Tongkat Ali Gains Approval

HP Ingredients (Bradenton, FL) is improving global recognition for its tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia) extract, with self-affirmed U.S. GRAS status and approval from Health Canada. The company made its announcement at November's SupplySide West tradeshow in Las Vegas.

The gnarling root is more familiar to Asian cultures, and its history of use apparently dates back as much as 4000 years, with proof found in ancient Chinese texts. Tongkat ali is sought for its adaptogenic qualities and its innate ability to increase free testosterone levels in those who consume it. HP Ingredients CEO Annie Eng says her company’s LJ100 tongkat ali extract has, time and time again, shown the ability to increase testosterone levels in men and women while also reducing cortisol levels (a key market of stress) and without affecting estrogen. Compared to steroids which can create new testosterone in the body, science suggests that tongkat ali actually frees up testosterone that is bound within the body. Lower signs of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) support this notion.

Health benefits of free testosterone, beyond sex health, are many, and HP Ingredients is so far already exploring weight management potential. Eng says the next several years of research will offer more insight.

LJ100 is a freeze-dried water extract of tongkat ali, and it’s standardized for 40% glycol saponins. This very extract is the source material for many published clinical trials on the ingredient, which is classified by the World Health Organization as having no toxicity.