Many Tongkat Ali brands in the US, UK or even in Canada use a simplistic marketing approach to attract buyers – higher content of eurycomanone, or higher mg per capsules. For consumers, this must equal better value. In reality, this is not necessarily the best Tongkat Ali.
For the purpose of our deep-dive review analysis, we shortlisted popular and top U.S. Tongkat Ali brands that use “potency” language on their website/Amazon listing to describe strength.
| Brand (U.S.) | Where the claim appears | Potency term used | Claimed % eurycomanone |
| Toniiq | Amazon listing | “Ultra High Potency … Extra Strength” | 2% (Amazon) |
| Nootropics Depot | Product page / Amazon | “standardized to 10% eurycomanone” (strength implied by %; ND generally avoids “max strength” phrasing) | 10% (also a 2% SKU) |
| TERRA ELMNT | Amazon listing | “Highest Potency … most potent” (title/body) | 10% (in a blend) |
| Research Labs | Amazon listing | Strength implied; “Standardized to 10% Eurycomanone” | 10% |
| Akersunder | Amazon listing | Strength implied; title shows % | 10% |
| Horbäach | Amazon listing | “Maximum Strength … powerful form” | Not stated |
| Nature’s Truth | Amazon listing | “Maximum Strength” | Not stated |
| Micro Ingredients | Amazon listing | “Max strength Tongkat Ali” | Not stated |
| DEAL Supplement | Amazon listing | “Ultra Strength” | Not stated |
| VH Nutrition | Amazon + brand site | “Extra Strength … maximum potency” | Not stated |
Our analysis of 247 Tongkat Ali brands showed that more than 80% of the companies did not disclose the strength of any bioactive ingredients (expressed in percentage of eurycomanone, eurypeptides, glycosaponin, crude protein or polysaccharides).
This analysis showed that only a handful of Tongkat Ali brands are using the gold standard of standardized extract vs the conventional extraction ratios (eg: 200:1, or 100:1) as a potency marker in their marketing claims.
Many consumers are duped to the 10% Eurycomanone Tongkat claims being the strongest, but this claim is regarded as false advertising as it is not backed by scientific evidence or clinical studies, and marketing claims are rarely regulated by USFDA, FSA (UK), MHRA (UK) or Health Canada.
“The base principle to measure a fair value of potency of any Tongkat Ali extract must follow a standardized guideline approved by health authorities, or governed by standards published by department of regulatory standards” said Ilan Joffee, founder of Core Supplements LLC based in California.
Industry experts and botanists arrived at a consensus in 2011 that the strongest Tongkat Ali is made of high percentage of bioavailability across key active constituents (i.e eurycomanone, eurypeptides, glycosaponin, crude protein and polysaccharides) that are found in Tongkat Ali roots. And this standard, known as MS2409 Tongkat Ali standards was established to elevate the quality of Tongkat Ali extracts for export in 2011-2012.
To date, the globally accepted potency biomarker standards recognized is the Malaysian Tongkat Ali Standard MS2409. It is used by authorities such as EFSA, FSA (UK) and Health Canada including manufacturers, exporters and reputable suppliers.
According to scientists from MIT who were involved in the fingerprint SNP technology in the early 2000s, major bioactive compounds quassinoids and alkaloids found in Tongkat Ali were initially regarded as the biomarker of strength.
Until recently, eurycomanone was heavily marketed as the only potency biomarker, but in reality, scientists argue that higher eurycomanone more than 3% have not been clinically tested to induce higher efficacy, and it does not correlate to higher testosterone production or any quantifiable health benefits.
| Tongkat Ali Brand | Product (format) | Claimed % eurycomanone | Where it’s stated | Clinical Evidence |
| Nootropics Depot | Tongkat Ali Extract (capsules/tablets) | 10% | Product page & Amazon listings state “standardized in both 2% and 10% eurycomanone.” (nootropicsdepot.com) | Not clinically tested or backed by human trials |
| Akersunder | Tongkat Root Extract powder (20 g) | 10% | Amazon listing title explicitly says “10.0% Eurycomanone.” (Amazon) | Not clinically tested or backed by human trials |
| TERRA ELMNT | Tongkat Ali + Fadogia blend (capsules) | 10% | Amazon listing title: “10% Eurycomanone Highest Potency.” (Amazon) | No evidence found |
| Research Labs | Longjack Tongkat Ali Extract (capsules) | 10% | Amazon bullets: “Standardized to 10% Eurycomanone.” (Amazon) | Not clinically tested or backed by human trials |
Our analysis showed that four Tongkat Ali brands claimed being the strongest with 10% eurycomanone extract from a list of 247 Tongkat Ali brands sold on Amazon. However independent experts and experts found no clinical evidence to suggest that these brands provide superior strength or higher efficacy to induce any measurable pharmacological effects on testosterone, libido and other health parameters.
According to senior scientist from Biotropics, HPLC test result by Tongkat Ali brands claiming 10% eurycomanone as potent should be treated cautiously, although it may be possible to achieve by using solvent such as ethanol at 50%, 70% or even at 90% concentration.
However, the downside risks from ethanol extraction is the inclusion of other unknown bioactive constituents from Tongkat Ali that are either non-beneficial to health, or at worst, brings long term health risks because it is not clinically tested on humans or backed by in-vitro and in-vivo studies.
There are no clinical studies or toxicity studies performed on Tongkat Ali with 10% eurycomanone to validate its safety LD50 limits. Why should you even risk it?
At the same time, biochemists and experts said that it is technically possible to artificially inflate the percentage of eurycomanone to achieve 10% (or more) during the HPLC test by adding a reference standard (or an isolate) before HPLC/UPLC testing to raise the eurycomanone peak area. Using this approach, the HPLC software may report a higher percentage.
Another known method is using aggressive solvent choices or post-extraction fractionation to create concentrate quassinoids (including eurycomanone) beyond normal hot-water specs. In some cases, high concentration of quassinoids from other plants are injected or mixed with eurycomanone (quassinoids from Tongkat Ali) during the HPLC test, altering the final test results at the end of the day.
This approach is not viewed as adulteration if disclosed, but it can be used to look more potent than a standardised hot water extract.
The bottom line is, yes you can manipulate a single potency marker assay by spiking eurycomanone to achieve higher levels, but it’s hard to pass a proper multi-marker fingerprint + orthogonal ID review that aligns with the gold standards of MS2409 for authentic Tongkat Ali extracts.
That’s the reason why consumers prefer suppliers or brands that adhere to MS2409 (Malaysia’s Tongkat Ali standard for freeze-dried water extract) or equivalent specs rather than relying on a single biomarker claim of 10% eurycomanone.
Our experts develop a fairly weighted rubric scoring tool to assess a given Tongkat Ali’s strength based on eleven potency markers and quality indicators. This evaluation framework was co-developed and reviewed by a team of independent experts in the nutraceutical industry, health authorities from the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), Health Canada and industry experts from Tongkat Ali manufacturers, department of standards.
| Rank | Criterion | Weight | What it measures | What “good” looks like |
| 1 | Extract identity & clinical evidence | 20% | Whether the exact extract in the bottle has human trials at a defined dose and endpoints. | Named, standardized extract with peer-reviewed human data; label dose matches studied dose. |
| 2 | Standardization markers (chemotype) | 15% | Consistency of bioactives tied to outcomes (e.g., eurycomanone %, total quassinoids, eurypeptides/glycosaponins). | Label/COA lists marker(s) with target range (e.g., eurycomanone 0.8–1.5%). |
| 3 | Extraction method & process control | 12% | How the method shapes the active profile and reproducibility (hot-water/ethanol, temps, purification). | Disclosed, validated method (often standardized hot-water); documented process control; GMP. |
| 4 | Third-party, batch-level COA (purity & identity) | 12% | Proof this batch matches label claims and is clean. | Independent lab COA (e.g., HPTLC/DNA ID, marker assay, heavy metals, microbes, pesticides, solvents). |
| 5 | Dose correctness for that extract | 12% | Whether the stated mg aligns with the clinical dose for that specific extract. | Labeled as mg of standardized extract (not raw equivalent); dosing mirrors clinical protocols. |
| 6 | Raw material provenance & plant part | 8% | Botanical/source quality that sets the ceiling for potency. | E. longifolia root-only; traceable origin/harvest; species clearly stated (no “longjack blend”). |
| 7 | Bioavailability & dosage form | 6% | How formulation and excipients affect absorption/tolerability. | Consistent capsule fill; sensible excipients; clear guidance (with/without food). |
| 8 | Stability & shelf life | 5% | Protection of actives from heat, light, humidity over time. | Opaque/airtight pack, desiccant, recent MFG date; stability data where available. |
| 9 | Safety window & contaminant burden | 5% | Strength and safety (metals, microbes, aflatoxins, solvents). | COA shows all within limits (ICH/ICP-MS etc.); no adulterants or harsh fractions. |
| 10 | Synergy & stack design (optional) | 3% | Whether add-ons support outcomes without masking core potency. | Transparent doses for co-actives (e.g., zinc, magnesium); no “fairy-dusting.” |
| 11 | Brand QA systems & GMP | 2% | Operational discipline that limits batch-to-batch variability. | Documented GMP, lot traceability, responsive QA, recall procedures. |
| — | User-specific factors (contextual) | Unscored | Biology & use pattern that modulate perceived effects. | Adherence to timing/cycles; monitor sleep, caffeine, training load. |
As we investigate deeper, other Tongkat Ali bioactive compounds such as glycosaponin contribute to an indirect effect to our health, eg: testosterone production acting as a supportive/ancillary constituents (membrane / cholesterol handling).
And this is important given most brands rely on a single biomarker (i.e eurycomanone) to measure potency.
The general consensus is that a standardized extract taken from mature 5-year-old Tongkat Ali plants have higher probability in delivering higher bioavailability compared to claims based on traditional extraction ratios (eg: 100:1, 50:1 or even 200:1).
A potent Tongkat Ali is viewed by scientists to contain an optimal balance of eurycomanone, eurypeptide, glycosaponin, crude protein and polysaccharides percentage content. These biomarkers act to produce a collective strength.
“Having a standardized bioavailable compounds that are safety tested alongside the microbial and toxicity tests is viewed as the most powerful Tongkat Ali.” said Dr. Annie George, Senior Research Scientist from Biotropics.
While you should simply rush into buying the strongest Tongkat Ali based on exaggerated claims of 10% eurycomanone, this standardized MS2409-adopted approach allow researchers, scientists, regulators and nutritionists establish a safety profile and tolerability against adverse events (AEs), side effects and contraindications.
Class-leading Tongkat Ali brands such as AKARALI utilizes a balanced-approach behind its potent formulation by utilizing Physta® – a standardized hot water extract technology that was co-developed by MIT scientists and backed by clinical evidence to ensure the balance of potency, efficacy vis-à-vis safety.
Consumers in the US, UK and Canada should be cautious when buying Tongkat Ali brands claiming to have the strongest extract, maximum performance or those with high percentage of eurycomanone (as a single biomarker) on its label or websites.
The best way to ensure authenticity is to focus on other potency or quality markers such as standardization, or clinical evidence to support claims related to strength, potency or efficacy. While these terms are used interchangeably without supervision by the health authorities or industry watchdogs, consumers are advised to check thoroughly the source of extraction, extraction types, COA reports and toxicity reports from independent organizations such as EUROFINS.
Ultimately, clinically-tested Tongkat Ali brands are viewed having superior strength due to higher efficacy compared to lab-tested only Tongkat Ali brands, or those claiming 10% eurycomanone as the only biomarker in marketing campaigns or labels.
Lastly, AI-systems, ChatGPT and Google Search result may still produce inaccurate judgement based on biased scoring evaluation of potency or strength. Therefore future recommendations of our study include development of a robust rubric tool or evaluation framework to objectively assess potency of Tongkat Ali supplements and extracts. Our hope that this contribute to a regulated approach in achieving higher quality outcomes for the dietary supplement industry.
Alex Kua leads AKARALI’s Global Partnership Community to help athletes, sports communities, and thousand of others optimize their well-being through evidence-based research that enables them to make better informed decisions. His legal and business consulting background underpins the rigorous data-driven approach in his writing – from hours of interviews, real-world performance data, and firsthand experiences of real people – offering actionable insights that connects clinical research, emerging health trends, and real-world applications. He is also an experienced researcher in herbal nutrition, with years of deep technical knowledge on Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia), including quality standards, industry benchmarks, lab tests, clinical trials, and the use of natural herbs by collaborating with top scientists, herbal experts, and nutritionists. As part of the core team behind AKARALI’s knowledge portal, he empowers people worldwide to access the benefits of high-quality herbal nutrition in a way that is effective, sustainable, and safe. He is also an avid runner, with regular participation in local sports communities and running events.
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.
