Eurycoma longifolia, commonly known as tongkat ali, is a plant that grows natively in parts of Malaysia, Vietnam, Sumatra, Thailand and Java. Traditional medicine from these regions uses Eurycoma longifolia for a number of reasons, with one common use being to increase energy and reduce mental fatigue. For this reason Eurycoma longifolia is often referred to as Malaysian ginseng, as its properties are similar to those of adaptogenic herbs such as ginseng. One explanation for its beneficial physiological effects could be its ability to reduce stress by manipulating stress hormone levels. The anti-stress effects of Eurycoma longifolia have been researched in healthy human women who were assessed for levels of stress and then supplemented with Eurycoma longifolia for 4 weeks. Observations of the subjects after 4 weeks of supplementation showed that they experienced reductions in anger, tension and confusion, and that salivary cortisol levels (a measure of stress hormone release) were reduced and that testosterone levels were significantly increased. Eurycoma longifolia may therefore be an effective anti-stress herb that can significantly affect hormonal status of the consumer.
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Talbott, S. M., Talbott, J. A., George, A. and 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(1): 1-7
