Tongkat Ali vs. Maca Root: Best for Boosting Testosterone?

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Tongkat Ali and Maca Root crossed my path in searching for the best natural testosterone-boosting supplements.

They both looked promising in their separate ways, and I decided to give them a go.

This article is based on my experience and current research on both supplements.

Unfortunately, research is lacking, so I’ll give you my honest experience, so you know what you can expect.

This article will contain everything you need to know to decide whether to give Tongkat Ali or Maca Root a shot.

In the practical information, I’ll discuss what the compound is, how it works, if it’s safe (who should avoid it), the (possible) benefits, and (possible) side effects.

Practical information about Maca Root

What is Maca Root?

Maca is a plant that grows wild in the Andes Mountains and can be found in Peru.

It’s been used as a vegetable and traditional medicine for thousands of years. Some use cases are fertility problems, improving memory, etc.

It’s increasing popularity as a superfood for being a classified adaptogen, which means it can help us deal with stress. However, Maca Root has distinct properties beyond its effects as an adaptogen.

How does Maca Root work?

Maca root can promote a healthy metabolism and cells because it contains a high amount of iron and iodine.

More research on how maca root works in our bodies is needed to pin down how maca root causes a long list of other benefits.

Is Maca Root safe, and who should avoid it?

Maca is not currently associated with health risks in most people and is unlikely to cause any side effects in moderate doses.

Research has found maca root extract safe for up to 3 grams daily for four months. It’s possibly safe in more significant amounts or for a longer duration, but research hasn’t gone that far yet.

Maca root hasn’t been linked to any health risks in healthy people.

Maca root should be avoided by people with thyroid problems and other hormone-related conditions, such as uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids.

It may also be best to avoid maca root while pregnant (it hasn’t been tested for safety yet).

What are the benefits of Maca Root?

Maca root is a superfood that can help with:

• Overall health
• Sexual health and increasing libido
• Boosting energy and stamina
• Improving cognitive ability and memory
• A better immune system
• Alleviating symptoms during menopause

What are the side effects of Maca Root?

Little is known about the side effects of maca root in the short or long term. More research is needed to understand the possible side effects better.

Practical information about Tongkat Ali

What is Tongkat Ali?

Tongkat Ali is a herb used in multiple Asian countries to treat infertility and erectile dysfunction for many years.

Tongkat Ali is also known under the names Eurycoma Longifolia, Longjack, Pasak Bumi, and Tung Saw.

It originates from Southeast Asia and can be found in the roots of a tree called the green shrub Eurycoma longifolia.

It’s sold as a herbal supplement for its beneficial effects on testosterone.

How does Tongkat Ali work?

Tongkat Ali increases the amount of testosterone and mainly free testosterone in your body by splitting it from its binding hormone, the sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG).

Free testosterone is the testosterone that your body can use.

Is Tongkat Ali safe, and who should avoid it?

Daily supplementation with Tongkat Ali extract should be safe in doses of up to 400mg daily for most healthy adults.

People that should avoid Tongkat Ali are people with hormonal cancers (especially), cancers in general, people with medication to lower glucose levels (consult with a doctor first), people with a weak immune system, and people with heart or kidney disease.

What are the benefits of Tongkat Ali?

The main benefit of Tongkat Ali is that it may improve overall testosterone levels, and especially free testosterone, by splitting it from its binding hormone called the sex hormone-binding globulin.

Other (testosterone-related) benefits of Tongkat Ali are:

• Increased energy
• Improving sex-related issues, such as infertility, erectile dysfunction, and desire.
• Dealing with stress a lot better.
• A faster increase in strength levels.
• A better body composition.

What are the side effects of Tongkat Ali?

Tongkat Ali may cause insomnia, restlessness, and irritability. Taking Tongkat Ali in the morning might be a good remedy against insomnia.

My experience with Maca Root

I’ve taken Maca Root long enough for possible benefits to be noticeable. However, I’ve not experienced significant changes in testosterone levels or more sex drive, energy, etc.

I believe that Maca Root can still be beneficial for overall health as a superfood to support a healthy immune system, cognitive function, etc.

Only an improvement in “overall health” is not something that I feel, so I honestly can’t say if it worked its magic.

My experience with Tongkat Ali

Tongkat Ali has made a tremendous impact on my life. If I had to throw out all my other supplements except one, this would be, without a doubt, the one that stays.

My search for natural testosterone boosters started because I felt sub-optimal in energy, sex drive, mental health, etc.

I’ve been getting my blood tested for years, so I know my testosterone levels and changes.

You can read about my (mind-blowing) experience with Tongkat Ali here if you want to know more.

The benefits I experienced are the following:

• Increased my testosterone and free testosterone by over 30%
• Increased my libido significantly
• Boosted my energy levels
• Improved my results from the gym (strength/ body composition)
• Overall made my quality of life better
• Reduced stress (I can confidently do things that would typically have freaked me out)

Winner Maca Root versus Tongkat Ali: Tongkat Ali

If you’re looking for increasing testosterone and testosterone-related benefits, I recommend going for Tongkat Ali.

This compound positively affected my quality of life the most out of any supplement I’ve tried (I’ve tried A LOT OF THEM).

You can expect better sex drive, energy, results in the gym, less stress, and a healthy increase in (free) testosterone.

I didn’t “feel” the benefits of Maca Root in terms of testosterone or testosterone-related benefits.

However, Maca Root has many health benefits beyond testosterone, like boosting the immune system, improving cognitive ability and memory, alleviating symptoms during menopause, etc.

Maca Root might be best for overall health if you're not particularly interested in boosting testosterone.

Tongkat Ali would be the clear winner if I had to choose one.

If you like both of them, there’s no harm in taking Tongkat Ali and Maca Root together if you respect the recommended dosages.

The Tongkat Ali supplement that has benefitted my quality of life tremendously can be found on Nootropics Depot (click here for a review).

I Take the 100 mg 10% eurycomanone and 200 mg 2% eurycomanone.

The Maca Root Extract I recommend, which is the best value for money, is from Bulk Supplements and can be found here.

What to look for in a Tongkat Ali supplement

The benefits of Tongkat Ali come from the Eurycomanone content (active ingredient). Most supplements, even 1/200 extract, only contain a negligible amount.

I’ve had to search hard to find a high-quality supplement that works.

I believe the 100 mg 10% Eurycomanone and 200 mg 2% Eurycomanone from Nootropics Depot are the best. These gave me the benefits and testosterone boost I was looking for.

They heavily research their supplements in an in-house lab and have a mission to provide supplements that contain what’s on the label. This should be mandatory, but often that’s not the case.

I take one pill of both five days a week (two days off) myself.

Of course, you can look for another brand, but do your research.