IF YOU’RE LOOKING to boost T levels, natural supplements can be very tempting—especially considering the main pharmaceutical treatment of low T, testosterone replacement therapy, has some hefty side effects, such as infertility.
Tongkat Ali, a south-east Asian medicinal plant (also called Eurycoma longifolia Jack or Malaysian ginseng), is one of the most commonly touted testosterone-boosting herbs. And there is some thought that Tongkat Ali could help, concedes Rajiv Jayadevan, MD, assistant clinical professor of urology and male fertility expert at The Men’s Clinic at UCLA.
Most notably, a 2022 meta-analysis in Medicina looked at the nine high-quality studies we have on the topic and found that both healthy men and guys with clinically low T levels (hypogonadism) who supplemented with Tongkat Ali saw improved total testosterone levels.
The meta-analysis also revealed that in addition to improving erectile dysfunction and infertility, Tongkat Ali has been shown to help improve athletic performance, add muscular bulk (alongside strength training), reduce body fat, and help improve fatigue and anxiety—all common side effects of low testosterone. In addition, the studies included reported no or minimal side effects from using the Asian herb.
However, the amount Tongkat Ali raises T levels is not to any significant effect. “For most guys, it’s only going to raise your levels 30 points or so, which isn’t enough to meaningfully change your symptoms,” Dr. Jayadevan explains.
Andrology expert Charles Welliver, MD, associate professor of urology at Albany Medical College adds, “No supplement has been shown to convincingly affect T levels—and if they actually did, they would probably quickly come under FDA regulation.”
If you have symptoms of low testosterone, get your hormone levels checked. If testosterone isn’t the reason you’re feeling the way you are—down, energy-less, and you are noticing a loss of muscle mass and libido—there may be other reasons for any of these that are equally easy to solve.
