Tongkat Ali Whole Foods? Is it the best for me?
We now know that whatever you eat can be very good for your health or harmful to your body.
And that’s why individuals are actively looking for food from nature that can be healthy and not processed, and that’s why people are becoming even more into the process that food has to go through from the farm until it reaches our tables.
Because of that, we are going to discuss one of the most popular whole in the world: Tongkat Ali or Eurycoma longifolia; who uses it?
The immense health benefits it contains, and so much more. But to understand this better, we must know more about whole foods.
What are whole foods?
Whole foods are foods that have not gone through any processing.
Manufacturing companies usually add fat, sugar, and salt when food goes through processing. Moreover, essential nutrients such as fibers might be removed.
And because of too much-saturated fat, added sugar or sodium in salt can increase the risk of developing numerous chronic diseases.
Whole foods include fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains (such as oats, brown rice, and barley), nuts, beans, fish, and eggs.
On the other hand, we call minimally processed foods, which are a little processed, such as frozen produce or whole wheat flour.
Of course, eating mostly whole foods or minimally processed foods is essential for the individual to stay healthy.
What are the health benefits of whole foods?
Whole foods are the best nutritious foundation for optimal health and overall Well-being.
Also, whole foods give us all the necessary nutrients without any additives. Regularly eating various vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and plant proteins would maintain a balanced healthy diet.
Building your healthy balanced diet around whole foods means you will naturally consume:
- Your medically recommended dose of the vitamins and minerals you need for your body to function perfectly, from nervous system health to hair and skin.
- Dietary Fibre, which helps with digestion and gut health.
- Unsaturated fats suit cardiovascular health and brain function; minimal trans and saturated fats and no cholesterol are the cardiovascular system’s worst enemy.
- Plenty of plant-based protein is healthier than animal-based protein in the long term.
- Phytonutrients are the chemicals that act as a plant’s immune system. These include antioxidants, which fight off harmful free radicals that damage human cells.
Moreover, whole foods can fight disease.
Replacing processed food with more plants generally means more fiber and less saturated fat.
This can significantly impact your overall health and lower the risk of gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
And to continue talking about phytonutrients and their immense health benefits, they reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, and even help to prevent certain types of cancer. They are present in many different plants but often in colorful fruits and vegetables.
Even more, whole foods are echo friendly, more than we can say about any other diet.
Plant-based diets are great for the individual’s health and impact the environment.
Eating whole foods takes the complete processing step out of the food supply chain, reducing the distance and energy produced. That shortcut prevents a lot of pollution from happening to the environment.
To sum it up, whole foods are the most healthy nutritional products you can change your diet into for better overall health and the environment’s Well-being at the same time.
Now that we know what whole foods are and how they can benefit the body, let’s focus on Tongkat Ali, one of nature’s most beautiful foods.
What is Tongkat Ali?
Tongkat Ali, or long jack, is an herbal supplement from the roots of the green shrub tree Eurycoma longifolia, native to Southeast Asia.
It is trendy in traditional medicine in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and other Asian countries.
For many years, native people in different Asian countries used Tongkat Ali to treat malaria, infections, fevers, male infertility, and erectile dysfunction. (1)
The health benefits of tongkat ali most likely come from flavonoids and other compounds that act as antioxidants.
Antioxidants are compounds that fight harmful free radicals that cause cellular damage, as we mentioned earlier. They can be pretty beneficial to the human body in many ways. (2)
Nowadays, most people use Tongkat ali in dietary supplement pills that contain an herb extract or as part of herbal drinks like native people most likely used to consume it. (3)
What are the health benefits of tongkat ali?
May relieve stress:
Tongkat ali may lower stress hormones in the body, decreasing anxiety, elevating mood, and improving mental health.
A study in the late nineties first shed light on the possible role of tongkat ali in stabilizing mood and found that the effect of tongkat ali extract was relatively similar to the impact of standard treatment for anxiety in reducing anxiety symptoms.
However, this study was on mice, which is a promising result in itself, but it also means that this should be looked into more regarding the effect on humans. (4)
And for that, another study that worked with 63 adults that suffer from stress found that supplementing with 200 mg of tongkat ali extract per day reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol in saliva; on the other hand, the cortisol levels were unchanged in individuals who received a placebo, which is fake pills that do not contain medication. (5)
Moreover, participants reported noticing significantly less stress, anger, and tension after taking tongkat ali.
While these results show promising results, scientists should conduct more studies on an even larger population to be sure of the result.
May improve performance and muscle mass:
Tongkat ali is often tied to boosting athletic performance and increasing muscle mass, and this is because it contains compounds called quassinoids that may help the body use energy more efficiently, reduce fatigue, and improve endurance and stamina. (6)
To elaborate, the Tongkat Ali supplement is a substance that can enhance physical performance and improve the body composition of muscles. And this also means that Tongkat Ali may indirectly affect weight loss.
And that’s because muscles burn more calories, and we covered that Tongkat Ali increases muscle mass growing metabolism. (7)
A study that scientists conducted with 14 men participating in a strength training program found that those who took 100 mg of tongkat ali extract per day experienced a noticeably more significant increase in lean body mass than those taking a placebo. They also lost more fat than participants in the placebo group due to the increased metabolism, as we explained earlier. (8)
Another study on physically active older adults discovered that supplementing with 400 mg of tongkat ali extract daily showed a significant increase in muscular strength compared to a placebo. (9)
On the other hand, another small study on cyclists observed that consuming a drink with tongkat ali during exercise did not improve performance or strength10t all. (10)
But the studies leaned more toward Tongkat Ali increasing muscle mass. However, to be entirely sure of this information, more human studies are needed to confirm that.
May increase testosterone levels and improve male fertility:
Testosterone:
Testosterone is the primary male hormone responsible for both reproductive system development and secondary gender-specific features in males.
Like increasing bone mass, muscle mass, body hair growth, and even red blood cell production.
Although some people may not know this, female ovaries also produce a minimal amount of testosterone that contributes to many functions in the female body.
Testosterone starts to increase in production during puberty and begins to decrease slowly around the age of 30.
But of course, every individual is different, and it is somewhat affected by genetics and lifestyle of choice.
Effects of testosterone on the body:
According to the national institutes of Health, testosterone has many different functions not only on the body but also on the brain.
- Testosterone is primarily responsible for increasing muscle mass, which is responsible for improving overall energy and regulating weight, as muscles consume more daily calories than fat cells.
- Adequate amounts of testosterone within the normal range are responsible for more stable mental health and overall Well-being.
- Testosterone is responsible for bone density and blood cell production from bone marrow.
- Last, testosterone is vital in maintaining good verbal memory and fast information processing.
Tongkat Ali’s potential role in increasing testosterone in men with low hormonal levels is one of the most popular beliefs regarding Tongkat Ali’s health benefits.
And it is one of the reasons why ancient Asia people used to consume it as a natural aphrodisiac for ages.
Low testosterone levels can result from natural aging (as testosterone starts to drop naturally after age 30, as we mentioned earlier), chemotherapy, radiation, injury, infection, or even some medications. (11)
Some symptoms of low testosterone in men include:
- Sexual dysfunction
- Lower energy
- Reduced muscle mass
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Depression
- Weight gain
- Hair loss
- Beard thinning
Natural testosterone levels drop as a standard part of aging as the story decreases slowly.
However, it is essential to know that one of the reasons why testosterone levels may be declining in some men is obesity.
If an individual suffers from some of these symptoms, it is best to consult a doctor and get a blood test to be sure it is a testosterone problem and not anything else.
Since compounds in Tongkat Ali may boost low testosterone, it could treat some of these issues; some scientific research papers even claim that Tongkat Ali can be an alternative to testosterone replacement therapy. (12)
A study on older men with low testosterone levels found that taking a 200 mg dose of tongkat ali extract daily significantly restores testosterone hormone levels to average values in over 90% of participants. (13)
Also, animal and human studies show that taking tongkat ali stimulates arousal and improves erectile dysfunction in males. (14)
Moreover, Tongkat Ali may improve sperm motility and concentration, which means it also improves male fertility, as the study on reproduction in male rats show. (15)
On that topic, a three months study on over 100 men whose ages range from 30 years old to 55 years old observed that taking 300 mg of tongkat ali extract daily increased sperm motility and volume significantly. (16)
Also, a study on male partners of infertile couples found that taking 200 mg of tongkat ali extract daily significantly improved sperm concentration and motility after three months.
The treatment helped some couples even become pregnant. (17)
According to these studies, Tongkat Ali has effectively treated low testosterone and infertility in some men. However, as we said before, more research and studies should be done in the future.
These are the most well-documented health benefits of Tongkat Ali, which makes it not only one of the most beneficial whole but also some people may consider it a superfood because of its nutritional value.
And that is why many companies use it in dietary supplement pills to increase stamina, energy, and testosterone levels in men with low testosterone levels or even bodybuilders.
Most popular ingredients used with Tongkat Ali:
This list contains other natural products that work hand in hand with Tongkat Ali. And this combination of beneficial effects makes it a perfect dietary supplement to enhance stamina and help men with low testosterone levels.
Cordyceps:
Cordyceps is a mushroom that grows in Tibet, 3,000 to 5,000 meters above ground in the Himalayas. (18)
This mushroom grows uniquely as it infects a type of caterpillar and develops a spore within the host. After it kills the host, the spores sprout directly from the dead body.
More importantly, this mushroom affects the body by increasing blood flow to the male reproductive system. And also, it reduces anxiety and depression significantly.
This quality is equally essential in patients who deal with impotence because many scientists believe that male impotence results from stress and anxiety.
Check here how cordyceps increase testosterone. Click here!
Maca roots:
Maca is a plant that grows in the Andes. These roots are the shape of turnips, and they are the part people use when it comes to their immense health benefits. (19)
First of all, maca roots increase libido in both men and women. An individual that consumes it can see the results after about six weeks.
Also, it increases blood circulation in many different parts of the human body, eventually treating impotence.
Moreover, it increases fertility. In men, maca roots stimulate the maturation of spermatozoa, which eventually results in increasing the number and agility of sperm.
Lastly, maca roots improve energy, physical and mental health, memory, stamina, and the immune system.
Korean red Ginseng:
Red Ginseng acts directly by boosting the nervous system and increasing energy while still sleeping well without getting anxiety which may happen with many nervous system stimulators. (20)
Horny goat weed:
This plant is most famous and popular in China.
Horny goat weed stimulates the nervous system directly and boosts testosterone levels in men. This is precisely what you need as a user if hypothyroidism lowers your testosterone levels. (21)
Summary
In nature?
Many different types of nutritional and medicinal plants and fungi help boost our health in almost every aspect.
And whole foods are backed up by scientific research that suggests the immense health benefits of consuming and using them for medical purposes.
Although we can not completely give up processed food altogether, humans can consume it in moderation and alongside healthy whole foods.
And Tongkat Ali is one of nature’s most beautiful whole foods and significantly impacts many aspects of the individual’s health.
And that’s why we advise you that if, after reading this article, you feel like it might be helpful for your conditions to add tongkat ali to your diet, be sure to obtain the right dietary supplements for your needs from trusted vendors.
Let us know in the comments if there is anything that we can help you with.
And as always, stay safe.
