Yohimbe

Botanical Name: Pausinystalia Yohimbe

Common Name: Yohimbe

Get Hot With This African Plant

Of all the world’s sex-enhancing plants, yohimbe is among the very best known. Distributed in the forests of west Africa, yohimbe (Pausinystalia yohimbe) is a tall evergreen. The bark of the tree contains alkaloids, most notably yohimbine, which make up as much as 6% of the bark by weight. Yohimbe has a long history of folk use as an aphrodisiac.

Yohimbine, the primary alkaloid found in yohimbe bark is a fast-acting central nervous system stimulant, with specific action upon the nerves of the lower spine. Yohimbine causes dilation of the peripheral vessels of the corpus cavernosum, the erectile tissue which forms the dorsal and sides of the penis. In plain words, the bark extract promotes a good, firm erection. This penis vessel dilating activity has given yohimbine a well deserved reputation as a sexual stimulant. An erection is the result of engorgement of the fine vessels of the corpus cavernosum, and yohimbe makes that engorgement occur. Voila, an erection is born.

Some women have reported that yohimbe promotes increased sensation in the clitoris. This stimulation produced by yohimbe makes the plant a significant sexual stimulant for women as well as men. However, for the most part men use yohimbe far more than women.

As far back as the 1890’s European physicians employed yohimbe to treat impotence. Today yohimbine hydrochloride is the active constituent in a number of sex drugs. But the greatest majority of yohimbe sells through the herbal supplement market, where it is used for a sexual boost. Inexpensive and fast-acting, yohimbe has earned a secure place in the market.

At this point, there are no human clinical studies on whole yohimbe bark or extract, but there are ten human clinical stuides on yohimbine, the active consituent in yohimbe bark. Yohimbine has been tested against placebo in 10 randomised trials with 659 men. In the studies 335 men received yohimbine and 324 received a placebo. The results of the studies are good. Yohimbine provided satisfactory erections in 30% of men as compared with 14% with placebo. The dose of yohimbine given in the studies ranged between 15 mg and 44 mg daily, for 4-10 weeks of treatment.

Standardized extracts of the bark are taken for a sexual boost, with recommended doses ranging from 8 milligrams to 20 milligrams of yohimbine daily. More is not necessarily better. Some clinical evidence shows that a lower dose of about 10 milligrams of yohimbine daily may enhance sexual function better than a higher dose.

Though generally safe for a majority of users, in some individuals yohimbe causes rapid heartbeat, nervousness, sleeplessness, and hyperstimulation. These unwanted side effects go away readily when use of yohimbe is discontinued. Yohimbe should not be taken by people who have heart, liver or kidney disease. Diabetics who wish to use yohimbe to improve erectile function should consult a physician before doing so. Also, if you are taking an MAO inhibiting drug, do not use yohimbe without first consulting your physician.

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