What Is Tongkat Ali? Testosterone, Stress and Safety
Tongkat ali is the root of Eurycoma longifolia, a Southeast Asian tree. A 2022 review of 5 trials with 232 men found that 100 to 600 mg a day raised testosterone, mainly in men who started low. One small trial found lower cortisol. ErecPower lists tongkat ali, but the amount is not published.
What is tongkat ali?
Tongkat ali is the root of a tree called Eurycoma longifolia. It grows in the rainforests of Southeast Asia. Some labels call it longjack.
Traditional healers used the root as a tonic for men. Today it is sold as a dried root extract in capsules, powders and blends.
Quick facts
- Plant: Eurycoma longifolia, the root
- Other name: longjack
- Sold as: root extract in capsules or powder
- In ErecPower: yes, amount not published
Why is tongkat ali linked to testosterone?
Tongkat ali is linked to testosterone because trials have measured it and found a rise in some men. That sets it apart from many herbs in the booster aisle.
Most booster claims rest on tradition alone. Tongkat ali has a small set of human trials behind it. The results are real but narrow, as the next sections show.
A quick word on testosterone
Testosterone is the main male sex hormone. It plays a part in sex drive, muscle and mood. Levels vary a lot from man to man, and a blood test is the only way to know yours.
What did the tongkat ali meta-analysis find?
A 2022 review pooled 5 trials with 232 men and found that tongkat ali raised total testosterone (Leisegang et al., 2022). The rise came mainly from men who started with low levels.
| Group of men | What happened to testosterone | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Started with low testosterone | Rose | This group drove the overall result |
| Started with normal testosterone | Small change, not significant | No clear gain |
| All men pooled | Rose overall | Mostly thanks to the low group |
The doses in these trials ran from 100 to 600 mg of extract a day. That is a wide range, and the review could not pin down one best amount.
Five trials and 232 men is still a small base. The result is promising, not settled.
What “not significant” means
In research, a change is called significant when it is unlikely to be down to chance. The small shift in men with normal levels did not pass that test.
So the fair reading is simple. For men with normal levels, the trials could not tell tongkat ali apart from a dummy pill.
Does tongkat ali help with stress?
One small trial suggests it might. Adults who took 200 mg a day for 4 weeks had lower cortisol and better mood scores (Talbott et al., 2013).
Who took part
63 adults who described themselves as moderately stressed.
What they took
200 mg of tongkat ali extract a day, or a dummy pill, for 4 weeks.
What changed
Cortisol, a stress hormone, fell. Mood scores improved.
What cortisol is
Cortisol is a hormone your body releases under stress. It helps you respond to pressure, but it can stay high when stress drags on. Trials often measure it in saliva or blood as a stress marker.
Keep this one in proportion. The trial was small and short, and it had industry links. It needs to be repeated by an independent team before anyone can lean on it.
How does tongkat ali compare with other testosterone boosters?
Tongkat ali stands out because most booster ingredients did not raise testosterone. A 2024 review rated tongkat ali as possibly effective, one of the few to earn that label (Morgado et al., 2024).
| Question | Tongkat ali | Tribulus |
|---|---|---|
| Raised testosterone in trials? | Yes, mainly in men who started low | No |
| 2024 review rating | Possibly effective | Not shown to raise it |
| Studied daily amounts | 100 to 600 mg | 400 to 1,500 mg |
| In ErecPower? | Yes, amount not published | Yes, amount not published |
Our post on tribulus and testosterone walks through the tribulus trials one by one.
Tongkat ali is one of six in ErecPower
30 capsules a bottle, six named plant ingredients and a 60-day money-back window. Ingredient amounts are not published.
How much tongkat ali is in ErecPower?
The amount of tongkat ali in ErecPower is not published. No Supplement Facts panel was supplied, so there is no way to line it up with the 100 to 600 mg used in trials.
| Detail | Tongkat ali trials | ErecPower |
|---|---|---|
| Daily amount | 100 to 600 mg of extract | Not published |
| Form | Root extract | Root, amount not published |
| Length of use | 4 weeks in the stress trial | 3 months or longer (seller graphic) |
| Tested as a finished product | Yes, as single extracts | No |
Follow the label on your bottle for the daily dose. The ErecPower ingredients page lists all six ingredients and what is known about each.
Who is most likely to notice a difference from tongkat ali?
Men who start with low testosterone showed the clearest rise in trials. Men with normal levels did not see a significant change.
That matters for anyone thinking about a booster. If your level is already normal, the trials suggest little room for a gain. Only a blood test from your doctor can tell you which group you fall into.
What tongkat ali is not
- It is not a treatment for low testosterone or any disease.
- It is not a replacement for a doctor’s check.
- It is not proven to work the same in every man.
Is tongkat ali safe?
The trials so far were small, so long-term safety data is thin. The stress trial lasted only 4 weeks, and the review pooled just 232 men.
Buy from a known seller and check the bottle, too. Some “natural” men’s products have turned out to hide prescription drugs. Our guide on how to spot a tainted male enhancement supplement lists the signs to look for.
What should you check before buying a tongkat ali product?
Check the amount, the form and the seller. These three details tell you how the product lines up with the trials.
- Look for the amount of tongkat ali in milligrams on the Supplement Facts panel.
- Check that the label names the root, the part sold as tongkat ali.
- Look for a named seller with a phone number and a return policy.
- Read the claims. A support claim is normal; a cure claim is a red flag.
- Ask your doctor for a testosterone test if you think yours is low.
With ErecPower, the first check cannot be done, because the amount is not published. That is a real gap, and it is worth weighing before you order. The guide to choosing a male enhancement supplement covers the other checks.
Tongkat ali: common questions
What is tongkat ali?
Tongkat ali is the root of Eurycoma longifolia, a tree from Southeast Asia. It is sold as an extract in capsules and men’s blends.
Does tongkat ali raise testosterone?
In a 2022 review of 5 trials, testosterone rose, mainly in men who started with low levels. The rise in men with normal levels was not significant.
How much tongkat ali did the trials use?
The trials in that review used 100 to 600 mg of extract a day. A stress trial used 200 mg a day for 4 weeks.
Can tongkat ali lower stress?
One small trial found lower cortisol and better mood scores after 4 weeks. It was industry-linked, so it needs to be repeated.
How much tongkat ali is in ErecPower?
The amount is not published. ErecPower lists tongkat ali as one of six ingredients without a Supplement Facts panel.
Is tongkat ali better than tribulus?
For testosterone, the data favors tongkat ali. Tribulus did not raise testosterone in human trials, while a 2024 review rated tongkat ali as possibly effective.
