Eurycoma longifolia is a medicinal herbal plant that is commonly called tongkat ali. It grows in tropical regions of Southern Asia. Some evidence suggests that tongkat ali is an adaptogenic herb and in this regard it may have certain applications for athletes. In traditional medicine, tongkat ali is used as an aphrodisiac which suggests iit may affect the hormonal system. Benefits for athletes may result from elevations of testosterone, and long term supplementation of tongkat ali (over 1 month) may cause elevations in testosterone in older men. This is supported by evidence from studies that have shown improvements in body composition with supplements of tongkat ali, when in combination with resistance training. Tongkat ali may also accelerate strength gains with weight training, and this may be as a direct result of increased testosterone levels. Some of the active principles in toingkat ali are bitter chemicals called quassinoids and these can make consumption of tongkat ali difficult as a drink. Therefore the preferred method of consumption is tablets or capsules.
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Talbott, S. M. 2019. Human performance and sports applications of Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia). In Nutrition and Enhanced Sports Performance. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-396454-0.00053-9: 729-734
