Unlocking Peak Vitality: Natural Testosterone Optimisation: A Science-Based Guide to Tongkat Ali & Fadogia

Last updated: November 1, 2026 · Originally published: January 22, 2026 · By Eternal Elixir Editorial

Quick answer: Tongkat ali and fadogia agrestis are two plant extracts sold together as a natural testosterone stack. The idea is that they act on different parts of the same hormone system. Tongkat ali has human trials behind it, showing modest rises in testosterone and lower stress hormones. Fadogia agrestis has only been studied in rats, where it raised testosterone but also changed testicular, liver and kidney markers in ways the researchers called adverse. No published human trial has tested the two together. For Australians in 2026, our pick is Eternal Elixir Tongkat Ali 200:1 Extract 2000mg, the half of the stack with the human evidence, at $1.33 a day. Our Tongkat Ali + Fadogia formula is currently unavailable, and this guide explains why we think starting with tongkat ali on its own is the sensible first step anyway.

Eternal Elixir makes the Tongkat Ali 200:1 Extract in this guide, and it is our pick. Below you’ll find how each herb is supposed to work, what the studies actually measured, what nobody has tested yet, and how the tongkat ali and fadogia products sold in Australia compare on price and dose. For buying advice on tongkat ali alone, see our tongkat ali Australia guide.

Tongkat ali and fadogia agrestis at a glance

The short version: one herb has a modest but real evidence base in people, and the other is running on animal data and podcast popularity. That gap shapes everything else in this guide.

How the testosterone system works, briefly

Testosterone in men is mostly made by Leydig cells in the testes. The brain controls the output. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland, which releases luteinising hormone (LH), and LH tells the Leydig cells to make testosterone. When levels are high enough, the brain turns the signal down again.

Two other factors decide how much of that testosterone your body can use:

• SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin). A blood protein that binds testosterone tightly. Bound testosterone shows up in a total testosterone test but isn’t readily available to tissues. The unbound part is called free testosterone.
• Cortisol. The main stress hormone. Long periods of stress, poor sleep or heavy training without enough recovery push cortisol up, and in studies higher cortisol tends to go with lower testosterone.

The marketing for this stack says fadogia turns up the LH signal while tongkat ali lowers cortisol and frees testosterone from SHBG. Each part of that story has a different amount of evidence behind it, so the two herbs are best judged one at a time.

Tongkat ali: what the human trials show

Tongkat ali is the better-studied half of the stack by a wide margin. These are the trials that matter most:

• Talbott 2013. 63 moderately stressed adults (32 men and 31 women) took 200mg a day of a standardised hot-water root extract or a placebo for four weeks. The tongkat ali group had 16% lower salivary cortisol and 37% higher salivary testosterone than placebo, and scored lower for tension, anger and confusion on a mood questionnaire.
• Ismail 2012. 109 men aged 30 to 55 took 300mg a day of a water extract or a placebo for 12 weeks. The tongkat ali group improved on a physical-functioning score and on sexual well-being scores compared with placebo, and safety measures were comparable to placebo.
• Henkel 2014. 13 men and 12 women aged 57 to 72, all physically active, took 400mg a day for five weeks. Total and free testosterone and grip strength rose. There was no placebo group, so this is a pilot result.
• Chan 2021. 32 healthy young men took 600mg a day or a placebo for two weeks. Total testosterone, free testosterone and oestradiol rose compared with placebo. LH, FSH and SHBG did not change.
• Leitão 2021. 45 men averaging 47 years old took 200mg a day or a placebo for six months, with or without a supervised training program. The clearest improvements, including higher total testosterone, came in the men who combined tongkat ali with training. A companion paper from the same trial found knee-extensor strength rose 17% with training plus tongkat ali and 14% with training alone.

A 2022 meta-analysis reviewed nine studies and pooled five randomised trials. It found a significant rise in total testosterone with tongkat ali, including in men who started with lower levels. The authors still concluded that more research is needed before it is used in clinical practice (Leisegang 2022).

What the trials don’t show

The SHBG story is less settled than supplement labels suggest. In Chan 2021, SHBG did not change in young men, even though testosterone rose. In Henkel 2014, SHBG fell in the women, and the authors linked that to their rise in free testosterone. The cortisol finding comes from one four-week trial using saliva tests. So the fair summary is that tongkat ali has raised testosterone in several small trials, the effect looks larger in people who start lower, and the exact mechanism is still an open question.

The Leitão data also carry a useful reality check. Most of the strength gain came from the training itself. Tongkat ali added a little on top of the training, and it didn’t replace it.

Extract ratios and standardisation

Tongkat ali labels quote extract ratios such as 200:1, 100:1 or 25:1. The ratio tells you how much raw root went into each gram of extract. It doesn’t tell you how much of the active compounds ended up in the capsule. Some brands state a eurycomanone percentage instead or as well. The trials above mostly used standardised water extracts, so a milligram figure on one label doesn’t convert one to one to a milligram figure on another. Our tongkat ali dosage guide goes through the numbers in more detail.

Fadogia agrestis: what the research shows and doesn’t

Almost everything known about fadogia agrestis comes from one research group in Nigeria, working with male rats and a water extract of the plant’s stem.

• Yakubu 2005. Male rats were given 18, 50 or 100mg per kg of body weight each day. Testosterone rose in all three groups over five days, and mating behaviour increased. This is the study behind most fadogia marketing.
• Yakubu 2008. The same three doses were given for 28 days. Several markers of testicular function changed in ways the researchers described as adverse. After a 10-day break, the rats recovered mainly at the lowest dose.
• Yakubu 2009. The same doses for 28 days changed enzyme activity in the liver and kidneys and raised a blood marker of oxidative damage. There were no deaths and no visible organ swelling.

We found no published human trial of fadogia agrestis, either alone or combined with tongkat ali. None of the PubMed records for fadogia is a human study. That means nobody has measured what a 500mg or 600mg capsule does to LH, testosterone, liver markers or testicular function in men.

There is also a product-quality problem. A 2019 laboratory study analysed 17 dietary supplements labelled as containing fadogia agrestis. Twelve contained the plant’s phenolic compounds, and in five none were detected at all (Avula 2019). When a plant has no established human dose and some products may not contain it, buyers are taking two unknowns at once.

Rat doses per kilogram don’t translate neatly into a capsule size, and no one has established a safe human dose. Our fadogia agrestis research review covers each study in more depth, and our fadogia dosage guide looks at the label doses sold in Australia.

Do tongkat ali and fadogia work better together?

The theory is easy to follow. If fadogia raises the LH signal and tongkat ali lowers cortisol and frees up bound testosterone, the two should add up. That logic is why the pair is sold as a stack.

The evidence doesn’t reach that far. No trial has combined the two herbs, so any claim that the stack beats tongkat ali alone is a guess. The mechanisms are also shakier than the sales pitch: tongkat ali didn’t change LH or SHBG in the young-men trial, and fadogia’s LH effect has not been measured in people. Adding a second herb with only rat data and adverse rat findings adds risk without any shown benefit.

That is why we’d suggest starting with tongkat ali on its own for eight to twelve weeks, ideally with a blood test before and after. If you then decide to try fadogia, you’ll at least know what tongkat ali did for you by itself. Our Huberman protocol guide checks what the podcast actually said about both herbs.

Tongkat ali and fadogia products in Australia compared

Prices are from each brand’s or retailer’s product page, as of Sep 2026. Cost per day uses the label serve. Our Tongkat Ali + Fadogia formula is currently unavailable, so our in-stock pick for the same goal is Tongkat Ali 200:1.

Add Tongkat Ali to cart · $39.99

How to read the table: Eternal Elixir has the highest labelled tongkat ali amount per serve here and the most capsules in a bottle, and it is dispatched in 1 business day with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It doesn’t contain fadogia. EVLution is the cheapest way to get both herbs in one capsule. Nature’s Body splits the two herbs into separate bottles, which lets you take them independently. Underground Labs is fadogia on its own, for people already taking a tongkat ali product. Remember that extract ratios differ, so the milligram columns don’t compare one to one.

Who each option suits, and who it doesn’t

• Eternal Elixir Tongkat Ali 200:1. Suits men who want the herb with the human trials, a 30-day bottle and fast local dispatch. Doesn’t suit anyone set on a two-herb formula, or anyone who wants to stay inside the 200 to 600mg range used in the trials, because our label serve is higher than that range.
• Nature’s Body Stack. Suits people who want both herbs but in separate bottles, so they can drop the fadogia and keep the tongkat ali. The listing calls one kit a one-month supply. At the stated one capsule of each a day, the two 60-capsule bottles last 60 days. Doesn’t suit anyone after the lowest daily cost.
• EVLution Tongkat Ali + Fadogia. Suits price-focused buyers who want one capsule with both herbs. Doesn’t suit anyone who wants to control each herb separately, and its label says it is not for anyone under 18 or pregnant or nursing.
• Underground Labs Fadogia Agrestis. Suits someone already on tongkat ali who has decided to add fadogia. It also comes in 90-capsule ($84.95) and 135-capsule ($119.95) bottles. Doesn’t suit anyone looking for a single product, and it carries the same missing human evidence as every fadogia supplement.

For a broader field of tongkat ali brands, see our best tongkat ali supplements in Australia comparison. For fadogia products only, see the best fadogia agrestis supplements roundup.

Why our pick is Eternal Elixir Tongkat Ali 200:1

We chose tongkat ali alone because it is the half of the stack that has been tested in people. These are the label facts:

• 2,000mg per serve. Three capsules give 2,000mg of a 200:1 extract, the highest labelled tongkat ali amount per serve in the table above.
• 90 capsules, 30 serves. One bottle is a month at the label serve, at $1.33 a day.
• Simple routine. The label says to take three capsules daily on an empty stomach, so first thing in the morning with water is an easy habit.
• Bundle savings. Two bottles save 10%, three save 15% and five save 20%, and orders over $100 ship free.
• Local. Orders are dispatched in 1 business day, with a 30-day money-back guarantee and Afterpay available.

The honest caveat: our label serve is above the 200 to 600mg a day used in the trials, and no trial has tested our exact extract. If you’d rather stay close to the trial doses, ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking less than the label directs. Don’t take more than the label serve.

If you want a second supplement with its own human trials, our tongkat ali vs shilajit comparison covers our Shilajit 1000mg. You can also browse the full range in our shop.

How to take tongkat ali, and fadogia if you add it

1. Get a baseline. Ask your GP for a blood test that includes total testosterone, SHBG and liver markers before you start. Without a baseline you can’t tell whether anything changed.
2. Follow the label. For our Tongkat Ali 200:1 that is three capsules a day on an empty stomach. Take them at the same time each day.
3. Give it time. The trials ran from two weeks to six months. Judge the result after eight to twelve weeks, not after a few days. Our guide on how long tongkat ali takes to work explains what to expect.
4. Re-test. A follow-up blood test tells you more than how you feel in a given week.
5. If you add fadogia, add it second. Keep to its label dose, never more, and tell your doctor, given the rat findings on testes, liver and kidneys.

On cycling: online schedules such as three weeks on and one week off for fadogia are rules of thumb. No study has tested a cycling schedule for either herb. A planned break after a few months does one useful thing, though. If you feel no different when you stop, the supplement probably wasn’t doing much for you.

Safety: who should skip this stack

• Under 18s, and anyone pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Anyone taking prescription medicine. In a drug-interaction study in 14 healthy young men, 200mg of tongkat ali extract reduced the absorption of the beta-blocker propranolol by 29% (Salman 2010). Other interactions haven’t been studied, so talk to your doctor if you take any prescription medicine.
• Anyone with a hormone-related, liver or kidney condition, or anyone being treated for one. Speak to your doctor before starting either herb.
• Competing athletes. Check the rules of your sport and any testing program before taking a testosterone-focused supplement.

Tongkat ali’s reported side effects in trials were mild, and the 12-week Ismail trial found safety measures comparable to placebo. Fadogia’s safety in people is unknown. Stop taking either product and see your doctor if you notice anything unusual. Our tongkat ali side effects guide has more detail.

What matters more than any supplement

The trial that ran longest, Leitão 2021, is also the clearest reminder of scale. Training did most of the work, and tongkat ali added to it. Sleep, regular resistance training, a steady body weight and managing stress all affect testosterone, and none of them cost anything. Our natural testosterone protocol for men over 35 sets these out step by step. If you’re weighing a different plant compound for muscle, our turkesterone guide covers what that research shows.

Frequently asked questions

Do fadogia agrestis and tongkat ali work?

Tongkat ali has several small human trials showing modest rises in testosterone and, in one trial, lower salivary cortisol, and a 2022 meta-analysis found a significant rise in total testosterone. Fadogia agrestis has only been tested in rats. No trial has tested the two together, so there is no evidence that the stack works better than tongkat ali alone.

Add Tongkat Ali to cart · $39.99

Does tongkat ali really raise testosterone?

In most of the trials, yes, modestly. Doses of 200 to 600mg a day of standardised extract raised total or free testosterone over two weeks to six months, and the effect looks larger in men who start with lower levels. The trials were small, and the mechanism isn’t settled: in one trial in young men, LH and SHBG didn’t change even though testosterone rose.

What does fadogia agrestis do for men?

In rats, an extract of the stem raised testosterone and mating behaviour within five days. Over 28 days, the same doses also changed testicular, liver and kidney markers in ways the researchers described as adverse. There are no published human trials, so what it does in men is unknown.

Is tongkat ali the same as Viagra?

No. Viagra is the brand name of sildenafil, a prescription medicine that a doctor prescribes after assessing you. Tongkat ali is a herbal root extract. In one 12-week trial it improved sexual well-being scores compared with placebo, but it works differently, and no trial has compared the two. Talk to your doctor if you take any prescription medicine.

How much tongkat ali and fadogia should I take?

Follow the label of the product you buy and don’t exceed it. Tongkat ali trials used 200 to 600mg a day of standardised extract. Our Tongkat Ali 200:1 label serve is three capsules (2,000mg) a day on an empty stomach. There is no established human dose for fadogia agrestis, so if you use it, keep to its label and involve your doctor.

Is it safe to take tongkat ali and fadogia together?

Nobody has studied the combination in people. Tongkat ali looked well tolerated in trials of up to six months but can interact with some medicines, such as propranolol. Fadogia has adverse findings in rats and no human safety data. If you want to try both, start with tongkat ali alone, get blood tests before and after, and talk to your doctor first.

Sources

• Talbott SM et al. Effect of Tongkat Ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2013. PubMed 23705671
• Ismail SB et al. Randomized clinical trial on the use of PHYSTA freeze-dried water extract of Eurycoma longifolia for the improvement of quality of life and sexual well-being in men. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2012. PubMed 23243445
• Henkel RR et al. Tongkat Ali as a potential herbal supplement for physically active male and female seniors: a pilot study. Phytother Res, 2014. PubMed 23754792
• Chan KQ et al. The effect of Eurycoma longifolia on the regulation of reproductive hormones in young males. Andrologia, 2021. PubMed 33559971
• Leitão AE et al. A 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate the effect of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) and concurrent training on erectile function and testosterone levels in androgen deficiency of aging males. Maturitas, 2021. PubMed 33541567
• Leitão AE et al. Exercise associated or not to the intake of Eurycoma longifolia improves strength and cardiorespiratory fitness in men with androgen deficiency. Complement Ther Clin Pract, 2021. PubMed 33445146
• Leisegang K et al. Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) improves serum total testosterone in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Medicina (Kaunas), 2022. PubMed 36013514
• Salman SA et al. Modification of propranolol’s bioavailability by Eurycoma longifolia water-based extract. J Clin Pharm Ther, 2010. PubMed 21054461
• Yakubu MT et al. Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis stem in male albino rats. Asian J Androl, 2005. PubMed 16281088
• Yakubu MT et al. Effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis stem on some testicular function indices of male rats. J Ethnopharmacol, 2008. PubMed 18023305
• Yakubu MT et al. Mode of cellular toxicity of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis stem in male rat liver and kidney. Hum Exp Toxicol, 2009. PubMed 19755438
• Avula B et al. Quantification of phenolic compounds from Fadogia agrestis and dietary supplements using UHPLC-PDA-MS. Planta Med, 2019. PubMed 30170324