What do the states mean?+
- Solid: well studied, and it works.
- Half-there: the science is still forming.
- A ghost: almost no real studies.
- Hollow: well studied, and it does not work.
- A cord: the pair itself has been tested together.
- Air: nobody has ever tested this pair.
The full scoring method: How we score
Tongkat ali benefits: where the science stands
For testosterone and libido: not settled yet.
Testosterone and libido are what most people take tongkat ali for, and the strongest evidence says it helps (a combined review covering 5 trials, plus two trials, 77 people in all). As of August 2026, the verdicts on this page rest on evidence from 8 trials, drawn from the strongest research among the 16 papers on PubMed that mention tongkat ali. Every claim is checked below.
16 papers on PubMed · evidence from 8 trials
Claim by claim
- Testosterone and libidoThe science is still forming. Results lean positive, but there is not much yet.
- Strength and powerAlmost no real studies. Nothing clear so far.
Pairs people ask about
The four sources we read
- 2021Randomized trial · 32 people · benefit for testosterone and libidosource
- 2021Randomized trial · 45 people · benefit for testosterone and libidosource
- 2021Randomized trial · 45 people · no clear effect on strength and powersource
- 2022Meta-analysis · pools 5 trials · large benefit for testosterone and libidosource
Chosen as the strongest evidence out of 16 papers on PubMed. Every row links to its paper.
Fair questions
Does tongkat ali work?+
For testosterone and libido, it is not settled. Results lean positive, but there is not much yet.
Is tongkat ali safe?+
No caution is recorded on this page. That is not a safety guarantee; the studies we read were not safety trials.
Why only 4 sources, when PubMed lists 16?+
The 16 is every paper that mentions tongkat ali in any way: animal studies, blood measurements, papers where it is a side note. The strongest sources are combined reviews, and each one already gathers every trial its authors could find. Our 4 cover 8 trials between them, and every one is linked above. Both counts are measured, not estimated.