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How to tell good Tongkat Ali from poor
Two products can both say Tongkat Ali and hold very different amounts of it.
What separates good from poor
- Has it been tested in people?Look for published human studies on the same extract. Research on Tongkat Ali in general does not show that a particular product works.
- Is every batch the same strength?Look for a eurycomanone percentage between .8 and 1.5%, or Malaysia’s national standard, MS 2409:2011. Eurycomanone is the compound found only in Tongkat Ali.
- How was the root extracted?Look for a water extract, the kind used in the human studies. Solvents such as ethanol pull out a different mix of compounds.
- Where did the root come from?Look for a stated origin, root identity testing, and batch tests for heavy metals and microbes.
What to look for on the label
Good signs
- Milligrams of Tongkat Ali per serving
- Eurycomanone between .8 and 1.5%
- A named standard, such as MS 2409:2011
- “Water extract” and “root”
- The botanical name, Eurycoma longifolia
Warning signs
- Only a ratio, such as 200:1
- A “proprietary blend” with no milligrams
- Eurycomanone above 1.5%, beyond the research
- No extraction method
- Root powder sold as an extract
A higher ratio does not mean a stronger extract
A ratio such as 200:1 says how much dried root went into each kilogram of extract. It says nothing about how much of the active compounds came out.
In laboratory tests, an extract sold as 200:1 held .05% eurycomanone, the compound found only in Tongkat Ali. One sold as 10:1 held .98%.
Quality questions
Is a higher eurycomanone percentage better?
Not past 1.5%. Extracts above that have not been studied in people, and concentrating one compound can lose the others.
Is Malaysian Tongkat Ali better?
Origin matters less than how the root was tested and extracted. Malaysia does have a national standard for the extract, MS 2409:2011.
What is Physta®?
A standardized water extract of Malaysian Tongkat Ali root, made by Biotropics, the publisher of this guide. It is the extract used in most human studies.