Should you take Tongkat Ali daily to get the most benefit or should you take Tongkat Ali as and when needed?
Our guide will answer how much Tongkat Ali you should take daily or as needed based on your health goals, situations and conditions.
Tongkat Ali has become a highly popular dietary supplement due to its many versatile benefits, famed in particular for boosting testosterone levels, physical performance, as well as libido.
According to various human clinical trials, Tongkat Ali is safe to take daily below 1,930mg and is commonly recommended in doses of between 200mg – 400mg a day. Neuroscientist Dr. Huberman said that Tongkat Ali can be taken 400mg daily, either early in the morning or during the day.
There are, however, situations where additional as-needed dose may be helpful, particularly in specific situations. Adjusting the daily dosing requirements for each individual is useful due to the inherent nature of our hormone fluctuations, or cycle, and your daily 200mg or 400mg may not be sufficient.
We’ll go into daily dosing as well as the situations where an as needed dose may prove to be particularly useful!
Daily dosing for Tongkat Ali is the most common and effective way to use this versatile herb. Most human clinical studies on Tongkat Ali have tested different daily doses of standardized hot-water Tongkat Ali root extract between 50mg – 800mg, spanning 12 – 24 weeks.
In over 27 Tongkat Ali studies on humans to date, the daily dosing of 200mg to 400mg of Tongkat Ali is considered to be very safe for the liver and kidneys and yields a variety of benefits including for maintaining healthy testosterone levels, reducing stress, improving mood, enhancing immunity, increasing physical performance, libido, and more.
How much should I take and for how long?
As herbal dietary supplements do not work instantaneously like medicinal drugs, taking Tongkat Ali daily at 200mg for a period a minimum of 6 to 24 weeks is the best way to get consistent results by ensuring your hormone is kept at optimal levels.
However, each of us are exposed to daily stress from work, overtraining, family, external environment and other factors which affect the production of testosterone, cortisol and other hormones in our endocrine system.
Therefore, taking Tongkat Ali 200mg daily regularly for weeks or even 5 years (with or without cycling) is reported to contribute to a better overall well-being, better mood, and optimal energy utilization throughout the day. Long term daily Tongkat Ali intake is particularly useful if you want measurable results from metrices such as testosterone levels, blood glucose levels, immune system, SHBG, or body composition analysis.
Taking Tongkat Ali daily with sugar-free diet and regular 3-times a week exercises gives more benefit than taking it inconsistently or as-needed.
Given the positive feedback from taking standardized extract, US and UK consumers are now adopting long-term use of Tongkat Ali by taking it daily in replacement of Vitamin C, or in addition to other minerals and nutrients such as Vitamin B, Zinc, Magnesium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
For Testosterone Support
With testosterone, most people will see measurable benefits (validated through bloodwork) after about 12 weeks based on a daily dose of 400mg of standardized hot-water Tongkat Ali root extract. Those taking non-standardized or 200:1 Tongkat Ali extract may require higher dose, or perhaps a longer period to yield some level of measurable benefits.
While it is very possible that Tongkat Ali can work well for testosterone as a standalone, it is highly recommended that those seeking optimal, measurable testosterone benefits engage in regular daily exercise and incorporate a healthy diet.
Learn more about how to optimize the testosterone-boosting benefits of Tongkat Ali
For Libido Support
For libido or if you are using it to address mild ED symptoms, Tongkat Ali with daily dosing just as a standalone supplement. However, for those who are less lucky, you may need to incorporate some healthy lifestyle strategies to get the most out of Tongkat Ali.
This may involve reducing your sugar intake, which hampers testosterone production, avoiding too much dairy or soy which may cause excess estrogen in your body, as well as incorporating cardio or Kegel exercises that helps promote higher production of testosterone and better blood flow in the body.
Learn more about how to optimize the libido benefits of Tongkat Ali
While daily and consistent dosing is the best way to get the most out of standardized hot-water Tongkat Ali root extract, there are situations where an extra dose can give you benefits above and beyond what your regular dose can offer. This is especially true for those that stick to the recommended doses of 200mg – 400mg daily.
It is worth noting that even though there is no official limit, most people should cap their daily dose of Tongkat Ali to no more than a maximum of 1,000mg. Doses of Tongkat Ali extract exceeding 1,000mg per day may lead to unwanted side effects.
Apart from taking it daily as a dietary supplement, you can take Tongkat Ali as needed, or by increasing your dose in the following situations:
1. Competitive sports
Athletes and those engaged in competitive sports may benefit from an extra dose other than the regular recommended daily dose of 400mg. Situations where you are engaged in a sprinting competition or ultra marathon trail run may benefit from an extra 200mg half an hour to an hour before the race or as you reach the midpoint of a 50km trail run. This extra dose can give you increased strength and bursts of power needed during the race or the energy and endurance to power through that last mile.
2. Libido performance
If you’ve got a big date night with your partner and want to perform at your peak for their pleasure, you may consider taking an extra 200mg half an hour to an hour before the main event. Daily dosing with Tongkat Ali has been shown to improve libido and erectile function over the long term, but an as-needed dose in this situation can give you the improved mood and extra blood flow to get the most out of your big night.
3. Muscle recovery
Training for an ultra-marathon, extended trail run, football, sprinting or a bodybuilding competition is often intense and can be very tough on the body. In this situation, an additional 200mg dose right after intense training may be ideal for accelerated muscle repair and tissue recovery. This extra dose may even help with pain and delayed onset muscle soreness due to Tongkat Ali’s potent anti-inflammatory properties.
4. High-stress situations
Whether for a tense negotiation or a presentation in front of your boss that you’re nervous about, an extra 200mg dose of Tongkat Ali half an hour to an hour before may be effective for calming you down and giving you that boost in mood and confidence you’re looking for. Tongkat Ali is tested to reduce cortisol, boost testosterone, and enhance dopamine levels, an ideal combination for reducing work stress, behaviourial or cognitive stress.
5. Extended or late-night work shifts
For those who work long hours or late into the night, maintaining energy and focus can be challenging. Taking an extra 200mg of Tongkat Ali on top of your daily 200mg before your extended shift can help sustain your energy levels, improve mental clarity, and enhance your overall work performance. The boost in testosterone and reduction in cortisol levels can aid in combating fatigue, keeping you alert, focused and efficient throughout your shift.
Daily dosing of Tongkat Ali is still the best way to get consistent and long-term benefits, especially when complemented with healthy lifestyle changes. However, as-needed dosing can provide plenty of additional advantages in specific situations, and this work in situations when you are not consuming a healthy diet, or if you are not exercising regularly.
Whether it’s for athletic performance, libido enhancement, muscle recovery, stress reduction, or extended work shifts, understanding when is best take an extra dose can help you maximize the benefits of this potent dietary supplement.
Naressa Khan contributes regularly on AKARALI. As a researcher and investigative journalist, Naressa is all about creating, deconstructing, and reassembling meaningful content through words and facts. With this approach always in mind, she eagerly explores the nuances in life via the aspects of lifestyle, culture, travel, health, and wellness in Malaysia .
Our articles are third party reviewed by our panel of experts and medical advisors to ensure the facts are accurate and credible. These are validated against multiple source references which include but not limited to research studies, peer-reviewed journals, pre-clinical studies, clinical tests and other credible publications.
Our panel of medical advisors and experts are highly experienced in their individual fields. However, they do not provide any medical advice or recommendations arising from content published in this article.
Disclaimer:
The content published on this website is for educational purposes and should not be viewed, read, or seen as a prescription or constitute any form of medical advice. We recommend you consult your nearest GP or doctors before consuming Tongkat Ali or any products which contain Tongkat Ali. For further information, kindly refer to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information.
