HomeBenefitsHealthy aging

Tongkat Ali for healthy aging

In middle-aged and older adults, studies found higher T cell counts and immune scores, stronger grip and fewer aging symptoms.*

Reviewed by the Biotropics research team · Updated October 2026

The evidence

What the studies found

Studied in men and women. Evidence: 2 placebo-controlled trials and 1 uncontrolled.

+5%Overall immune cell score, with higher total, naive and CD4 T cell counts than placebo*81 middle-aged adults in Japan with below-average immunity, 200mg a day, 4 weeksGeorge et al. 2016, Phytotherapy Research
−54%Aging male symptoms score*105 men aged 50 to 70 with low testosterone, 200mg a day, 12 weeksChinnappan et al. 2021, Food and Nutrition Research
5 weeksHandgrip strength and testosterone rose in men and women*25 active adults aged 57 to 72, 400mg a day, no placebo groupHenkel et al. 2014, Phytotherapy Research
In plain terms

What the research means

T cells are white blood cells that coordinate the immune response, and their numbers tend to fall with age. Naive T cells are the ones ready to respond to new infections. Strength also declines with age. In active adults aged 57 to 72, grip strength rose over 5 weeks, though that study had no placebo group.

The immune cell score combines several measures of immune cells into one number. The result comes from one trial, which measured immune cells, not infections.

What the studies used

Daily dose
200 to 400mg
Who took part
Adults in middle age and older
How long
4 to 12 weeks
Extract
Standardized water extract of root
Good to know

Before you start

  • Medication and health conditionsSpeak to a doctor or pharmacist first if you take prescription medicine or have a long-term health condition.
  • PregnancyAvoid during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Common questions

Is it safe to take long term?

Studies lasted up to 6 months. Longer daily use has not been studied in trials.

Does it prevent colds?

No study has measured infections. The immune study measured immune cells and scores.

Has it been studied in women?

The immune and grip studies included both men and women.

Published by Biotropics Malaysia Berhad, maker of Physta®. Most studies on this page tested Physta, and several were funded by Biotropics. How this guide is written

Other areas of research

Studied in menEnergy and fatigue1 placebo-controlled trialFatigue scores fell by about half in men aged 50 to 70 taking 200mg a day for 12 weeks.Studied in men and womenTestosteroneA meta-analysis and 4 placebo-controlled studiesTestosterone rose against placebo, most clearly in men with low testosterone.Studied in men and womenStress and mood3 placebo-controlled studiesCortisol fell 16% against placebo in stressed adults taking 200mg a day for 4 weeks.Studied in men and older adultsStrength and exercise2 placebo-controlled studies and 1 uncontrolledMen aged 40 to 59 who trained for 6 months gained more strength on 200mg a day.Studied in men and womenSexual health3 placebo-controlled trialsErectile function and sexual desire improved against placebo in men aged 40 to 59 over 6 months.Studied in womenMenopause2 placebo-controlled trialsSymptom scores fell 33.9%, against 23.3% on placebo, in women taking 100mg a day for 12 weeks.