Tongkat Ali and Testosterone: What the Research Actually Shows

A look at the evidence behind this popular Southeast Asian root and its effects on testosterone.

Track the foods that fit your goals. Track it free with Ration →

By the Ration Editorial Team · Reviewed against primary research · Updated July 14, 2026

Tongkat ali is the common name for Eurycoma longifolia, a tall shrub native to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Its root has been used in traditional medicine for generations, often marketed as a natural way to support male fertility, libido, and energy.

Today it shows up in supplements aimed at boosting testosterone, athletic performance, and mood, usually as a standardized root extract rather than raw powder.

Researchers believe tongkat ali may work partly by reducing the conversion of testosterone into estrogen and by easing the effects of cortisol, the body's main stress hormone.

Some of its bioactive compounds, called quassinoids and eurypeptides, are thought to interact with the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis, the signaling system that controls testosterone production.

This is different from anabolic steroids or direct testosterone therapy, since tongkat ali does not introduce hormones directly. Instead, it may nudge the body's own production and availability of testosterone.

This is where tongkat ali has its strongest evidence. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials found that Eurycoma longifolia supplementation significantly improved serum total testosterone in men compared to placebo.^[2]

A broader 2024 meta-analysis evaluating various 'testosterone booster' supplements singled out Eurycoma longifolia as one of the few ingredients with consistent supporting data for raising total testosterone.^[1]

Individual randomized controlled trials back this up. A six-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in men with androgen deficiency of aging found improvements in both testosterone levels and erectile function when tongkat ali was combined with resistance training.^[3]

Another multicenter randomized trial using a standardized aqueous root extract called Physta reported increases in testosterone and improvements in quality of life measures among aging men.^[4]

Earlier research described tongkat ali as having phytoandrogenic properties, meaning plant-derived compounds that behave somewhat like androgens in the body, positioning it as a potential natural alternative to testosterone replacement therapy for men with mild deficiency.^[5]

Taken together, the evidence grade for tongkat ali raising total testosterone is rated A in the available data, based on six sources showing a consistent direction of effect.

• ↑Total TestosteroneAHuman trials

  Research may raise Total Testosterone · strong agreement · 6 studies

  View 5 studies on PubMed

  • Do "testosterone boosters" really increase serum total testosterone? A systematic review (2024)
  • Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) Improves Serum Total Testosterone in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials (2022)
  • A 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate the effect of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) and concurrent training on erectile function and testosterone levels in androgen deficiency of aging males (ADAM) (2021)
  • Tongkat Ali (2012)
  • Phytoandrogenic properties of Eurycoma longifolia as natural alternative to testosterone replacement therapy (2014)

It is worth noting that most positive trials enrolled men who were middle aged or older, often with below normal or borderline testosterone to begin with. Whether younger men with normal testosterone would see similar benefits is less clear.^[6]

Clinical trials most commonly use standardized water extracts of the root, with Physta being the most studied branded extract.^[3][4]

• Typical trial doses range from about 200 mg to 400 mg per day of standardized extract
• Extracts are usually standardized to a marker compound called eurycomanone
• Capsules and powders are the most common commercial forms
• Raw root or traditional decoctions are used in some regions but are not standardized

Because potency varies widely between products depending on extraction method and standardization, the doses used in research may not directly translate to every supplement on the shelf.

• Men with age related declines in testosterone who want a non hormonal option to discuss with a doctor
• Men experiencing symptoms associated with androgen deficiency, such as low libido or fatigue^[3]
• Those interested in combining it with resistance training, since one trial paired it with a structured exercise program^[3]
• People curious about plant based alternatives to testosterone replacement therapy^[5]

Tongkat ali is not typically studied in women or in younger men with normal testosterone, so its relevance for those groups is much less established.

In the trials available, tongkat ali extracts were generally well tolerated over periods up to six months, with no major safety signals reported.^[3][4]

Long term safety beyond several months has not been well studied, and most trials involve relatively small numbers of participants.

As with any supplement that can influence hormone levels, it makes sense to discuss use with a healthcare provider, particularly for anyone with a hormone sensitive condition or who is taking other medications.

Tongkat ali has some of the better supporting evidence among natural testosterone boosting supplements, with meta-analyses and randomized trials showing consistent increases in total testosterone, mostly in older or androgen deficient men.^[1][2][3][4]

Effects on broader outcomes like muscle mass, mood, or athletic performance are less firmly established than the testosterone findings themselves.

As always, research quality and standardized dosing matter, so choosing a well studied extract and setting realistic expectations is reasonable.