What is it?
Names, aliases and forms
Potential effects and evidence map
Grade D for nootropic use: limited human studies address testosterone, stress, or quality-of-life outcomes in specific populations and exact extract forms. They do not establish direct focus, memory, or everyday cognitive-performance benefits, and the forms sold in the catalog are not interchangeable.
Serum-testosterone findings in studied men do not establish a libido or vitality benefit.
One small standardized-extract trial reported stress-hormone and mood-state changes in moderately stressed adults; this is limited, extract-specific evidence rather than a general resilience claim.
No reliable direct evidence was identified for physical energy or endurance benefits from Tongkat Ali extracts.
Typical dosages and timing
A 12-week trial tested a standardized aqueous extract at 100 and 200 mg daily in 105 men aged 50-70 with baseline total testosterone below 300 ng/dL. This is study context, not an interchangeable dose for ratio-labelled powders, eurycomanone extracts, or unstandardized root material.
Timing & effect horizon
The cited 12-week study assessed 100 and 200 mg daily of a standardized aqueous extract in 105 men aged 50-70 with baseline total testosterone below 300 ng/dL. This is a study window, not an expected onset, duration, or cycle recommendation.
Safety, side effects and risk profile
Limited testosterone findings in selected male populations do not establish a general endocrine-harm outcome. People receiving hormone-related care should obtain an individual review of the exact product.
The liver concern rests on a single reported episode rather than comparative safety data. It cannot provide a frequency estimate or a conclusion about every product.
Extract identity, standardization, population, dose, and endpoint differ across the available literature. This is a material decision limitation, not evidence of established high harm.
A 2024 case report described acute liver injury after Tongkat Ali use. It cannot quantify frequency or risk across products, but jaundice or dark urine after use needs prompt medical evaluation.
Interactions and cautions
The sources cited on this page do not establish a clinical medication-interaction list. People using prescription medicines or receiving hormone-related or fertility care should seek an individual review of the exact product instead of relying on a generic list.
Legal and regulatory status
As of 2026, FDA does not approve dietary supplements for safety or effectiveness before marketing. This is not a determination that any particular Tongkat Ali product is lawfully marketed. Rules outside the United States differ.
In 2021, EFSA concluded that safety was not established for one proposed standardized water extract from Eurycoma longifolia root under any condition of use because of concern about potential genotoxicity. That extract-specific scientific opinion does not by itself determine the legal status of every extract; assess the exact product and current EU Novel Food requirements.
How it compares
Plain root powder, ratio-labelled extract, eurycomanone-standardized extract, and branded aqueous extract cannot be compared by labelled milligrams alone. A study using one standardized extract does not validate another form.
Practical buying and quality notes
- The current catalog has 34 Tongkat Ali/Longjack listings, but it is not a current active-dose ranking: 24 rows lack normalized serving data, 8 have 2020/2021 crawl dates, 5 are uncrawled, one has a normalized price of zero, and repeat crawl rows may be present. Exclude those rows from current price, availability, and per-dose comparisons.8
- Separate plain extract, 100:1 ratio extract, 2% or 10% eurycomanone extract, and branded extract before comparing a listed serving. A ratio label or marker percentage does not establish equivalence with the aqueous extract used in a study.8
- Compare the exact botanical identity, extract type, stated marker assay, and supporting documentation when the label provides them. Do not infer that a high extract ratio matches the standardized aqueous extract used in the cited trial.2
- First separate plain extract, ratio-labelled extract, eurycomanone-standardized extract, and branded aqueous extract. Then exclude stale, uncrawled, zero-dose, zero-normalized-price, and repeat-crawl rows from any current price or active-dose comparison.8
References
- Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) Improves Serum Total Testosterone in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. Medicina (Kaunas). 2022.
- Safety of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) root extract as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. EFSA Journal. 2021.
- Effect of Eurycoma longifolia standardised aqueous root extract-Physta on testosterone levels and quality of life in ageing male subjects: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre study. Food Nutr Res. 2021.
- Effect of Tongkat Ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013.
- An evidence-based systematic review of tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia) by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration. J Diet Suppl. 2013.
- A Rare Case of Tongkat Ali-Induced Liver Injury: A Case Report. Cureus. 2024.
- U.S. FDA. Information for Consumers on Using Dietary Supplements.
- NootropicsIndex product catalog snapshot for Tongkat Ali, queried 1 August 2026.