Libido

Overview

Tongkat Ali has medium-strength evidence for libido. One study in healthy men showed that 300 mg of a tested extract daily for 12 weeks increased sexual interest and overall quality of life compared with no treatment.

Maca has insufficient evidence based on three studies, with no clear benefit established. The heatmap and evidence reviews below compare these supplements.

Effect graph

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Relevant supplements

Relevant supplements sorted by DEX Score.


Tongkat Ali	★★★★★	Medium
Maca	★★★★★	Low

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Studies

Find individual evidence reviews for supplements sorted by DEX Score.

2 supplements for rated at least stars. All purchase bands. No minimum star filter.

Tongkat AliView supplement →

Reconsider purchase★★★★★

How we scored this

Effect SizeMediumEvidenceLowTrustMedium

Evidence Review

Taking tongkat ali by mouth seems to help improve libido.
One study in healthy men showed that a daily dose of 300 mg of a tested extract for 12 weeks increased their sexual interest and overall quality of life compared to no treatment.

Browse 1 study

RCTRandomized Clinical Trial on the Use of PHYSTA Freeze-Dried Water Extract of Eurycoma longifolia for the Improvement of Quality of Life and Sexual Well-Being in Men2012n=109

A 12-wk manufacturer-funded study was conducted with 109 men aged 30-55 given 300 mg tongkat ali daily. There was a notable improvement in semen volume (+18.2%) and libido (+14%) at the end of 12 weeks. Greater improvements were seen in those with lower baseline levels, and reductions in fat mass were found in those with BMI above 25 but the study was funded by Biotropics – a tongkat ali manufacturer.

Effect: Benefit
Duration: 12 weeks
Dose: 30–55 g/day
Population: Men
Participants: 109
Ages: 30–55

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MacaView supplement →

Reconsider purchase★★★★★

How we scored this

Effect SizeLowEvidenceMediumTrustMedium

Evidence Review

There is not enough evidence to determine if maca has any benefit for libido.

Browse 3 studies

RCTAcceptability, Safety, and Efficacy of Oral Administration of Extracts of Black or Red Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Adult Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study2016n=175

A 12-week double-blind RCT of 175 adults at low and high altitude found 3 g/day black or red maca improved mood, energy, and health-related quality of life, with red maca also reducing high-altitude hemoglobin.

Effect: Benefit
Duration: 12 weeks
Dose: 3 g/day
Population: Healthy adults
Participants: 175

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RCTA pilot investigation into the effect of maca supplementation on physical activity and sexual desire in sportsmen2009

A 14-day crossover pilot of trained male cyclists found maca supplementation increased self-reported sexual desire vs placebo but did not significantly improve 40 km time-trial performance.

Effect: Benefit
Duration: 14 days
Population: Athletes

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RCTEffect of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men2002

A 12-week double-blind RCT of healthy men aged 21–56 found 1,500–3,000 mg/day maca increased sexual desire from week 8 without changing testosterone or estradiol levels.

Effect: Benefit
Duration: 12 weeks
Population: Men
Ages: 21–56

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Evidence visualised

Same ratings as above, aggregated so you can see coverage and imbalance.

Purchase-guidance distribution

How many supplements fall in each purchase band

Effect-size distribution

How large the reported benefits tend to be

Study distribution across 2 supplements for libido (4 studies total).
Supplement	DEX	Studies	Meta-analyses	Share
Maca	★★★★★48%	3	0	75%
Tongkat Ali	★★★★★56%	1	0	25%

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Overview

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Relevant supplements

Studies

Evidence visualised

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