Tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia), which translates to “Ali’s walking stick,”
is the popular folk name for a slender, medium-size tree reaching 10
meters in height. Documented use of tongkat ali, a native of Malaysia,
lower Burma, Indonesia, and Thailand, dates to the 1700s.
Tongkat ali root contains a treasure trove of phytonutrients, including
powerful antioxidants. It also has antiviral and antimalarial
properties and helps fight high blood pressure. A scientific collaboration
between Malaysian researchers and pharmaceutical researchers
in the United States has identified considerable anticancer activity in
tongkat ali.
Tongkat ali boosts testosterone production, the primarily male
hormone produced by the testicles, which is responsible for the development
and the release of sperm, male physical characteristics,
and sex drive. Small amounts of testosterone are also produced in
women by the ovaries and the adrenal glands. Testosterone levels
begin to decline in men by approximately 2% per year, starting around
the age of 30. By age 45 a man may have a scant 60% of the testosterone
he had at age 25, and by the age of 50 this will have further declined
to 55%.Varying factors will influence this decline. For example,
exercise—particularly weight lifting—will increase testosterone levels.
On the other hand, poor lifestyle choices, such as smoking and excess
use of alcohol, will accelerate the decline.
The decline in testosterone levels is also linked to decreased muscle
mass, energy, and feelings of well-being. Although women have
much lower levels of testosterone to begin with, their levels also decline
with each passing year, resulting in decreased libido and increased
body fat.
Tongkat ali appears to increase testosterone production in both men and women, which may help to halt many of the signs of aging.
Benefits include improved energy and sexual function, reduction in
body fat with increase in lean muscle, and reduced risk factors associated
with cardiovascular disease.
Wellness and Aging
Testosterone is well known for it’s role in reproductive health. Testosterone also plays an essential role in cardiovascular health, cognitive function, insulin sensitivity, maintaining lean body mass and bone density. At around the age of 30 the production of SHGB (sex hormone binding globulin) increases and the testosterone levels decline. This can result in a condition known as low testosterone syndrome or andropause. Low testosterone syndrome is associated with reduced sexual function, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced insulin sensitivity, cognitive decline, mood changes and bone loss. Lean body mass may be replaced with fat, resulting in an age-related condition called Sarcopenia, characterized by obesity and diminished muscular strength. Tongkat Ali helps build testosterone levels and promote physical, mental and sexual health.
Anti-Fever Effects
In 1995 it was reported that the quassinoid from Tongkat Ali has an anti-fever effect. The quassiniod was two times more effective than aspirin.
Anti-Cancer
Researchers in America and Japan reported that some plant chemicals found in the quassinoids and alkaliods found in Tongkat Ali have an effect of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in laboratory experiments, which included breast cancer cells, colon cancer cells and leukemia.
Beta-carboline alkaloids isolated fromtongkat ali have demonstrated significant cytotoxicity against human lung cancer (A-549) and human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. In plain English, this means that some compounds in Tongkat ali can kill cancer cells. The practical significance of this finding in humans is not clear at this time.
Anti-Oxidant Properties
Studies conducted by the Forest Research Institute Maylasia (FRIM) and the Department of Science, University Kebangsaan Maylasia (UKM) discovered that Tongkat Ali contains SOD (Superoxide dismutase), an anti-oxidant enzyme. The study showed that Tongkat Ali inhibited the chain reaction of radicals harmful to the body system. Several studies conducted by researchers in Malaysia discovered that Tongkat Ali contains Superoxide dimutase, a kind of anti-oxidant enzyme that has the ability to inhibit the chain reaction of free radicals harmful to the body.
Thermogenic/Energy
Tongkat Ali increases your body’s metabolic rate and enhances blood circulation. These factors contribute to the heat-generating characteristics (thermogenic) of Tongkat Ali (Longjack).
It is true that tongkat ali increases energy levels, and here again the right dose is crucial since too high a dose will give insomnia, leading to fatigue the next day. However, if you take the right amount which wears off by evening, then you’ll be just fine and happy. it is thought that tongkat ali increases energy levels through its actions on ATP.
Maca to Enhance Fertility
Maca is the edible root of the Peruvian plant Lepidium meyenii, traditionally
employed for its purported aphrodisiac and fertility-enhancing
properties. Maca grows exclusively in the central highlands of the
Peruvian Andes, at altitudes between 10,000 and 15,000 feet. Interestingly,
it is the only cruciferous plant native to Peru (the plant family
that includes cabbage, bok choy, collards, broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
kohlrabi, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, and cauliflower).
Cruciferous plants contain potent anticancer phytonutrients called
indoles and glucosinolates. In fact, population studies indicate that
ounce for ounce, the anticancer properties of cruciferous vegetables
are greater than those of other fruits or vegetables, including foods
with higher antioxidant levels.
Collectively, indoles and glucosinolates stimulate the immune
system’s cells and messenger chemicals (cytokines), boost liver enzymes
that whisk carcinogens out of the body, and block enzymes
that promote tumor growth—particularly in the breasts, liver, colon,
lungs, stomach, and esophagus.
Maca has been used for its nutritional and tonic properties by native
Peruvians for more than 2,000 years—predating the arrival of the
Inca civilization. It was believed that maca increased both energy and
fertility in both humans and animals.
