How we evaluated tongkat ali supplements
To evaluate tongkat ali supplements, we considered four key criteria that could pit one offering against another and reveal which would perform the best. We chose these criteria based on our understanding of tongkat ali’s pharmacological potential and what we would anticipate to be the needs of the average consumer.
Let’s take a close look at each criterion to see what companies fared the best.
Winner: Nootropics Depot Tongkat Ali Extract 10% Eurycomanone
Tongkat ali (scientific name: Eurycoma longifolia) houses an abundance of bioactive compounds, from quassinoids and alkaloids to terpenes and steroids.1 Among these, quassinoids make up the majority, and one quassinoid in particular — eurycomanone — has been highlighted as a likely driver of tongkat ali’s positive effects.2
A standardized tongkat ali extract will typically contain between 0.8% and 1.5% eurycomanone. This is true of Physta, one of the more well-regarded and widely tested tongkat ali extracts on the market. But Nootropics Depot manipulates its standardization process further, concentrating the eurycomanone content all the way up to 10%.
The result is a product with a smaller overall dose (100mg compared to the typical 200mg Physta dose) that still delivers more eurycomanone.
Winner: Akarali Physta
From a safety perspective, standardization was a must-have in our eyes, as it ensures you’re getting the same amount of tongkat ali’s active components with each dose. We also didn’t want to put too large a dose in the winner’s circle here, as there’s evidence of potential short-term toxicity at high doses.
Specifically, the European Food Safety Authority identified the potential for tongkat ali to induce DNA damage in the gastrointestinal (GI) system.3 The possible severity of that damage and its consequences were undetermined in the report, but it’s worth noting that the damage was only seen in rats consuming a human equivalent of more than 22g of tongkat ali extract. To put it in perspective, you’d have to consume nearly four bottles of 200mg Physta capsules to reach that dose.
Physta also has the advantage of being subjected to multiple human studies in the past 20 years.4 The studies we’ve reviewed showed one incidence of adverse effects that differed from those seen in a placebo group. We still consider the alternative from Nootropics Depot to be safe, especially since its higher concentration is delivered in an overall smaller tongkat ali dose, but the abundance of data on Physta and its well-known risk profile makes it the obvious choice for safety.
Winner: Bulk Supplements Longjack Root Capsules
When we consider a supplement's potential cost, we consider more than just sticker price, with things like shipping costs, money-back guarantees, and more weighing in our decision. Bulk Supplements, whose tongkat ali already boasted the best sticker price, turned out to be the best pick for cost in general.
Here’s a quick cost comparison among our top tongkat ali supplements:
As you can see, you can get your hands on Bulk Supplements’ tongkat ali for less money up front than any other option, and its cost per gram of tongkat ali is lower — by far — than its competitors. The big caveat is that it’s not a standardized extract, so the exact amount of eurycomanone, saponins, and other constituent parts is both unknowable and likely to vary from one dose to the next. Your next-best budget-conscious option, if you want standardization, is Nootropics Depot’s less potent offering, standardized to 2% eurycomanone
One particularly amazing thing to note is that Innerbody’s Testosterone Support actually provides the same amount of tongkat ali per month as Akarali, but it does so both at a lower price and alongside ten other ingredients designed to boost testosterone levels and impart similar effects as tongkat ali. However, Innerbody’s tongkat ali is not a standardized extract.
Winner: Akarali Physta
Several variables can influence our convenience criterion, from the quality of a company’s site design to its customer service. The sites in question here are all similar enough, as is the customer service. And Bulk Supplements and Innerbody are the only companies that will accept returns on opened products, each for 30 days.
So, instead of focusing on these parameters, we looked at the convenience behind actually taking the tongkat ali in these supplements. Innerbody only offers its supplement as a capsule, Nootropics Depot offers a choice between capsules and tablets for its 10% eurycomanone extract, and Bulk Supplements offers tongkat ali as a capsule or a loose powder.
But Akarali delivers its Physta in several unusual ways, all of which make it the most convenient option for anyone interested in consuming their tongkat ali in a novel form. As with Bulk Supplements, you can choose between capsules and powder, but you can also get Akarali Physta as part of a fizzy energy drink or as part of an instant coffee. Our testers tried the coffee for themselves, and they were pleasantly surprised by the sweetness that the tongkat ali seemed to impart on an otherwise bitter (but not unpleasantly bitter) instant coffee.
Tongkat ali — also known as longjack or Malaysian ginseng — is a Southeast Asian plant traditionally used for its antimalarial and aphrodisiac properties.1 It’s a tall plant, resembling a palm tree but with shorter, more abundant leaves along longer branches.
When we talk about tongkat ali here, we’re discussing it as a supplement, not as the plant Eurycoma longifolia. And as a supplement, tongkat ali may offer many of the benefits for which it has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.
You’ll most often see tongkat ali sold in capsule form, with each capsule containing a powdered extract made from the plant’s roots, leaves, or both (roots are most common). Occasionally, you’ll find powdered extract available on its own (no capsules) or pressed into tablets. Some companies even make it into energy drinks or instant coffees.
Innerbody Testosterone Support
Best complex T-boosting formula
Photo by Innerbody Research
Many people seek out a tongkat ali supplement to support male sexual wellness. If this describes you, then you should consider a supplement that combines tongkat ali with other well-regarded testosterone-boosting ingredients. There’s no shortage of mixed-ingredient testosterone boosters out there. We’ve covered them at great lengths for years and maintain a thorough guide to the best testosterone boosters. But during that time, we were frustrated by a gap in the market that we ultimately decided to fill with a product that provides the best ingredient bill we could imagine within reasonable cost parameters.
The result is Innerbody Testosterone Support, a combination of 11 ingredients, all present at doses that meet or exceed those used in successful studies. Here’s a quick look at the ingredients, with links to studies that can show you why we included them in the formula:
When it comes to testosterone, fenugreek and ashwagandha are the other two most important botanicals in this formula, alongside tongkat ali. But we included maca for its ability to help men with erectile performance and libido. Both zinc and vitamin D have a long-studied association with testosterone levels in men, as well.
If you’ve never tried any kind of supplement to address low T or similar men’s sexual wellness concerns, you might want to start out with an individual-ingredient approach by taking another tongkat ali in this guide. But if you’ve already tried one or more, or you want to skip that step and throw a larger ingredient bill at the problem, we believe Innerbody Testosterone Support is the best such choice for most men.
Ingredients per 400mg Capsule
Suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for varied diet. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medications or under medical supervision, please consult a doctor before use. Discontinue and consult a doctor if adverse reactions occur.
Recommended for adults.
Does tongkat ali damage DNA?
Does tongkat ali damage DNA?
A very small amount of research looking into tongkat ali’s potential risk factors identified a possible effect on DNA in the GI tract. But that research established an oblique correlation, far from any evidence of causation.3 Much more research is needed to clarify the issue, but it’s worth noting that the doses used in that research far exceed typical doses used in nutritional supplements.
Can tongkat ali increase testosterone levels?
Can tongkat ali increase testosterone levels?
Supplementing with tongkat ali should be able to increase testosterone levels, at least in men whose T levels are low. Doses as low as 200mg daily have shown testosterone benefits in studies.1
Bulk Supplements Longjack
Photo by Innerbody Research
Bulk Supplements is typically a smart place to stop if you’re looking for a low price on a given supplement. Its tongkat ali is no exception, costing far less per gram of the substance than any of the competitors in our guide.
One big caveat is that, unlike the options from Nootropics Depot and Akarali, Bulk Supplements’ Longjack is not a standardized extract. That means there’s no effort put into controlling the concentration of eurycomanone or any other compound in each dose. The makeup of a wild Eurycoma longifolia plant includes around 0.8-1.5% eurycomanone, so that’s about what you can expect per dose.
Why you should trust us
At Innerbody Research, we do everything we can to get reliable information about supplements, prescription treatments, and other products and services that you might want to incorporate into your regimen. Our efforts include poring over seemingly countless pages of scientific literature, talking to experts in related fields, and even trying products for ourselves.
In the case of tongkat ali, we reviewed more than 50 scholarly articles pertaining to the substance itself and the ailments it may be able to help treat. We scoured the marketplace to identify which products offered the best extracts for the best prices, and then we ordered and tried them for ourselves. Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this guide was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy and will continue to be monitored for updates by our editorial team.
Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions about staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles.
Will tongkat ali show up on a sports doping test?
Will tongkat ali show up on a sports doping test?
No. Tongkat ali doesn’t affect any of the parameters that would cause you to fail a sports doping test.8
Innerbody uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Rehman, S. U., Choe, K., & Yoo, H. H. (2016). Review on a traditional herbal medicine, Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Tongkat ali): Its traditional uses, chemistry, evidence-based pharmacology and toxicology. Molecules, 21(3), 331.
Low, B. S., Choi, S. B., Abdul Wahab, H., Das, P. K., & Chan, K. L. (2013). Eurycomanone, the major quassinoid in Eurycoma longifolia root extract increases spermatogenesis by inhibiting the activity of phosphodiesterase and aromatase in steroidogenesis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 149(1), 201-207.
Turck, D., Bohn, T., Castenmiller, J., Henauw, S. D., Maciuk, A., Mangelsdorf, I., McArdle, H. J., Naska, A., Pelaez, C., Pentieva, K., Siani, A., Thies, F., Tsabouri, S., Vinceti, M., Cubadda, F., Frenzel, T., Heinonen, M., Maradona, M. P., Marchelli, R., . . . Knutsen, H. K. (2021). Safety of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) root extract as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. EFSA Journal, 19(12).
Chinnappan, S. M., George, A., Pandey, P., Narke, G., & Choudhary, Y. K. (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 & Nutrition Research, 65.
Tambi, M. I., Imran, M. K., & Henkel, R. R. (2012). Standardised water-soluble extract of Eurycoma longifolia, Tongkat ali, as testosterone booster for managing men with late-onset hypogonadism?. Andrologia, 44 Suppl 1, 226-230.
George, A., & Henkel, R. (2014). Phytoandrogenic properties of Eurycoma longifolia as natural alternative to testosterone replacement therapy. Andrologia, 46(7), 708-721.
Henkel, R. R., Wang, R., Bassett, S. H., Chen, T., Liu, N., Zhu, Y., & Tambi, M. I. (2014). Tongkat ali as a potential herbal supplement for physically active male and female seniors — a pilot study. Phytotherapy Research : PTR, 28(4), 544-550.
Leisegang, K., Finelli, R., Sikka, S. C., & Panner Selvam, M. K. (2022). Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) improves serum total testosterone in men: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Medicina, 58(8).
Ismail, S. B., Zahiruddin Wan Mohammad, W. M., George, A., Nik Hussain, N. H., Musthapa Kamal, Z. M., & Liske, E. (2012). Randomized clinical trial on the use of PHYSTA freeze-dried water extract of Eurycoma longifolia for the improvement of quality of life and sexual well-being in men. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: ECAM.
Wahab, N. A., Mokhtar, N. M., A Halim, N. H., & Das, S. (2010). The effect of Eurycoma longifolia Jack on spermatogenesis in estrogen-treated rats. Clinics, 65(1), 93-98.
Kumar, P., Kumar, N., Thakur, D. S., & Patidar, A. (2010). Male hypogonadism: Symptoms and treatment. Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research, 1(3), 297-301.
Jothi, S., Parumasivam, T., & Mohtar, N. (2023). Eurycoma longifolia: An overview on the pharmacological properties for the treatment of common cancer. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 14(Suppl 1).
Lopresti, A. L., Drummond, P. D., & Smith, S. J. (2019). A Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study examining the hormonal and vitality effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in aging, overweight males. American Journal of Men's Health, 13(2).
Lopresti, A. L., Smith, S. J., Malvi, H., & Kodgule, R. (2019). An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Medicine, 98(37).
Kamal, H. I., Patel, K., Brdak, A., Heffernan, J., & Ahmad, N. (2022). Ashwagandha as a unique cause of thyrotoxicosis presenting with supraventricular tachycardia. Cureus, 14(3).
George, A., Suzuki, N., Abas, A. B., Mohri, K., Utsuyama, M., Hirokawa, K., & Takara, T. (2016). Immunomodulation in middle-aged humans via the ingestion of Physta® standardized root water extract of Eurycoma longifolia Jack — a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study. Phytotherapy Research: PTR, 30(4), 627-635.
Ahmad, N., Teh, B. P., Halim, S. Z., Zolkifli, N. A., Ramli, N., & Muhammad, H. (2020). Eurycoma longifolia — infused coffee — an oral toxicity study. Nutrients, 12(10), 3125.
Chinnappan, S. M., George, A., Evans, M., & Anthony, J. (2020). Efficacy of Labisia pumila and Eurycoma longifolia standardised extracts on hot flushes, quality of life, hormone and lipid profile of peri-menopausal and menopausal women: A randomised, placebo-controlled study. Food & Nutrition Research, 64.
Chua, L. S., Lee, S. Y., Abdullah, N., & Sarmidi, M. R. (2012). Review on Labisia pumila (Kacip Fatimah): Bioactive phytochemicals and skin collagen synthesis promoting herb. Fitoterapia, 83(8), 1322-1335.
Guo, R., Wang, Q., Nair, R.P., Barnes, S.L., Smith, D.T., Dai, B., Robinson, T.J., Nair, S. (2018). Furosap, a novel fenugreek seed extract improves lean body mass and serum testosterone in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical investigation. Functional Foods in Health and Disease 2018; 8(11): 519-530.
Verma, N., Gupta, S. K., Tiwari, S., Mishra, A. K., Thakare, V., & Patil, S. (2023). Effect of ashwagandha root extract on serum testosterone and muscle recovery in strength training. International Journal of Medical and Pharmaceutical Research, 4(5), 371-381.
Gonzales, G. F., Córdova, A., Vega, K., Chung, A., Villena, A., Góñez, C., & Castillo, S. (2002). Effect of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men. Andrologia, 34(6), 367-372.
Appling, D. R., & Chytil, F. (1981). Evidence of a role for retinoic acid (Vitamin A-acid) in the maintenance of testosterone production in male rats. Endocrinology, 108(6), 2120-2124.
Chin, K. Y., Ima-Nirwana, S., & Wan Ngah, W. Z. (2015). Vitamin D is significantly associated with total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin in Malaysian men. The Aging Male: The Official Journal of the International Society for the Study of the Aging Male, 18(3), 175-179.
Masterjohn, C. (2007). Vitamin D toxicity redefined: Vitamin K and the molecular mechanism. Medical Hypotheses, 68(5), 1026-1034.
Hunt, C. D., Johnson, P. E., Herbel, J., & Mullen, L. K. (1992). Effects of dietary zinc depletion on seminal volume and zinc loss, serum testosterone concentrations, and sperm morphology in young men. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 56(1), 148-157.
Duncan A, Yacoubian C, Watson N, and Morrison, I. (2015). The risk of copper deficiency in patients prescribed zinc supplements. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 68, 723-725.
Oluboyo, A. O., Adijeh, R. U., Onyenekwe, C. C., Oluboyo, B. O., Mbaeri, T. C., Odiegwu, C. N., Chukwuma, G. O., & Onwuasoanya, U. F. (2012). Relationship between serum levels of testosterone, zinc and selenium in infertile males attending fertility clinic in Nnewi, south east Nigeria. African Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 41 Suppl, 51-54.
Córdova Martínez, A. (2020). Iron and physical activity: Bioavailability enhancers, properties of black pepper (Bioperine®) and potential applications. Nutrients, 12(6), 1886.
Talbott, S. M., Talbott, J. A., George, A., & Pugh, M. (2013). Effect of tongkat ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10, 28.
Ang, H. H., & Cheang, H. S. (1999). Studies on the anxiolytic activity of Eurycoma longifolia Jack roots in mice. Japanese Journal of Pharmacology, 79(4), 497-500.
When used as directed, Tongkat Ali is generally safe. However, it's always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement, especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or are taking medication.
When used as directed, Tongkat Ali is generally safe. However, it's always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement, especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or are taking medication.
When used as directed, Tongkat Ali is generally safe. However, it's always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement, especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or are taking medication.
What Colour Should It Be?
There are many opinions regarding what colour Tongkat Ali (TA) extract should be. Some say very dark brown. This is not true and is normally propagated by sellers of inferior quality TA.
In fact, the purest form of Tongkat Ali extract is white! The main active ingredient of TA is a compound called Eurycomanone. Eurycomanone is snow white in its purest form.
The colour of the dried Tongkat Ali powder after extraction varies according to many of the elements of the extraction process, such as the amount of time that the roots have been dried, and how finely they are chipped. The extraction method itself – whether the chipped root is soaked in cold water, hot water, or alcohol, boiled, or repeatedly boiled, for example. Other factors that affect the final product are whether it is filtered or centrifuged, or concentrated before drying by repeated boiling.
Ours is a sandy brown, partly due to the rice bran powder, which helps the extract flow through the capsule filling machine.
Current Best Before Date: 03/2025
* Product reviews are the opinions of customers. Individual results may vary from person to person
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Nootropics Depot pricing and returns
Nootropics Depot doesn’t offer subscriptions on either of its tongkat ali supplements, but you can buy a higher-count bottle to save money per dose. Here’s how it works out for each concentration:
Since we’ve come to put a fair amount of stock in eurycomanone concentration, we’d recommend the 10% formulation to anyone with the capital to invest in it. The fact that you get free shipping at the 120-capsule level is rather important here, as Nootropics Depot has the highest shipping costs in our guide. Its lowest rate is $10.20, which is high enough to take the 60-count 10% option from $39.99 to $50.19, for a per-dose price increase from $0.67 up to $0.84.
Unfortunately for anyone who’s unsure tongkat ali will work for them, Nootropics Depot doesn’t offer any kind of money-back guarantee, and it doesn’t accept returns on opened products. That’s in pretty stark contrast to Innerbody and Bulk Supplements, both of which let you try a product for 30 days. We’ve seen some evidence that longjack can have an effect in as little as four weeks, so that 30-day mark may be enough to know whether it works for you.16
Best patented extract
Photo by Innerbody Research
Even in our first round of research review, we noticed the frequency with which Physta was specified as the type of tongkat ali used in numerous studies. This is something that undeniably sets it apart from other tongkat ali supplements, and it should put Physta at the top of the list for anyone who needs to see a brand name in the scientific research before reaching for a given supplement. We’ve been impressed by the research that Physta has been subjected to over the years (26 studies over two decades), though we aren’t wholly convinced that its standardization process puts it head and shoulders above similar products.
That standardization provides a 1.5% eurycomanone concentration, 0.5% less concentrated than Nootropics Depot’s 2% option and 8.5% less than the 10% option. Much of the research into tongkat ali assumes that eurycomanone is the primary driver of its beneficial effects, but Akarali goes a little further in its standardization efforts. It creates a consistent delivery of both eurycomanone and the plant’s other constituent parts, which, according to its website, are glycosaponins (48%), proteins (22%), and polysaccharides (30%).
For those of you with calculators at home, you might notice that 48, 22, 30, and 1.5 add up to 101.5%, so there’s clearly some wiggle room in this formula. We got clarification from Akarali on the issue, and here are the actual numbers:
Akarali deploys its Physta in a few ways. Its capsules are the most straightforward option. They each contain 200mg of Physta, a pretty standard dose compared to what we’ve seen in the research. There’s also a version marketed toward women that contains only 50mg per capsule, but we’ve seen no evidence that women would need a smaller dose than men.
In fact, many of the studies we’ve read that explicitly used Physta administered the same 100-300mg dose to men and women alike. And of the studies that used a 50mg dose, the one that was most successful combined its tongkat ali with 200mg of Labisia pumila, a similar herbal remedy with purported antioxidant properties,18 so we don’t recommend the 50mg women’s dose at this time.19
You can also get the plain tongkat ali powder, an instant coffee infused with tongkat ali, or a fizzy tongkat ali energy drink. The powder’s dose is pretty flexible, but the other two products deliver 70mg and 50mg per dose, respectively.
Photo by Innerbody Research
Longjack coffee is very popular in Southeast Asia, so we ordered some of it for ourselves to try out. Now, in the U.S., instant coffee isn’t well-regarded, at least not since the Starbucks revolution of the 1990s and the Keurig revolution of the late 2000s. But our testers have still had their fair share of instant coffee through the years (including some from Starbucks), and we wanted to see how Akarali’s stacked up. We were pleasantly surprised.
Akarali’s tongkat ali-infused coffee is immediately sweet on the tongue despite not containing any natural or artificial sweeteners or flavorings. That sweetness very quickly gives way to an intensely strong, bitter coffee flavor, but one that’s not unwelcome after the initial sweetness and that more closely resembles the bitterness of Campari or a similar liqueur. The whole thing is pretty well-balanced.
