19
points
Tongkat ali for testosterone — evidence-based or broscience?
My total T was 420 ng/dL at age 38. After 3 months of tongkat ali (400mg standardized extract), it went up to 510. I also improved my sleep and started lifting heavier. How much of this is the supplement vs lifestyle changes? The studies I've found are small and mostly conducted in Malaysia. Looking for a more critical analysis.
Comments
Log in to join the discussion.
420 to 510 is within normal test-retest variability. Testosterone fluctuates significantly based on sleep, stress, time of day, etc. I wouldn't attribute this to tongkat.
I'd focus on the lifestyle factors first. Good sleep + heavy compound lifts + stress management will do more for testosterone than any supplement.
The Malaysian studies are actually reasonably well-designed. Examine.com has a good summary. There is a real effect but it's modest — maybe 10-15%.