Scientific articles on yohimbine
I have read hundreds of scientific studies on yohimbine. However, the picture painted by scientific studies is just as confusing as the picture based on anecdotal evidence.
Anecdotal evidence is that some people report a strong positive effect from yohimbine. I have never been in better form than now (aged around 50), provided I can get hold of 10 to 20 milligrams of yohimbine.
That’s my anecdotal evidence. Some of my friends claim they never felt anything from a single dose of yohimbine. I find that hard to believe, and I suspect they used the wrong product, e.g., yohimbe bark with a very low percentage of yohimbine.
Unfortunately, with capsules that just contain yohimbe bark, you never know how much yohimbine you are getting. This could be between 0.01 and 10 mg per capsule. So some yohimbe capsules may contain 1000 times as much yohimbine as others.
For this reason, it is unwise to buy a product of yohimbe bark when one can obtain standardized or pure pharmaceutical yohimbine.
The scientific studies that I refer to below all used yohimbine, not yohimbe. The picture created by scientific trials is not coherent, though. Some studies come to the conclusion that yohimbine has no effect, even at doses much higher than I usually consume.
Other studies suggest that yohimbine is of some benefit, though the authors are typically less excited than I am.
A good number of studies have come to the conclusion that while yohimbine may do little to enhance sexual function, there are almost no side effects.
I, on the other hand, after an initial dose of about 10 milligrams, felt as if I’d pass out before getting down – though with a rock-hard erection.
That hasn’t happened since, and while yohimbe makes me restless, I personally haven't noticed it raising my blood pressure when consumed in reasonable dosages. (Medical Note: While this is the author's personal anecdote, clinical pharmacology clearly shows that yohimbine frequently elevates blood pressure and heart rate, even at standard therapeutic doses of 5 to 10 mg, especially in susceptible individuals. It should be used with caution by anyone with cardiovascular issues.) But I wouldn’t want to try doses of up to 100 milligrams, or 30 milligrams for days on end, as those are massive overdoses that carry severe health risks.
While the older and less refined sexual enhancement substance yohimbine comes with a plethora of unpleasant side effects, the alternative substance Tongkat Ali, which has become popular just in recent years, is by and large free of negative side effects. In addition to that, while in vitro (test tube) studies show that certain compounds in Tongkat Ali exhibit cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines, it is important to note that it is not a proven treatment or cure for cancer in humans, and should never replace conventional oncological care.