Home Ingredients ALIVEL® (Tongkat Ali — Eurycoma longifolia)
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ALIVEL® (Tongkat Ali — Eurycoma longifolia)

Eurycoma longifolia
Evidence Level
Limited
1 Clinical Trial
3 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

ALIVEL® is a water-extracted Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) from SourceOne, a Southeast Asian root traditionally used for energy and male vitality. Tongkat Ali is studied for supporting healthy testosterone, for everyday fatigue, and, in aging men, sexual function. The trials described on this page all tested other Tongkat Ali extracts, so the evidence belongs to the plant rather than to this brand.

Studied Dose The 6-month trial cited here used 200 mg per day of a Eurycoma longifolia extract, and other human trials have used 100 to 400 mg per day. ALIVEL itself has no published clinical trial; the supplier's own testosterone and cortisol figures come from a sports-nutrition conference presentation rather than a peer-reviewed study.
Active Compound Water-extracted Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) root, described by the supplier as a 100 to 1 extract standardized to more than 1 percent eurycomanone, with glycoprotein and polysaccharide fractions.

Benefits

Healthy testosterone

Tongkat Ali is studied for supporting healthy testosterone levels, including free testosterone. Almost all of that work is in men, where a pooled analysis of five randomized trials in 232 men found higher total testosterone. The evidence in women is one small 5-week pilot with no placebo group, in 12 active women and 13 active men, that reported higher total and free testosterone in both.

Supported by Trial 1

Stress and fatigue

Tongkat Ali is traditionally used for energy and stamina, and the human data are mixed. A 12-week placebo-controlled trial in aging men found that 200 mg a day of a standardized water extract lowered fatigue scores, while a 4-week trial in stressed adults found no change in fatigue or vigor, though cortisol fell about 16 percent and tension, anger and confusion improved. Both trials were funded by the maker of that extract, which is not ALIVEL.

Supported by Trial 1

Male sexual health

In a 6-month randomized trial in 45 aging men with low testosterone, split into four groups of about 11 men, total testosterone rose in the men who took 200 mg of Tongkat Ali without training, while the largest gains in erectile-function score came from the men who both trained three times a week and took the supplement. With about a dozen men per group, the size of either effect is uncertain.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Free-testosterone release

Tongkat Ali compounds are thought to free testosterone from its binding protein (SHBG), raising the active, free fraction.

2

Stress-hormone balance

Tongkat Ali is studied for lowering cortisol and improving the testosterone-to-cortisol ratio, supporting vitality.

Clinical trials

1
Tongkat Ali and Testosterone — 6-Month RCT
PubMed

Human randomized controlled trial. Four arms, six months, double-blind and placebo-controlled, testing 200 mg per day of a Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) extract with or without supervised concurrent training, in men with age-related androgen deficiency. The extract tested was not ALIVEL. (Leitão et al. 2021, Maturitas)

45 men, average age 47, with androgen deficiency of the aging male, about 11 men per group.

Erectile-function scores improved with both interventions, and the authors report the most significant results in the men who both trained and took Tongkat Ali. Total testosterone rose in the supplement-only group, from about 278 to 400 ng/dL, and fell slightly on placebo. With about 11 men per group, the size of these effects is uncertain.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well-tolerated in short trials. Sourcing matters here: a 2004 analysis of 100 Tongkat Ali preparations sold in Malaysia found 36 of them above the local mercury limit, and the US military supplement-safety program reports Tongkat Ali products contaminated with lead or mercury or adulterated with the prescription drug sildenafil. Look for third-party heavy-metal testing.
Mild restlessness or insomnia can occur, so avoid taking it late in the day. Nausea, stomach upset, diarrhea, headache and rash are also reported, and the NIH LiverTox database rates Tongkat Ali a possible rare cause of liver injury, based on isolated cases that resolved after stopping.
Not recommended in hormone-sensitive conditions without medical advice.

Important Drug interactions

Hormone therapy or anti-androgen drugs — consult a doctor.
Blood pressure or blood sugar medication — monitor.
Tell your doctor if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.

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Frequently asked questions about ALIVEL® (Tongkat Ali — Eurycoma longifolia)

What is ALIVEL?

Alivel® is a water-extracted Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) from SourceOne, a Southeast Asian root traditionally used for energy and male vitality. Tongkat Ali is studied for supporting healthy testosterone, for everyday fatigue, and, in aging men, sexual function.

What is ALIVEL used for?

ALIVEL is researched primarily for Testosterone, Men's Health, and Energy. Tongkat Ali is studied for supporting healthy testosterone levels, including free testosterone. Almost all of that work is in men, where a pooled analysis of five randomized trials in 232 men found higher total testosterone.

What is the recommended dosage of ALIVEL?

The clinically studied dose is The 6-month trial cited here used 200 mg per day of a Eurycoma longifolia extract, and other human trials have used 100 to 400 mg per day. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is ALIVEL safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, ALIVEL is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Generally well-tolerated in short trials. Sourcing matters here: a 2004 analysis of 100 Tongkat Ali preparations sold in Malaysia found 36 of them above the local mercury limit, and the US military supplement-safety program reports Tongkat Ali products contaminated with lead or m… It may also interact with some medications. ALIVEL is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does ALIVEL interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Hormone therapy or anti-androgen drugs — consult a doctor. Blood pressure or blood sugar medication — monitor. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for ALIVEL?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for ALIVEL as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 1 clinical trial and 6 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(6 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Leitão AE, Vieira MCS, Pelegrini A, et al. A 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate the effect of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) and concurrent training on erectile function and testosterone levels in androgen deficiency of aging males (ADAM). Maturitas. 2021;145:78-85..PubMedUsed to support: Human randomized controlled trial, the only trial of erectile function cited here. 45 men in four arms of about 11 tested a 200 mg Eurycoma longifolia extract with and without six months of supervised training. Erectile function improved most in the training plus supplement group, while total testosterone rose in the supplement-only group. The extract was not ALIVEL, so this supports the plant rather than the brand.
  2. Talbott SM, Talbott JA, George A, et al. Effect of Tongkat Ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10(1):28..PubMedUsed to support: Human randomized placebo-controlled trial in 63 moderately stressed adults, 32 men and 31 women, taking 200 mg a day of a standardized hot-water Eurycoma longifolia root extract for 4 weeks. Salivary cortisol fell 16 percent and tension, anger and confusion scores improved, while fatigue and vigor did not change. Funded by the extract's manufacturer, and the extract was not ALIVEL.
  3. Henkel RR, Wang R, Bassett SH, et al. Tongkat Ali as a potential herbal supplement for physically active male and female seniors--a pilot study. Phytother Res. 2014;28(4):544-50..PubMedUsed to support: Open-label 5-week pilot with no placebo group, in 13 physically active men and 12 physically active women aged 57 to 72 taking 400 mg a day. Total and free testosterone and handgrip force rose in both sexes. This is the only human evidence behind the statement that Tongkat Ali has been studied in women, and the missing control group is why that claim is caveated.
  4. Ang HH, Lee EL, Cheang HS Determination of mercury by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometer in Tongkat Ali preparations obtained in Malaysia. Int J Toxicol. 2004;23(1):65-71..PubMedUsed to support: Laboratory analysis, not a clinical trial. Of 100 Tongkat Ali preparations tested, 36 exceeded the Malaysian mercury limit for traditional medicines at 0.52 to 5.30 parts per million. Supports the sourcing and heavy-metal caution.
  5. Chinnappan SM, George A, Pandey P, et al. Effect of Eurycoma longifolia standardised aqueous root extract-Physta(®) on testosterone levels and quality of life in ageing male subjects: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre study. Food Nutr Res. 2021;65:5647..PubMedUsed to support: Human randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 105 men aged 50 to 70 with total testosterone below 300 ng/dL, taking 100 or 200 mg a day of a standardized water extract for 12 weeks. Total testosterone rose, and Aging Male Symptoms and Fatigue Severity Scale scores fell against placebo at every timepoint. Funded by the maker of that extract, which is not ALIVEL. This is the trial that keeps the fatigue claim alive rather than allowing it to be deleted.
  6. Leisegang K, Finelli R, Sikka SC, et al. Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) Improves Serum Total Testosterone in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. Medicina (Kaunas). 2022;58(8)..PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review of nine studies with five randomized controlled trials in 232 men pooled, reporting a significant increase in serum total testosterone. The trials used several different extracts, none of them ALIVEL, so this supports the plant rather than this brand. The authors declare no external funding.