By skyforbes 
Yohimbe is an evergreen tree whose bark is traditionally used in Africa to treat many health issues, from coughs to heart disease. It is also used as an aphrodisiac, hallucinogen, and anesthetic. Now, in the West, it’s often used to treat erectile dysfunction.
Yohimbe is most commonly used for treating erectile dysfunction (ED), but some also use it to enhance athletic performance.
May Help Improve Erectile Dysfunction
One study found that taking it daily increased erections and sexual satisfaction in men.
Other studies have shown that combining it with other supplements, such as L-arginine, can help improve blood flow to the penis. This can help treat mild and moderate cases of ED.
However, experts do not recommend using the supplement as a standard treatment for ED due to its potentially harmful side effects.
May Enhance Athletic Performance
There’s some emerging research that suggests yohimbe may help boost athletic performance. Additionally, taking it may decrease exercise-related fatigue.
Researchers believe it helps athletic performance because it is a stimulant that increases blood flow and energy.
Taking too much yohimbe may cause a rapid heartbeat or increased blood pressure. If you decide to take it, do so under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional. Safe dosages and supplement duration have not been established.
Yohimbe supplements are typically sold as capsules or powders. You can also purchase the bark of the tree to make a liquid extract.
A prescription drug sold in the United States called Yohimbine hydrochloride (under the brand name Aphrodyne) is also used to treat ED. Follow the instructions on the product or your doctor’s recommendations.
Dosage
There is no standard recommended dose for yohimbe.
Some research states that it’s safe to take 5–10 milligrams (mg) three times daily. Other research says therapeutic doses (the amount needed to be effective) range from 50-300 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL).
An individual may build up a tolerance to yohimbine, meaning the same amount of the drug starts to become less effective the more you use it.
Although yohimbe is available for use in the United States, there are many risks of taking it. It has been associated with serious side effects like heart attacks and seizures, as well as increased heart rate and high blood pressure.
As a result, other countries have banned or restricted it from being sold as a dietary supplement.
Pregnant and breastfeeding people and children shouldn’t take yohimbe orally.
Potential Drug Interactions
You should not take yohimbe if you are taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor for depression, including phenelzine (Nardil) or tranylcypromine (Parnate).
Yohimbine may release norepinephrine, a vasoconstrictor (a substance that narrows the blood vessels). Taking it may cause poor blood pressure control in people taking antihypertensive or diuretic medications.
What to Look For
Herbal supplements aren’t regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so it’s best to purchase products that have been tested for purity and potency by a third-party organization. These include ConsumerLab, NSF International, and U.S. Pharmacopeia.
Third-party testing doesn’t guarantee safety or effectiveness; it just means the label is accurate and the product does not contain other, unlisted ingredients.
However, finding third-party tested yohimbe supplements is hard because the supplement is restricted or banned in certain countries due to frequent, potentially dangerous mislabeling. For example, many yohimbe products don’t list the amount of yohimbine they contain, so each supplement dosage can vary.
Can You Take Too Much Yohimbe?
Taking too much yohimbe can cause serious health issues and even death. Yet, there aren’t any established safe upper limits (the maximum amount that is safe to take).
Yohimbe is associated with several risks and potential side effects, including:
Overdosing on yohimbe can lead to:
- Hypotension (low blood pressure)
- Rapid heartbeat
- Confusion or disorientation
- Tremors
- Heart attack
- Seizures
- Paralysis
- Coma
- Death
Taking extract from the yohimbe bark itself may increase the chances of experiencing side effects.
Yohimbe is an evergreen tree native to Africa whose bark is thought to have active compounds that can help improve erectile dysfunction and athletic performance.
However, the research on the health benefits is limited, and taking yohimbe can cause serious side effects. It can also be dangerous because there is no established safe upper limit for dosage.