Yohimbe is an African evergreen tree whose bark contains yohimbine. Yohimbe supplements are promoted for erectile dysfunction, sexual performance, athletic performance and weight loss, but NCCIH says there is not enough evidence that they help any condition, and studies have documented their risks.
Also known as: yohimbine, yohimbine HCl, Pausinystalia yohimbe.
Yohimbe has no intake value or upper limit, and ODS says no safe dose has been established. In a 2015 analysis of 49 US supplements, only 22% listed the amount of yohimbine, and actual content ranged from 23% to 147% of the labeled amount (ODS).
It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling. NCCIH says yohimbe supplements may not work like the prescription medicine that contains yohimbine, and that it is illegal in the US to market an over-the-counter yohimbine product for erectile dysfunction without FDA approval. Because of inaccurate labels and serious side effects, yohimbe supplements have been restricted or banned in many countries.
Evidence: NCCIH says there is very little research on yohimbe as a supplement and not enough to say whether it helps erectile dysfunction, athletic performance or obesity. ODS says small weight-loss trials are contradictory and there is no conclusive evidence it affects body weight.
Safety: yohimbine has been linked to irregular heartbeat, blood pressure problems, heart attacks and seizures (NCCIH). ODS says 20 to 40 mg of yohimbine has been reported to raise blood pressure slightly, while 200 mg or more can cause headaches, high blood pressure, anxiety, agitation, rapid heartbeat, heart attack, heart failure and death. Of 1,818 yohimbe reports to US poison control centers from 2000 to 2012, 30% involved moderate or major effects and one death. Do not use it with MAO inhibitor or tricyclic antidepressants (NCCIH). It might be unsafe in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and ODS says it should only be used under medical supervision.
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for yohimbe supplements that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Most products do not say how much yohimbine they contain, and the amount varies widely (ODS).
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