As a supplement hailed for its ability to boost testosterone, enhance libido, and improve overall energy levels, Tongkat Ali has gained widespread attention as a scam supplement.
In this expose, our team expose the reality behind Tongkat Ali scams and what can you do to avoid being a victim.
New Tongkat Ali brands appear on the shelf daily. And there is no regulatory control in the dietary supplement industry, more so in the herbal industry. Against the backdrop, it provides a near perfect landscape for scammers to thrive.
The rise of fraudulent claims using fake ingredients, harmful additives, unapproved substances and even toxic ingredients in Tongkat Ali supplements have destroyed the market in the last decade. This is made possible as China manufacturers are quick to respond to demand from the United States, but its poor sourcing of raw Tongkat Ali materials from Indonesia are often mixed with adulterants and additives that are not regulated by FDA.
The lack of quality control of Tongkat Ali extract in the US expose greater risks for scammers, capitalizing opportunities to maximize profit; often in the expense of efficacy, health benefits and even safety.
As Amazon tightens its control for brands selling dietary supplements under the newly enforced cGMP CFR 2111 dietary requirements, it gives consumers access to reputable Tongkat Ali brands. But, you can still be a victim of a Tongkat Ali scam.
According to herbalists and research scientists, Tongkat Ali may be considered a scam if it does not induce any noticeable health benefits such as increased libido, energy, stamina or elevated mood after prolonged used, typically after consuming it daily for six weeks. Even if does boost your testosterone, it does not mean that you are consuming a 100% natural Tongkat Ali extract.
Worst still, physical inspection of various Tongkat Ali extracts based on colour or taste alone may not reveal the scam tactics used by Tongkat Ali scammers.
After thorough investigation across 10 top brands, our team found low bioavailability from poor extract quality in some Tongkat Ali supplements sold in the US. Extract that contains low bioactive ingredients such as eurycomanone (<1.5%), eurypeptides (<20%) and glycosaponin (<30%) is perceived as “scammy” and consuming at high doses may not induce significant benefits to your strength training, libido and stamina.
To avoid being a victim, users are cautioned against buying supplement brands that are not specialized in Tongkat Ali. Unfortunately, even the best-selling US supplement brands such as Solaray, Momentous and Double Wood may not contain the purest Tongkat Ali extract, making in ineffective as a standalone testosterone or libido booster.
If you are in doubt, high quality Tongkat Ali extracts that adhere to the Malaysian Tongkat Ali Standards MS2409 provide a glimmer of hope to herbalists and consumers who are serious about performance, safety standards, potency, purity and efficacy.
Meanwhile, you can avoid being cheated when buying Tongkat Ali supplements in the US, UK or Australia by following our tips below.
Avoiding being a victim of Tongkat Ali Scam
Here are four important tips:
Dilution is a common form of Tongkat Ali scam where purity of Tongkat Ali extract is heavily compromised. Typical modus operandi by scammers involves diluting Tongkat Ali extract with adulterants or excessive fillers to minimize production costs, and this brings negative implication to the purity, efficacy and even pose safety risks to liver and kidneys.
Here is how it works.
Reputable US Tongkat Ali brands like AKARALI, known for their commitment to scientific integrity, have repeatedly warned consumers about the rampant adulteration of Tongkat Ali on the market.
“Most 400mg Tongkat Ali supplements in the US may not necessarily contain 100% pure Tongkat Ali root extract.” says Ilan Joffee, director of IMJ Consultants LLC based in LA.
One of the most common practices among disreputable manufacturers is diluting the root extract with substances like maltodextrin, a cheap rice fillers. This reduces the potency of the product, rendering it ineffective while still being marketed as “pure Tongkat Ali.”
“In many cases, what you are buying in the US is a watered-down version of the real Tongkat Ali,” says Shahid, CEO & Founder of AKARALI in a statement on product authenticity.
Experts cautioned that Tongkat Ali is not considered a scam provided you purchase pure root standardized extract directly from single-ingredient brands that specialize in Tongkat Ali. AKARALI is recognized as amongst few brands in the US that produce natural Tongkat Ali extract that is clinically tested and lab tested for purity. Its wildcrafted Tongkat Ali is harvested in Malaysia’s rainforest, and their stringent compliance to Tongkat Ali Standards MS2409 offers higher potency, making it beneficial to those who have lower testosterone and those who are into sports performance in order to maximize endurance through overall hormonal optimization.
However, the US-market is filled with generic non-standardized Tongkat Ali extracts that have lower efficacy, reducing the effectiveness on testosterone, libido or mood by more than 60% according to nutritionists.
“The US supplement market is filled with garbage”, added Dr. Andrew Huberman during his interview with Joe Rogan, suggesting that even the best Tongkat Ali brands in the US may not work as intended, unless it is sourced from reputable suppliers.
The good news is, this have changed in the last 2 years.
Malaysian Tongkat Ali supplements are gaining greater acceptance in recent years due to its honest and transparent approach in the UK, and amongst discerning US shoppers. However, the US supplement market is still largely filled with cut-throat scammers with glossy branding marketing activities on social media, often comes with fraudulent claims using health influencers to market diluted products sourced from sub-par quality extracts filled with additives, or even adulterants.
“Consumers should be aware that the quality of Tongkat Ali extract—especially whether it is standardized and free from fillers—makes a huge difference in its efficacy. Non-standardized Tongkat Ali products are considered a scam if it is heavily adulterated as it won’t deliver the health benefits that are often claimed based on published studies.” Say Dr. Zamir Hillman, a board-certified medical doctor who leads a functional medicine practice.
One of the main culprits perpetuating the Tongkat Ali scam is the role of health influencers and their lack of knowledge on the subject. With the power of social media, many influencers promote Tongkat Ali as a miracle supplement capable of solving all manner of health issues, from low testosterone to poor energy levels.
Unfortunately, many of these claims by health influencers are exaggerated, if not entirely fabricated as not all Tongkat Ali supplements are created equal.
In his review of Tongkat Ali titled “How Health Influencers SCAM You”, Dr. Brad Stanfield offers a critical analysis of the health claims surrounding Tongkat Ali, especially those propagated by influencers on social media.
Making reference to Momentous Tongkat Ali, he warns that many influencers exaggerate Tongkat Ali’s effects, particularly in relation to testosterone boosting and exercise performance. The effect of Tongkat Ali on Dr. Andrew Huberman may be perceived as fraudulent, as his claim of raising testosterone by 200 points were not based on his bloodwork, or any clinical trials that he was involved in.
According to Dr. Brad Stanfield, some these claims by paid celebrity doctors (eg: Dr. Andrew Huberman) are largely unsupported by robust scientific evidence. On the other hand, results on meta-analysis showed that most health benefits from Tongkat Ali are conducted using standardized hot water Tongkat Ali extract, indicating that a more consistent results on testosterone gains may be possible due to standardized bioactive ingredients.
Only a few randomized controlled studies using standardized Tongkat Ali hot water extract (known as Physta®) showed significant and measurable benefits such as testosterone gains. Whilst other generic Tongkat Ali extract does not produce consistent results, which are deemed scammy.
Meanwhile, Dr. Li Cheng from California points out, “Many influencers push Tongkat Ali supplements without fully understanding the science or clinical data behind them. This results in misinformation, misleading consumers into believing they are getting a potent Tongkat Ali product, in reality, they are buying something ineffective or even harmful.”
Beyond adulteration, some Tongkat Ali products simply lack the scientific backing to support the health claims made on their labels.
It means, if it is not clinically tested, chances are the Tongkat Ali extract may not boost testosterone, increase strength, energy or improve libido to a certain degree.
To drive home our point, not all extracts are created with equal potency or efficacy to validate its health benefits. And you may be a victim of a global Tongkat Ali scam if you are not careful. However, Tongkat Ali is widely used as part of testosterone stack; a combination with other testosterone boosting supplements such as zinc, magnesium, ashwagandha or even Fadogia Agrestis.
While studies suggest that Tongkat Ali may have health benefits from increased testosterone levels, particularly in men with low baseline, majority of Tongkat Ali brands opt to use cheaper generic extracts that are not verified, with poorly supported clinical data to validate its health claims.
Founder of Vegan Foundry Alexandre Valente' tested Solaray Tongkat Ali 400mg for two weeks but noticed no significant boost in energy levels, contrary to claims based on published studies.
In his in-depth review of Tongkat Ali , the lack of energy boost was potentially due to poor extract quality, pointing to a similar experience by British healthcare professional Dr. Chris. In his testosterone review of Solaray Tongkat Ali, Dr Chris’s bloodwork showed reduction of testosterone after taking Tongkat Ali 400mg daily for 40 days.
Solaray Tongkat Ali 400mg may be legit and not a scam, but it did not raise testosterone levels. Investigation revealed it contains 0.1% eurycomanone, lower than the minimum threshold of 1.5%
Real world reviews by professionals raise further question on Tongkat Ali’s effectiveness as to whether this herb really work on healthy adults given the variability of bioavailability from extract quality, purity of Tongkat Ali raw material, changes in production protocols, and issues surrounding standardization.
In future, you should be mindful when buying Tongkat Ali supplements in the US that are not clinically tested for purity, efficacy or potency.
The notion of Tongkat Ali is a scam may not be true as long as you are buying the real deal.
Buying real Tongkat Ali supplements made from pure root standardized extract may be an expensive affair but it should work as intended based on clinical trials. When paired with exercises, it may optimize your testosterone, boost your energy and libido.
From a first impression basis, you know you are buying a real authentic Tongkat Ali product (and not a scam) if it gives you instant boost of energy when performing your daily activities or if you are active in sports. This technically should work after 24 to 72 hours regardless of your age, weight and health status due to the standardized bioavailable compounds from Tongkat Ali.
Standardized hot water extract contains higher bioavailability and key active ingredients such as eurycomanone, eurypeptides, and glycosaponin helps to increase the efficacy and potency, which is considered the real Tongkat Ali deal that you should buy.
In addition, consumers should ideally purchase 3rd party lab tested or clinically tested Tongkat Ali supplements if you are in doubt as this will help to minimize the risks associated with scams from irresponsible manufacturers.
How to Spot a Tongkat Ali Scam
Given the prevalence of scams, it’s crucial for consumers to be cautious when choosing Tongkat Ali supplements. Here are a few red flags to watch out for:
The Tongkat Ali industry, like many sectors in the supplement world, is plagued by scams and misleading claims. But you can avoid being a victim.
While Tongkat Ali may offer real benefits for some people, particularly in the context of testosterone support, consumers must be vigilant about where they purchase these products. It’s important to rely on brands that prioritize purity, scientific validation through research and clinicals, and transparency of its sourcing, quality and extraction protocols.
As AKARALI and other responsible manufacturers have pointed out, “Not all Tongkat Ali products are created equal. And you may avoid being a scam victim by buying standardized extracts from established premium Tongkat Ali brands”
It is up to the consumer to do their due diligence, seek out third-party verified supplements, and avoid falling victim to the health influencer hype that has led so many astray. Helpful Tongkat Ali quality checks may help you greatly when choosing for top end premium Tongkat Ali supplements.
In a world where supplements are often marketed as quick fixes, it’s more important than ever to separate the facts from the fiction. Tongkat Ali may offer some real health benefits, but only if it is sourced, produced, and consumed responsibly.
