Supplement analysis backed by scientific evidence · PT

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Limited evidenceMen's health

Yohimbe Bark Extract

Whole bark from the African tree Pausinystalia yohimbe, sold as a natural alternative to pharmaceutical yohimbine. The isolated alkaloid has genuine but modest evidence in erectile dysfunction; the bark products themselves contain wildly unpredictable amounts of it, which makes them the riskier and less reliable choice.

Evidence last reviewed: August 2026

What the science says

  • Yohimbine for erectile dysfunction Moderate evidence

    A systematic review and meta-analysis of seven randomized trials concluded that yohimbine is superior to placebo for erectile dysfunction, with a favourable benefit-risk ratio in the doses studied. A later 2021 systematic review reached a similar conclusion while noting that the trials are old, small and predate PDE5 inhibitors.

  • Bark supplements are poorly standardized Moderate evidence

    Chromatographic analysis of yohimbe bark and marketed bark supplements found yohimbine content ranging from undetectable to many times the labelled amount, with several products bearing no relationship to their labels. This means the dose you take is essentially unknown.

  • Whole bark itself has not been trialled Limited evidence

    No randomized trial has tested whole yohimbe bark extract as such for sexual function; the clinical evidence comes from pharmaceutical yohimbine hydrochloride. Extrapolating from one to the other is not justified.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseTrials of yohimbine hydrochloride used 15–30 mg per day in divided doses. There is no validated dose for whole bark, because content varies unpredictably between products and batches; labels typically suggest 500–1000 mg of bark, which says nothing about alkaloid content.
SafetyMeaningful risk profile: anxiety, panic, insomnia, tachycardia, raised blood pressure, and at higher doses hypertensive crisis and arrhythmia. Case reports include intracranial haemorrhage. Contraindicated with MAO inhibitors and clonidine, and in people with hypertension, cardiac disease, anxiety disorders, kidney disease or prostate disease. Restricted or banned as an ingredient in several countries. Not for use with stimulants or other pre-workout products.

Scientific references

Where to buy

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