The question on every body’s mind is, does Yohimbe work for weight loss, bodybuilding, and sexual performance?
Yohimbe is derived from the bark of a West African evergreen tree, and contain yohimbine, an active chemical (an alkaloid) found in the bark of the tree.
Yohimbine hydrochloride is a standardized form of yohimbine that is available as a prescription drug. These 3 terms are all related but are interchangeable.
As stated earlier, Yohimbe contains a chemical called yohimbine which can increase blood flow and nerve impulses to the penis or vagina.
It also helps control the sexual side effects of certain medications used for depression.
Yohimbe has been linked to reports of severe side effects including irregular heartbeat, kidney failure, seizure, and heart attack.
The primary active ingredient in Yohimbe is a drug called yohimbine, which is considered a prescription drug in the US.
This drug can be safely used short-term when monitored by a health expert, however, it is not appropriate for unsupervised use due to potentially serious side effects that it can cause.
How Does Yohimbe Work?
Yohimbine, which is an alkaloid works as a pre-synaptic alpha-2 adrenoceptor antagonist.
This means that it causes greater activity in presynaptic adrenoceptors, which enhances many of its actions.
Taking yohimbine blocks receptors on cells in the body that regulate the level of stimulatory neurotransmitters released in the body.
Yohimbine acts on the many alpha-adrenoceptors located throughout the body’s peripheral and central nervous systems, producing a range of psychic and autonomic effects.
Some of the ways that Yohimbe extract works can result in the following:
- increased fat loss,
- heightened mental energy and focus,
- improved sex drive and performance,
- as well as improves circulation throughout the body.
Benefits
Yohimbe works to dilates the blood vessels and can lower blood pressure. So, if it can do that, it must give you an erection and treat erectile dysfunction.
Some people even suggest that Yohimbe extracts are powerful antioxidants that can prevent heart attacks, act as a stimulant and an anti-depressant, and can aid in weight loss.
Key benefits:
- Treats erectile dysfunction
- Aids in fat loss- Studies have found that Yohimbe increases the amount of non-esterified fatty acids, a result of fat breaking down.
Does Yohimbe Work for Bodybuilding?
Yohimbe, especially in the form of a powder, is often used as a performance and bodybuilding supplement.
Unfortunately, only a few research studies have been performed to explore this possible use of Yohimbe supplements for increasing muscle mass or athletic performance.
However, being that yohimbine is able to increase lipid mobilization, it can aid in the reduction of fat content among individuals of all sizes, which may facilitate bodybuilding cutting cycles.
There are several reports that Yohimbe has improved user’s performance during workouts and aided in their ability to accumulate muscle mass.
Dosage Guidelines
Below are some general dosage guidelines that have been used in research studies on yohimbine. The doses here are given in milligrams of active yohimbine, and not the direct raw Yohimbe bark extract:
- For orgasm improvement, 20 -50 mg of yohimbine HCL daily in divided doses.
- For erectile dysfunction, 5 -100 mg of yohimbine HCL daily in up to 4 divided doses.
- For depression, 5 -30 mg of yohimbine HCL daily.
- For sexual dysfunction, 15 -18 mg of yohimbine HCL daily.
- For orthostatic hypotension, 4 mg of yohimbine HCL daily.
- For athletic performance, 20 mg of yohimbine HCL twice daily.
- For anxiety, 10 mg of yohimbine HCL once weekly.
Special Precautions and Warnings:
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding: Yohimbe is likely unsafe, and might affect the uterus and endanger the pregnancy, by poisoning the unborn child. Avoid Yohimbe if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Chest pain or heart disease: Don’t use Yohimbe, as it can seriously harm the heart.
- Anxiety: Don’t use yohimbine since it might make anxiety worse in people with panic disorder.
- Prostate problems: Yohimbe might make the symptoms of BPH benign prostatic hyperplasia more pronounced.
- Depression: Yohimbine might bring out manic-like symptoms in people with bipolar depression or suicidal tendencies in individuals with depression.
- Diabetes: Yohimbine might interfere with insulin and other medications used for diabetes and result in low blood sugar.
- High blood pressure and low blood pressure: Small amounts of yohimbine can increase blood pressure, while large amounts can cause dangerously low pressure.
- Kidney disease: There are concerns that yohimbine might slow or stop the flow of urine, which can exacerbate kidney disease.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder: There are reports that individuals with PTSD suffered worse symptoms after using Yohimbe.
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