Danger of Tongkat Aali

All across the world, modern men are dealing with "chemically castrated" levels of low testosterone.

Even young men at 20 years of age are facing an average testosterone level of just 481.5 ng/dl ¹... Which is less than the average testosterone levels of 45 - 71 year-old men back in the 1980's (501 ng/dl ²).

And it's not just younger guys. Many of our clients and subscribers are middle-aged and are noticing significant differences in their masculinity. I see this referenced both in the bedroom and in the weightroom.

And according to a recent poll by a popular YouTuber, most men are reluctant to resort to the unnatural route of testosterone replacement therapy. So, it makes sense to seek out natural methods to boost testosterone.

As someone who struggled with low testosterone in my mid-20s just a few years ago, I've explored every natural method out there – either by trying it myself or researching extensively. 

And being a health obsessed engineer (with OCD) and subscriptions to the most cutting-edge scientific journals in the world, I've delved deeper into these topics than most people ever could.

However, at the beginning of my journey, I made a foolish mistake: I tried tongkat ali based on recommendations from reputable gurus like neuroscientist Andrew Huberman at Stanford.

While I initially experienced some benefits from tongkat, I also endured side effects like stomach pain. I brushed it off, but as the benefits waned, I decided to stop taking it. I wanted long-term solutions, not short-term fixes.

And it's not just me. Hundreds to thousands of other men have publicly come out complaining about side effects from tongkat ali.

On top of that, when I looked into the actual SCIENCE behind tongkat and discovered the proof, not only was I shocked, I felt a huge wave of relief that I'd quit when I did...

That's why I'm sharing this scientifically backed article breaking down the DANGERS surrounding tongkat ali. I hope it helps you bypass one of the many landmines out there laid out by mainstream sources.

Now, more than ever, men need masculine vigor. It's my duty to share my knowledge and experiences to steer you away from pitfalls and help you evolve every day to conquer your limits.

Tongkat Ali concerns

Tongkat Ali, often hailed for its potential testosterone benefits, faces scrutiny for potential genotoxic effects, heavy metal contamination, and disruption to gut flora.

In a study involving men in their 20s, using a standardized 1.5-1.6% extract of Eurycomanone at 600mg/day for 2 weeks there was a 30% increase in estrogen and 15% increase in testosterone, leading to a worsened testosterone: estrogen ratio ³.

DANGERS of Tongkat Ali

Tongkat has demonstrated the ability to destroy lactobacillus in saliva ⁴,

raising concerns about its impact on beneficial lactobacillus strains in the gut. Further analysis shows Quassinoids in Tongkat Ali exhibit antimicrobial properties against gram-positive bacteria, which include lactobacillus strains ⁵, and may disrupt the gut flora ⁶.

Heavy metal contamination adds another layer of concern. Analyses reveal that 17% of Tongkat supplements have lead levels ranging from 10.3-20.3 ppm, while 36% contain mercury levels from 0.52-5.30 ppm. These heavy metals were too high to meet Malaysia's safety standards ⁶. Both lead and mercury are known endocrine disruptors that can accumulate in the body ⁷ ⁸.

While some carboline alkaloids in Tongkat Ali exhibit carcinogenic activity towards lung and breast cancers, which sounds good on the surface ⁹ and a study indicating no adverse effects on liver or kidney function at 400mg/day for 6 weeks also sounds good ¹⁰; serious concerns persist because

Tongkat Ali Might Cause Cancer!
A safety evaluation by the EFSA Panel on Nutrition revealed that Tongkat extract, comprising 40-65% glycosaponins and 0.8-1.5% eurycomanone, induced structural chromosome aberrations in human lymphocytes, suggesting mutagenicity in a healthy cell line. In vivo assays showed DNA damage in the stomach and duodenum of rats, indicating genotoxic effects. The panel concluded that there is potential for Tongkat to induce DNA damage, especially in tissues that are the first contact points. This led the EFSA Panel on Nutrition to refrain from recommending its consumption or use under any condition ¹¹.

A lot of people looked at this study and saw that they were using 2,000mg in the rat study. They thought they could use the pharmacokinetics-based formula to calculate a Human Equivalent dose at which it would be toxic, and they came up with an absurdly large number, such as 11,200mg+ for a 70kg male.

But:

This only works for where metabolism of the drug plays a significant role, and Tongkat was only genotoxic on its initial point of contact, that being the stomach and duodenum, meaning there was DNA damage related to the direct interaction of Tongkat with genetic material in the cells it first comes into contact with.

DNA mutations = Potential for cancer to develop.

While we can’t accurately do a HED estimate on this, we do know that humans have significantly slower GI transit times than rodents ¹². This means that it will sit in the stomach and GI tract for multiple times longer than in rodents. This would make the potential for damage in humans more than in rodents.

Click here to see where I got into a debate with another "fitness influencer" on this topic- https://unyieldingvigor.com/resources/b/just-eat-a-battery

Tongkat Ali Recap

While Tongkat Ali may elevate testosterone levels, at least short term, it worsens the testosterone: estrogen ratio, disrupts the gut flora, often contains heavy metals, which are not easy to detox from, and worst of all show's genotoxicity in the stomach which might lead to cancer. There are much better options to increase testosterone. https://unyieldingvigor.com/easy-testosterone1

Unleash Your Vigor and Conquer Your Limits,

-Brenden Henry