If you’ve been searching for ways to naturally boost your testosterone, there’s a good chance that you’ve come across the Tongkat Ali and/or Fadogia Agrestis plants in your research.
The use of both Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis for testosterone maximization was most recently highlighted in an interview with neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. But the use of both herbs as a testosterone-boosting compound actually goes back for centuries in traditional medicine practices!
Because both of these herbs are taken for the same goals, it’s probably no surprise that you can sometimes find both in the same single supplement, like Dorado Nutrition’s Fadogia Agrestis & Tongkat Ali supplement, by people looking to max out on their muscle growth and athletic performance.
But the million-dollar question is: do they work? And subsequently, is it okay to take them together?
Let’s dive into what the current research has to say about the potential benefits of taking Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis, both separately and together, to figure out if it’s the right supplement stack for you.
Key takeaways on taking Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis together
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Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis are both natural herbs that have been used in traditional medicinal practices for boosting libido. These aphrodisiac effects mean that both herbs are now being highlighted for their potential abilities to support healthy testosterone levels.
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There is currently a lot more clinical research on Tongkat Ali than Fadogia Agrestis, and thus more evidence-based reasons to take it for testosterone-boosting benefits. However, both herbs seem to show promise in supporting healthy testosterone levels in the research that we currently have.
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You can take both Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis together since they both support healthy testosterone levels, but be sure to choose high-quality supplement brands that are made with smart dosages and ingredients.
The basics of testosterone optimization
First things first: why would you want to optimize your testosterone levels in the first place? For many people, it comes down to improved health- and fitness-related outcomes.
Testosterone is a key sex hormone and anabolic steroid that is particularly important in men’s health. Testosterone has a huge number of crucial jobs in your body from influencing your fertility to enhancing your athletic performance in the gym or on the field.
It also plays a huge role in your body composition, or the ratio of fat tissue to muscle tissue in your body. Testosterone promotes protein synthesis, or the process that your muscles undergo to recover, rebuild, and ultimately grow stronger after a workout.
So it’s no wonder that so many people look to improve their testosterone levels, from athletes to older men experiencing the natural testosterone decline that happens later in life. But taking anabolic steroids or hormone replacement therapies is not always an option (and in many cases like in professional sports organizations, it’s illegal to do so).
Enter: natural herbs and supplements like Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis, both of which aim to promote your body’s endogenous testosterone levels.
What is Tongkat Ali?
Tongkat Ali, which is also known by its scientific name Eurycoma longifolia Jack or by the nickname “Malaysian ginseng,” is a shrub most commonly found in Southeast Asia. It has a long history of use in traditional medicinal practices for a wide array of ailments including erectile dysfunction.
Science-backed benefits of Tongkat Ali
Tongkat Ali is a popular herb that has been used for years in supplements for its aphrodisiac properties and for its potential testosterone-boosting effects. As such, this shrub has been heavily researched for its ability to support healthy testosterone levels and overall vitality -- and there’s plenty of evidence that it’s an effective and natural means of achieving both.
Some potential Tongkat Ali benefits highlighted by research:
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Healthy testosterone level support: There’s a lot of evidence that links Tongkat Ali supplementation with improved testosterone levels in certain demographics. For example, a 2012 study evaluated the effects of 200 mg of Tongkat Ali supplementation on patients with age-related declines in testosterone over the course of one month. The researchers found that 90.8% of the men who took the supplement showed normal testosterone levels versus the 35.5% that saw normal levels before the trial began.
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Improved fertility: Tongkat Ali supplementation may also help support and improve fertility in some men! A study administered 200 mg of the root to patients who struggled with infertility for 3 months and saw significant improvements in sperm quality after semen analyses. They even saw 11 spontaneous pregnancies after the fact!
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Athletic performance support: Tongkat Ali’s testosterone-supporting benefits may also make it a good ergogenic aid to give your workouts a boost. In a small trial that administered 400 mg of the root to active senior men and women, researchers found improved total and free testosterone concentrations as well as increased muscular force after administration.
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Stress management: In addition, there’s also evidence that Tongkat ali may be an effective adaptogen, or herb that can help you manage your stress response. In one study, for example, the use of the herb was linked to both increased testosterone levels and reduced levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone.” They also found improvements in the subjects’ reported moods!
So how does this Tongkat Ali work to improve your testosterone levels, exactly? In multiple ways, as it turns out:
1. First, Tongkat Ali contains a bioactive compound called eurycomanone, which is thought to act on your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis that is responsible for making hormones. To put it simply: those active eurycomanone compounds in Tongkat Ali can activate luteinizing hormones (LH), which are hormones that then stimulate the body’s natural testosterone production.
2. Secondly, Tongkat Ali is also thought to increase your body’s testosterone levels by significantly reducing the amount of sex hormone-binding-globulin (SHBG) in your body. Normally, SHBG binds with testosterone, which restricts it from being free to carry out those muscle-building and fertility-related effects. But by reducing the amount of circulating SHBG and freeing your testosterone, your body can then use more of the testosterone it has already created!
What is Fadogia Agrestis?
On the other hand, Fadogia agrestis is a flowering bush plant that is most commonly found in Nigeria and other parts of south and central Africa. This herb, which sometimes goes by the nickname “black aphrodisiac,” has been used historically in traditional African medicine for pain relief and anti-inflammatory support, as well as as an aphrodisiac.
Benefits of Fadogia Agrestis
Even though it has long been used in traditional medicinal practices, there’s much less research on Fadogia agrestis than on Tongkat ali. In fact, there are currently zero clinical studies that evaluate the role that Fadogia Agrestis can play in human subjects at all!
With that said, there are some promising initial results from some studies that were conducted on rodent subjects. For example:
- A study that administered high doses of Fadogia agrestis to male albino rats saw significant increases in blood testosterone levels. They also found evidence to suggest that the herb works as an aphrodisiac to boost libido since the rats showed increased mating behaviors after Fadogia administration.
- In a later study, the same researchers found that administering Fadogia agrestis to a different group of male rats led to significant increases in testes-to-body weight ratio and other testicular function indices.
While more research definitely needs to be done to fully understand the mechanisms, it’s thought that Fadogia Agrestis can also stimulate luteinizing hormones (LH) due to bioactive components called saponins, and thus naturally increase your body’s testosterone production.
So while we don’t currently have a ton of research about the benefits of Fadogia Agrestis on human bodies, what we do know from initial animal subject studies is pretty exciting!
Taking Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis together
Because both Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis show promise as a means of improving testosterone levels, it only makes sense that many people are interested in taking them in tandem, or in using one supplement that contains dosages of both. Here’s what we know so far about using Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis together.
Are there benefits to taking Tongkat Ali and Fadogia agrestis at the same time?
Both Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis are thought to help support your body’s testosterone production, a claim that has been investigated and supported by various studies as listed above.
In addition to the clinical trials and research on each individual herb, there’s also plenty of anecdotal evidence from people who take both supplements and claim to see a compounded benefit on their testosterone levels and subsequent fitness goals as opposed to taking just one or the other.
Unfortunately, the bottom line is that there isn’t a ton of peer-reviewed research that evaluates the combined use of both Tongkat ali and Fadogia Agrestis together. In fact, there really aren’t any studies at all that evaluate the two supplements in tandem right now.
What we do know is that both of these herbs seem to have a stimulating effect on your luteinizing hormone (LH), the hormone that activates the production of testosterone. In addition, Tongkat Ali also seems to help free your testosterone from sex hormone-binding globulins (SHBG), which allows your body to use more of its endogenous testosterone stores.
In other words: both Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis seem to work similarly to increase your body’s testosterone production.
So while there isn’t enough evidence as of now to conclusively say that taking both herbs together is better than taking one, it can certainly help some people, especially when paired with other beneficial lifestyle choices like adequate exercise and dietary choices.
Is it safe to take Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis together?
Yes, combining Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis is generally safe -- but like any supplement you put into your body, taking the correct dosage of both is important.
For Tongkat Ali, current evidence suggests that a safe and effective dosage lands somewhere between 200-400 mg daily, and that frequent daily use at this level does not generally seem to be toxic.
Meanwhile, there again isn’t enough evidence to narrow down the right dose of Fadogia Agrestis in humans. However, like most supplements you choose to put in your body, there is definitely a potential toxicity risk that comes with high doses, so it’s important to talk to your doctor prior to starting any supplements (especially those that can affect your hormones, like both Fadogia Agrestis and Tongkat Ali can).
How to take Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis together for testosterone optimization
If you’re looking to take both Fadogia Agrestis and Tongkat Ali for testosterone support, you can either take:
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one combined supplement that has both Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis, like Dorado Nutrition’s Fadogia Agrestis & Tongkat Ali blend
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or two separate Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis supplements, like combining Dorado Nutrition’s Fadogia Agrestis and Tongkat Ali capsules
As we’ve already mentioned, the dosage of both is extremely important, especially when you take into account the potential liver and kidney toxicity of Fadogia agrestis. In addition, dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA in the same way that medications are, which means that it’s important to find a reputable company before taking any supplement. Each Dorado formula is dosed for maximum efficacy, though the combination supplement is less potent than each individual supplement and may therefore be a good place to start if you haven’t taken both herbs together before.
For the best results, consistency is key. You should take the supplements daily for at least 90 days to reap the rewards. It’s also a good idea to pair these supplements with other testosterone-boosting lifestyle habits like regular exercise and a healthy eating plan to get the most out of your testosterone-supporting regimen.
Finally, it’s important to listen to your body and talk to a doctor before starting any supplement regimen to ensure that it’s a safe and effective means for your goals.
The bottom line on taking both Tongkat Ali and Fadogia Agrestis
Both Fadogia Agrestis and Tongkat Ali have shown impressive results in clinical trials for boosting testosterone levels. However, more research needs to be done to determine how they work together and how effective Fadogia Agrestis is in human subjects. Either way, you can get the best of both worlds by taking a combined Tongkat Ali + Fadogia Agrestis supplement for maximum testosterone optimization and vitality support!
