Tongkat Ali – More Than a Testosterone Booster
It may be the testosterone boosting capabilities that have created the upsurge in demand for the Southeast Asian herb, but the Tongkat Ali extract has served multiple healing purposes to natives of the region for centuries. Users new to the “Asian Viagra” may indeed find unexpected dividends in the extract’s continued use. Aside from increased libido, users can depend on some pretty positive side effects with all the safety comforts provided by all-natural herbal remedies.
To meet today’s commercial demand, the extract is derived from the roots of the Eurycoma Longifolia tree, which was once populous throughout the region. It is not clear which Southeast Asian culture originated the use of the herb as a medical remedy, but Malaysia has certainly brought modern technology to the extract’s manufacturing process.
The original doctors had to arrange for excavation of the massive 3 meter root from mature Eurycoma Longifolia trees 36- 40 feet high. Even today, there are no shortcuts for the critical step of excavation and harvesting of the heavy roots. Of course, the original doctors has to sterilize the root, which was accomplished by boiling the roots and drying them several times over.
Days later when the roots were satisfactorily cleansed, they were ground into a powder form. Usually the doctors prescribed Tongkat Ali as a treatment for high fever, including malaria. The extract has an extremely bitter taste so patients usually mixed the medicine with tea or coffee.
As patients continued the use of the extract, they began to notice that not only was their fever reduced but they also experienced increased sex drive and high energy. Apparently, these side effects outweighed the bitter taste.
Native doctors could not explain these effects but continued to explore other uses of the herb. What they found was that the herb could be used to improve circulation and even relieve anxiety. Soon, the wonder herb was used for a variety of general health issues.
The Tongkat Ali Extract’s role has certainly changed, but there is evidence to suggest that once again we have not fully utilized the herb’s healing powers. After all, when the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Malaysian government enter into a joint agreement to perform research and development on the root as a potential treatment for cancer, there must be more to the extract than we realize.
Most of the demand from the west is associated with increasing sex drive, improving the performance of sex organs and increasing testosterone in men and women. However, when the London Sports Journal documented successful tests on use of the extract to increase muscle mass, bodybuilders responded with a vengeance. As a natural herbal remedy, the extract is safe and although not yet approved for use in certain bodybuilding and weightlifting competitions, Tongkat Ali is recognized as a safe way to help increase strength and muscle mass. This is just one more surprising benefit of Tongkat Ali.
As we learn more and more about Tongkat Ali, we can only wonder where it all will take us. Little did those original Southeast Asian doctors know what they uncovered when they set about digging out those big roots of the Eurycoma Longifolia. We owe those original doctors a lot, but think how large the supply of Tongkat Ali Extract will be when the deforested rainforests of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam recover. Perhaps then we will uncover all the wondrous therapies Tongkat Ali is capable of producing.
