Longjack: The Proven T-Booster
This natural testosterone booster works through different mechanisms to benefit both sexes. Here's the science and where to get it.
Several studies show that Longjack (Buy at Amazon) (an extract of the Eurycoma longifolia bush), elevates testosterone levels in men. However, a newer study found that the herb raises T levels in women as well.
What the Researchers Did
First, they recruited 25 cyclists, 13 of them male and 12 of them female. All belonged to the same over-50 cycling club. Each cyclist received 200 mg. of Longjack daily for five weeks. The researchers took before, during, and after measurements of cortisol, IGF-1, DHEA, testosterone, and grip strength.
What They Found
While levels of cortisol, IGF-1, and DHEA remained largely unchanged, free and total testosterone levels went up significantly in both men and women, as did grip strength.
Men's Graph
Women's Graph
Clearly, the Longjack raised testosterone levels in both sexes and consequently increased their strength, too. The testosterone increases in men were apparently caused by elevated luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), along with concurrently lowered estradiol levels.
The increase in women's testosterone levels was caused by a significant decline in sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG). That means the herb prevented the testosterone that women make naturally from being chemically bound up and made inaccessible to the body by SHBG.
What These Findings Mean To You
Older men and women can benefit from taking Longjack to raise testosterone levels. While it's true that previous studies have concentrated on its testosterone-elevating effects in younger men, it's not known whether these findings would hold true for younger women, too.
Younger women generally have lower SHBG levels than older women and might not feel a big difference from Longjack. Younger women also have to be wary about the potentially masculinizing effects of elevated levels of testosterone. (That said, some women can suffer from low T, just like men. Info here.)
However, if you're a man who feels he might benefit from higher levels of testosterone (or an older woman who feels the same), take a daily dosage of Longjack. Biotest's Omega-Man High Absorption Longjack (Buy at Amazon) supplement, contains LJ100, the purest and most potent form.
Reference
- Henkel RR et al. "Tongkat Ali (Longjack) as a potential herbal supplement for physically active male and female seniors–a pilot study." Phytother Res. 2014 Apr;28(4):544-50. PubMed.