The short answer is yes.
Tongkat Ali works on most men and women from 20-75 years to revitalize their health and is frequently tested on the most demanding health challenges. Whilst highly potent Tongkat Ali products do a better job in delivering health goals, cheap Tongkat Ali extracts from China that are sold in the US failed to deliver the expected benefits.
Tongkat Ali stands tall amongst other best testosterone supplements for men. And you may be curious to know the science behind Tongkat Ali’s mechanism of action.
In our past article, we shared the Tongkat Ali benefits in great length, backed by scientific evidence from decades of clinical trials on humans.
You may have also read consumer reviews that Tongkat Ali works on them, but does it work every time? And does it work on women or if I am idling?
This article will explain the science behind Tongkat Ali’s mechanism of action. It will help you to understand better how Tongkat Ali works and how it can benefit you.
Here is a quick summary.
Lets dive into the details of the summary.
Due to the hormonal-oriented action, the effectiveness of Tongkat Ali depends on largely on your age, health condition, lifestyle and other factors.
The level of potency (i.e how strong the Tongkat Ali extract is) and daily dosage (i.e how much Tongkat Ali you take daily) will have a significant impact on how well your hormones react to the bioactive ingredients.
We shall cover how Tongkat Ali works and how it affects your endocrine system.
So let’s read on!
Tongkat Ali has been used for centuries by both men and women. Tongkat Ali benefits both men and women by optimizing the production of vital hormones from your glands, that form a larger part of the endocrine system.
Hormones are the pathway in the endocrine system to ensure our body functions in an optimal manner. And Tongkat Ali plays a major influence in the primary endocrine system.
Here is how Tongkat Ali works:
Here is Tongkat Ali’s mechanism of action and what happens in our body when we consume it over a period of time.
Step #1
Tongkat Ali activates Luteinizing Hormones (LH) that stimulate the Leydig cells in your testicles or ovaries to produce testosterone. This action is driven by the signals produced in the hypothalamus (i.e your brain) to send the message to the pituitary, adrenal and thymus glands to produce hormones.
Step #2
Tongkat Ali decreases the sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) which in turn, delivers higher production of testosterone. SHBG rises when your testosterone level is low.
Step #3
Tongkat Ali boosts testosterone production by switching your body’s priorities away from catabolic (muscle-degrading) stress hormone production and shuttles resources into making anabolic (muscle-building) hormones such as testosterone.
Step #4
Tongkat Ali enhances testosterone steroidogenesis at the Leydig cells by inhibiting aromatase conversion of testosterone to estrogen.
At the same time, Tongkat Ali reduces cortisol, i,e the stress hormone that affects the production of testosterone in our body.
Step #5
Whilst Tongkat Ali balances the cortisol, it also helps to raise 5-dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).
Step #6
The mechanism of action work simultaneously to increase the production of “free testosterone”, which is the usable testosterone that your body needs.
Tongkat Ali is the only clinically tested herbal supplement that has a profound effect on total testosterone, free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHT, estrogen, cortisol, dopamine, Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), T-cells, Naïve T-cells, CD4+ cells, uric acid, red blood cells, white blood cells, blood glucose level, and insulin levels.
But how does Tongkat Ali benefit women’s health?
Tongkat Ali benefits women in many ways through the activation of key reproductive hormones such as testosterone, cortisol and estrogen during various situations when your body needs the most.
Women above 50, pre-menopausal, post-menopausal or those diagnosed with androgen deficiency may benefit from Tongkat Ali due to low levels of testosterone and estrogen.
Tongkat Ali works on both men and women by delivering improved mood, increase sexual desire, fat loss, and increased muscle strength.
Tongkat Ali is used for men and women from 20-70 years to revitalize health. Most are used to accelerate health goals such as body transformation.
Tongkat Ali has unique bioactive ingredients such as eurycomanone, eurypeptides and proteins that react positively (and clinically tested) in restoring key hormones that form the major part of the endocrine system.
Most of these hormones exist in various sub-endocrine systems (eg: Male & Female Reproduction System, Immunology System, Central Nervous System) and play a vital function in our health.
Tongkat Ali enables our hormones to perform to its optimal level to produce the expected health benefits or to enable you to achieve your health goals.
So which bioactive compound plays the greatest influence in the mechanism of action from Tongkat Ali?
Tongkat Ali root contains quassinoids and alkaloids, two bio-active compounds that activate a hormone-inducing action in your body.
However, there are specific bio-active ingredients of Tongkat Ali that are not found in other herbs or plants.
Here is the list.
Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia) Bio-active ingredients | Description |
Eurycomanone |
|
Polysaccharide |
|
Glycosaponin |
|
Protein |
|
In order to give greater clarity and understanding, here are the full list of key hormones that are directly and indirectly impacted when you consume Tongkat Ali.
Where the hormone is produced | Hormone(s) secreted | Does Tongkat Ali impact the hormone? |
Adrenal glands | Norepinephrine | Yes. Direct Impact
|
Testes (testicles) | Testosterone | Yes. Direct Impact
|
Ovaries | Progesterone | Yes. Direct Impact
|
Ovaries | Estrogen | Yes. Direct Impact
|
Pituitary gland | Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) | Yes. Possible Indirect Impact |
Pituitary gland | Growth hormone (GH) | Yes. Direct Impact |
Pituitary gland | Luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) | Yes. Direct Impact |
Kidneys | Renin and angiotensin | Yes. Direct Impact
It inhibits ACE receptor-which controls vasoconstriction and therefore blood pressure
|
Kidneys | Erythropoietin | Yes. Possible Indirect Impact
|
Pancreas | Insulin | Yes. Direct Impact
|
Hypothalamus | Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) | Yes. Possible indirect impact (since report of decrease in LH and FSH)
|
Hypothalamus | Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) | Yes. Possible indirect impact (since cortisol reduce and testosterone increase)
|
Thymus | Humoral factors | Yes. Possible indirect impact (since it improves immunity by increasing lymphocytes)
|
As Tongkat Ali has been clinically tested over the years to work well with major key hormones in your body, this could make Tongkat Ali one of the best endocrine supplements of the 21st century.
On another note, do you feel good, happier or more focused after taking Tongkat Ali?
Now, here is a fun fact.
If you feel good after consuming Tongkat Ali, it has to do with the dopamine (i.e feel good hormone) from Tongkat Ali’s bioactive ingredients released in your central nervous system.
There is more to know about Tongkat Ali’s mechanism of action and how it works in different parts of your endocrine system.
Tongkat Ali work by reactivating or restoring the hormonal balance, understanding how each hormone functions helps you to evaluate if Tongkat Ali may benefit your health.
Hormones are chemical substances that affect the activity of another part of the body or your organs. It circulates in the bloodstream and spread across in our bodies to carry message, signal or even stimulate different parts of our body (i.e organs).
Our hormones are sensitive to the types of food we eat (i.e nutrition), our medical condition, age and host of other factors.
Experts believed that there are more than 200 hormones in our body, working harmoniously with different roles as messengers
To give a better illustration, here are key hormones produced and stored in our body.
The word “hormone” originates from the Greek word hormao meaning “I excite”. It refers to it’s inherent biological function which excites or stimulates a particular part of the body.
“The term ‘hormonal’ has become synonymous with ‘moody,’” says Dr. Epstein. While hormones do affect mood, they do much more in the body than that.
Here are some key hormones that are produced in different parts of our body and the functions are medically known to us by doctors and experts.
Hormone | Organ | Function |
Testosterone | Testes | Testosterone is responsible for the characteristics of the masculine body, including hair growth on the face and body and muscle development. Testosterone is essential for the production of sperm, libido, mood and also acts to strengthen bones. |
Cortisol | Adrenals | Cortisol has a number of functions. It promotes normal metabolism, maintains blood sugar levels and blood pressure, provides resistance to stress and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. It also plays a part in regulation of fluid balance in the body. |
Thyroxine | Thyroid | Thyroxine controls many body functions, including heart rate, temperature and metabolism. It also plays a role in the metabolism of calcium in the body. |
Oestrogen | Ovaries | Oestrogen facilitates growth of the tissues of the sex organs and other tissues related to reproduction. Oestrogen also acts to strengthen bones and has a protective effect on the heart. |
Progesterone | Ovaries | Progesterone promotes the changes in the uterus that occur in preparation for the implantation of a fertilised ovum and prepares the breasts for milk production. |
Now you have come to the core behind Tongkat Ali’s hormone-inducing mechanism.
The common understanding and general consensus are that Tongkat Ali works by effectively boosting your testosterone hormone. Some say testosterone is a sex hormone, but this is not entirely true.
Tongkat Ali’s testosterone-boosting action is backed by various scientific evidence and decades of research studies.
Now, the real science is the fact that testosterone hormone production in our body is activated by a hormone known as Luteinising Hormone (LH).
Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a glycoprotein hormone which is co-secreted along with Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) in the adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary).
LH and FSH are released from your testis (men) and ovaries (women) from your pituitary glands.
According to WebMd.com, LH and FSH are hormones that helps your reproductive system.
Here is a step-by-step explanation what happens when LH and FSH hormones are activated.
We have covered the science of how Tongkat Ali work by producing testosterone needed for your body to function optimally. And most of the testosterone is produced in your testes for men, and in the ovary and adrenal gland in women.
In fact, testosterones are produced in different quantities by the Luteinizing Hormone (LH), which are activated from the bio-active compounds contained in Tongkat Ali roots.
So the efficacy of Tongkat Ali’s testosterone production depends largely on other factors such as your eating habits, health condition, exercises and other lifestyle factors.
But what we know that Tongkat Ali testosterone-restoring capability directly improves male reproductive system by increasing your body’s free testosterone bioavailability via the following main mechanisms.
The net result of these effects is an increase in what science refers to as “Free Testosterone”.
Tongkat Ali is clinically tested by qualified scientists and reviewed by certified medical professionals to work across a wide range of users; notably with various health conditions and demographics.
With so many fake and unverified Tongkat Ali reviews out there, clinically tested Tongkat Ali products guarantee better performance in the real world and generally work better than non-clinically tested products, or generic Tongkat Ali products.
The mechanism of how Tongkat Ali work is by restoring normal testosterone levels by increasing the release of free testosterone from its binding hormone, the sex hormone-binding globulin.
In the real world, tests are performed to assess either of the following categories:
Here are some scientific studies to validate real-world performance of Tongkat Ali through human clinical trials:
Since testosterone in both men and women declines rapidly after a certain age, this makes Tongkat Ali a perfect natural choice that truly work!
If you are not entirely convinced that Tongkat Ali does work, or you think it did not increase your testosterone hormones substantially, here is one way to find out.
In order to be doubly sure if Tongkat Ali does work, you can always check your testosterone level at your nearest doctor / clinic.
This is done by using blood sample test to measure the testosterone level.
Here is a real-life review of Tongkat Ali showing a testosterone test result over a period of 10 days. The editor compared two testosterone tests after consuming two Tongkat Ali products:
Credit: Ricemedia.co
Credit: Ricemedia.co
Does Tongkat Ali delivers a remarkable improvement?
The result from consuming Tongkat Ali herbal extract increased his testosterone level (measured in nmol/L) from 12.50 to 16.33 in five days compared to a generic Tongkat Ali tea sold in the market.
So, if you are consuming pure Tongkat Ali supplement, you expect your testosterone levels to be increased significantly in a short period of time.
And since there are many Tongkat Ali products sold on Amazon today, you may want to choose high quality Tongkat Ali extract supplements to ensure optimal boost of testosterone in your body.
Getting your testosterone checked before and after consuming Tongkat Ali is a good way to validate whether Tongkat Ali works on you.
But what is considered a normal testosterone level in humans?
According to medical experts in testosterone therapy from South East Medical Australia, the level of testosterone varies in quantity.
Here is what the experts have revealed. The testosterone level, measured in T (nmol/l) range from a value of 1 to above 11:
So, if you feel lethargic after long hours at work, lack of sexual desire, loss of hair growth, accumulation of excessive fat despite regular exercises, and other low testosterone-related symptoms, then chances are these may be strongly linked to drop in testosterone levels.
Since Tongkat Ali has proven scientifically to increase the production of testosterone through Luteinising Hormone (LH), there are some great health benefits that you can enjoy.
You should know by now that testosterone activates various key functions in your body such as:
You can read more about it from Healthline.com here
So, what it means to you is the following:
If your testosterone is restored or increased by natural plant-based approach such as Tongkat Ali, you can enjoy the health benefits from improved functions in any of the areas stated above.
The result of health benefits from Tongkat Ali’s inherent mechanism in producing testosterone are as follows:
These are health benefits of Tongkat Ali backed by scientific studies over a period of 20 years. The immense collection of research papers showed that Tongkat Ali or Longjack really work elevate health to the next level.
If key functions of your body are at optimal levels due to the effect of testosterone-inducing Tongkat Ali, it means the herbal root work wonderfully to keep you revitalized at all times.
But since every one of us has varying degree of lifestyle, does Tongkat Ali work in various scenarios?
For instance, if you are idle (i.e passively sitting at home) or say, when you are busy and spending less time working out.
Because Tongkat Ali is a versatile herb and consumed as a daily dietary supplement for centuries, it works in various scenarios regardless of your lifestyle.
There is an overall consensus from customers expressing the feeling of being youthful, “I feel more energetic the next morning”, or “I feel younger again” after consuming Tongkat Ali.
In fact, if you want to improve your fertility you can greatly benefit from an improved libido and sperm production. Tongkat Ali is a proven alternative next to Viagra, Levitra or Cialis.
If you are experiencing a hectic lifestyle and spending less time exercising, Tongkat Ali can bring noticeable benefits for busy working adults.
Our 30-day long term review on Tongkat Ali with one of our test subjects provided amazing feedback in reducing stress and increase energy throughout the day.
So if you need that extra boost in energy to meet your crazy deadlines, just pop two capsules of 200mg Tongkat Ali daily to give a boost of energy. Try it for 7 days and feel the difference when you wake up in the morning or when staying up late nights.
Afterall, most scientific studies that showed significant improvement in strength and other testosterone-induced benefits are based on longer 2-4 weeks consumption of Tongkat Ali herbal extract.
If you are already consuming plant-based diet, then you can reap maximum benefits from Tongkat Ali’s bio-active nutrients such as Eurycomanone, Glycosaponin, Polysaccharide and other protein binding nutrients.
This will help to further strengthen your body with the right nutrients to elevate your testosterone hormones and feel alive again.
Tongkat Ali is dosage-dependent. If you are into bodybuilding, Tongkat Ali works well if taken at a higher dosage between 400mg to 600mg daily.
Tongkat Ali is always seen as a nutritional food to enhance muscle growth and strength. The high crude protein from Tongkat Ali is a perfect companion for your existing health stack alongside Maca, Ashwagandha, and other protein shakes.
With Tongkat Ali, the release of testosterone and balancing cortisol are important for athletes, sports professionals, bodybuilders, and high endurance sports.
Studies have showed Tongkat Ali promotes muscle growth, reduces body fat and boosts the extra energy that you need in your workout. There are several published studies on that and here is a summary:
There are many reasons why Tongkat Ali is the preferred pre-workout and post-workout drink and most of it are backed by scientific evidence.
Intermittent fasting, plant-based diet, herbal supplements, and exercises are the best combination to ensure optimal results from Tongkat Ali.
Real-world Tongkat Ali feedback based on a four-week review proved Tongkat Ali did work on body transformation when combined with body toning exercises and weight training.
Tongkat Ali may not work as intended if you are not exercising or idling. This applies to most herbal supplements including Panax Ginseng, which offers similar benefits to Tongkat Ali.
There are studies that suggest Tongkat Ali works as an effective herbal supplement for hangover symptoms from alcohol consumption.
The mechanism of action from Tongkat Ali works by reducing cortisol levels, which advertently increased from alcohol consumption.
However, we recommend that you should not consume Tongkat Ali with alcohol, but rather consume it after a heavy night out.
Tongkat Ali can and should be enjoyed on any occasions, with your favourite drink or coffee. In fact, you can enjoy a homemade Tongkat Ali coffee here.
Yes, you may also have heard of a Tongkat Ali infused red wine which was made popular in early 2010. If you decide to go this route, the maximum effect of testosterone production from Tongkat Ali may be lesser than someone who consumes pure herbal extract.
So it may not work well if your health goals is to lose weight, muscle growth or improve your libido. In fact, the bio-active nutrients from Tongkat Ali will go to waste.
The science, scientific tests results and real-life observations form the basis that Tongkat does work with measurable health benefits.
In fact Tongkat Ali works better than Fadogia Agrestis, Panax Ginseng or even Turkesterone.
Tongkat Ali’s anabolic and adaptogen mechanism works marvelously in various scenarios. So use it to boost your libido, or boost your performance in sports or if you are wanting to reduce your stubborn body fat whilst at the same time promoting muscle growth.
Similar to other natural plant-based supplements, Tongkat Ali is time-dependent, with noticeable and measurable improvements seen within weeks by working on your hormones. Some reported improvement on the second day of consuming Tongkat Ali.
And for optimal results, don’t forget to consume Tongkat Ali along with a good healthy diet, or you may perform intermittent fasting, and regular exercises to bring added benefits.
But remember to choose the finest quality Tongkat Ali or the one with the highest potency so that it works better for your.
If you have more questions, we have prepared a list of Tongkat Ali Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here.
Till then, choose wisely and stay safe!
Naressa Khan contributes regularly on AKARALI. As a writer and journalist, Naressa is all about creating, deconstructing, and reassembling meanings through words. With this approach always in mind, she eagerly explores the nuances in life via the aspects of lifestyle, culture, travel, health, and wellness.
13 Responses
I’ve been consuming tongkat ali for almost a year no. Yes, tongkat ali does work for me. Just within a month i can feel the difference. Overall, i feel more energetic physically and mentally. Just be sure to opt for the best quality tongkat ali.
Having the right amount of energy and testosterone are important for a ‘sports freak’ like me. Since taking tongkat ali my performance in sports have been improved meaning that tongkat ali does work effectively. The best part is that it can be mixed with coffee.
Tongkat ali was introduce to me by a friend who understands my struggle with fatigue. 5 months after taking tongkat ali i can say that i’m feeling fatigue a lot less and at the same time it improved my sleep quality. So, yes, it does work for me.
Took tongkat ali as a pre workout supplement after it was suggested by a mate. The effect from this is that i’m able to exercise longer and more intense as it gave me a boost of energy. It also helped me in maintaining my BMI. I must say, it worked perfectly for me.
Few months back i’ve been taking tongkat ali and i must say, it felt great. After couple of weeks, i can get more stuff done during the day and can still go on…plus, I don’t fell so exhausted after a long day at the office. My libido and sexual drive have been increase exponentially. So far, i’m not experiencing any side effect from this. Good stuff!
I would really recommend using tongkat ali as a supplement. I consume quality and genuine Tongkat Ali in the form of capsules or mixed it with coffee sometimes. Yeah it will ruin the taste of coffee with its bitterness LOL. So far I’m on week two, I can tell the difference where I definitely feel less lethargic and doesn’t go straight to bed after work.
I bought Tongkat Ali numerous times. I was very impressed by the effect it had on my training. I felt more energetic everytime I woke up in the morning. The muscle recover much faster and I could train more days instead of waiting for the muscle to recover.
I would say that after more than 2years using Tongkat Ali , the results have been good to very good. I am 64 and have literally never had a problem with sexual performance and I am not aware of any side effects (I do have a pretty sexy wife, though). I’ve not experienced any weight loss – as has been noted in some descriptions- but that was never the main reason for my purchase anyway.
I have used Tongkat Ali to enhance my sexual activity and libido. Overall I have been very pleased with the effects of this product. My first cycle was on for about 2 weeks and I felt how I have more energy during the day and that I needed less sleep during the night. After week 3 I could feel a real boost and the result was that I had a strong increase in my libido and my sexual activity. After 6 weeks I stopped for 1 week and started over with my cycle again. So far I still feel the same great results as when taken for the first time, this product has been working great for me so far.
Tongkat ali is one of the best pre workout supplement i’ve ever taken. It helped improves your performance and give you a boost of energy that helped to push further. It also help with muscle mass. Tongkat ali work for me and i would suggest it to others.
I have started taking Tongkat Ali a few months ago, and I feel energised and more active physically and intellectually. I’m positive it is one of the best herbal supplement in the market today. what’s amazing about Tongkat Ali is that it can be taken with tea or coffee or even as a pre-workout source of energy.
I have tested Tongkat ali 400mg extensively for 5+ months. The first 60 days were perfect hand grip strength went from 145lbs x10 to 197lbs x 22 in 3 months. BUT! Heart palpitations showed itself at day 60, I took 3 weeks breaks until all palpitations subsided. Only for the palpitations to return after 13 days on Tongkat again. This I reproduced twice like clockwork 2-3 weeks off and on day 13 heart palpitation start. So yes there is benefits but it duplicated what TRT Gel does at 13 days increased red blood cells. I see no studies stating this or any feedback from anyone stating this but should be mentioned as a possibility. I logged all of my data on amazon Tongkat Ali 400mg from Solaray.
thanks for your blog!
Although the effects of tongkat Ali on free testosterone have repeatedly been shown in studies, there are few (if any) randomized controlled trials (RCT) that tested its effect on muscle hypertrophy or strength gains. Although there seems to be evidence that tongkat Ali mimics (elements of) testosterone replacement therapy I have not been able to find an RCT that shows significant gains in muscle hypertrophy or (peak) strength.