we’ve reviewed is whether or not it can also be credited with any potential side effects. If it can, that 10% formulation may have a higher incidence of GI upset. But if it’s not the case, then a 10% concentration in a smaller overall dose could actually mitigate side effects.
Here’s how the two concentrations compare:
As you can see, Nootropics Depot delivers its more concentrated formula in a lower overall dose (100mg versus 200mg). That makes for smaller capsules and fewer of the ingredients that aren’t eurycomanone (90mg versus 196mg).
Can tongkat ali increase testosterone levels?
Can tongkat ali increase testosterone levels?
Supplementing with tongkat ali should be able to increase testosterone levels, at least in men whose T levels are low. Doses as low as 200mg daily have shown testosterone benefits in studies.1