Scientific research and truth about YOHIMBE. Find out about Yes and No (generally NO :). This is one of the most dangerouse components in pills and you should aware guys not to buy pills with yohimbe
Scientific Name: Yohimbe
Other Names: Johimbi, Pausinystalia yohimbe
Who is this for?
Uses
Due to potentially severe side effects, yohimbe is not recommended for general use.
Its use should be supervised by a healthcare professional.
Yohimbine is an alkaloid contained in the herbal product, yohimbe. Because yohimbine is the
most active component of yohimbe, the two names are often used interchangeably. They are
not the same, however. Less than 10% of yohimbe is composed of yohimbine; the rest
consists of other chemicals with lesser or unknown effects. Despite a long history of use,
neither yohimbe nor yohimbine has been proven in well-controlled studies to be effective for
any medical condition.
Nevertheless, a prescription drug made from yohimbine has long been used in the United
States to treat male erectile dysfunction (ED), which is the inability to have or maintain an
erection of the penis long enough to have sexual relations. This condition may also be called
sexual dysfunction or impotence. Yohimbine may be effective for ED because it appears to
relax and widen blood vessels in the penis. The resulting increased blood flow may lead to an
erection. At the same time, yohimbine may excite parts of the brain involved with the desire
for sex. Men who have ED as a result of diabetes or as a side effect from taking
antidepressants known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may respond to yohimbine.
Recently, however, more effective drugs with less apparent potential for side effects have
been approved for prescription treatment of ED. Yohimbine may have similar stimulating
effects for women, but it is not used often in women due to generally poor results and
relatively frequent side effects.
Because low doses of the alkaloid yohimbine (less than about 20 mg per day) may result in
mild nervous stimulation and increased breathing capability, it has been used at times as a
weight-reducing agent, an exercise-enhancer, and a treatment for narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a
disorder that causes sleepiness and uncontrollable attacks of sleeping during the daytime.
Yohimbine may cause central nervous system stimulation, which could improve all three
conditions. No scientific evidence proves that either yohimbine or yohimbe is effective for any
of them, however, even though, yohimbine continues to be included frequently in nonprescription
herbal combination products promoted for athletes and individuals who want to
lose weight.
In higher doses (approximately 50 mg or more per day), yohimbine appears to block an
enzyme called monoamine oxidase (MAO) and neurotransmitters – particularly dopamine and
serotonin, which are all thought to play a role in maintaining emotional status.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carry messages from nerve cells to other cells. Low
levels of MAO usually help relieve depression, while low levels of dopamine and serotonin may
contribute to increased feelings of depression. These conflicting effects may worsen
depression. Yohimbine may have a role, however, in relieving the side effect of ED that may
be associated with taking certain antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs). Higher doses of yohimbine may also reduce blood pressure by blocking
alpha receptors. Yohimbe used to be taken to control blood pressure, but newer drugs with
more predictable results and fewer side effects have replaced it for this use.
When should I be careful taking it?
Yohimbine may affect the way that the body eliminates water, which may worsen kidney
conditions. Therefore, individuals with kidney diseases should avoid taking yohimbe and
products made from it.
Men who have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) should also avoid yohimbe and yohimbine
due to the possibility that they may promote prostate enlargement and worsen the symptoms
of BPH.
Yohimbe and yohimbine may affect the balance of neurotransmitters involved in maintaining
emotional status. Therefore, individuals who have or who have had anxiety, depression, or
mental illnesses should not take yohimbine.
Although yohimbe and yohimbine are not generally used by women, they may cause the
uterus to relax, if taken by a female. Taking it while pregnant may result in a miscarriage. In
addition, chemicals in yohimbe are suspected of causing damage to a developing fetus.
Therefore, pregnant women should avoid yohimbe and yohimbine.
Yohimbe and yohimbine may affect children more than adults. Since very small amounts of
yohimbe have been known to cause anxiety-like responses in children, it is recommended that
children avoid the use of yohimbe or yohimbine.
While small doses (up to about 20 mg per day) of yohimbine may increase blood pressure,
larger doses (30 mg or more per day) may cause blood pressure to decrease. These effects
differ widely from individual to individual. Therefore, individuals with high or low blood
pressure should avoid taking yohimbe and yohimbine.
Precautions
Whether chemicals in yohimbe enter breast milk is not known. Due to yohimbine’s possible
anxiety-inducing effect on infants, however, women who are breast-feeding should not use
yohimbe or its derivatives.
What side effects should I watch for?
Major Side Effects
Doses of yohimbine over about 40 mg per day may overly stimulate the central nervous
system resulting in headache, insomnia, restlessness, or other symptoms. Rarely, death has
been attributed to overdoses of yohimbe. Also reported have been:
• Changes in heart rhythm
• Difficult breathing
• Potentially dangerous drops in blood pressure
• Temporary muscle paralysis in the legs and feet
One reported case of priapism, a painful sustained erection, is believed to have been caused
by taking yohimbine.
Yohimbe and yohimbine may have an effect on neurotransmitters involved in maintaining
emotional balance. General anxiety, manic episodes, psychoses, and other mental conditions
reportedly have been triggered or worsened by taking yohimbe or yohimbine.
Inhaling or smoking powdered yohimbe bark has been reported to produce hallucinations.
Less Severe Side Effects
Low doses of yohimbine (under 20 mg per day) have resulted in:
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Drooling
• Elevated blood pressure
• Elevated heart rate
• General weakness
• Increased urine production
• Nausea
• Nervousness
• Sweating
• Vomiting
What interactions should I watch for?
Prescription Drugs
Due to its effects on blood pressure, yohimbe and yohimbine are believed to interfere with the
effects of drugs that lower blood pressure. Some blood pressure-lowering drugs are:
• ACE inhibitors such as captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, and Monopril
• Beta blockers such as atenolol, metoprolol, and propranolol
• Calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine, Norvasc, and verapamil
• Diuretics such as Dyazide, furosemide, and hydrochlorothiazide
The risk of changes in blood pressure increases if yohimbe or yohimbine is taken at the same
time as a tricyclic antidepressant such as amitriptyline, amoxapine, doxepin or nortriptyline.
Yohimbine may stimulate parts of the nervous system. If yohimbe or yohimbine is taken with
prescription or drugs that also cause nervous system stimulation, the risk of side effects such
as anxiety, dizziness, fast heart beat, headache, insomnia, nausea, and restlessness may
increase. A rapid, potentially dangerous spike in blood pressure known as a hypertensive crisis
is also possible. Prescription drugs that may interact with yohimbe or yohimbine include:
• Alpha blockers such as doxazosin and terazosin
• Asthma drugs such as albuterol and metaproterenol
• clonidine (Catapres)
• guanabenz (Wytensin)
Yohimbe and yohimbine are believed to affect levels of neurotransmitters, chemicals that carry
messages from nerve cells to other cells. Antipsychotic drugs used to treat mental disorders
such as schizophrenia also alter the levels of neurotransmitters. If yohimbe or yohimbine and
antipsychotic drugs are taken at the same time, the effectiveness of the drug may be
changed, so it is best to avoid using yohimbe or yohimbine while taking drugs such as:
• chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
• fluphenazine (Prolixin)
• olanzapine (Zyprexa)
• prochlorperazine (Compazine)
• quetiapine (Seroquel)
• risperidone (Risperdal)
Non-prescription Drugs
Non-prescription cough and cold remedies often contain pseudoephedrine (PSE) or
phenylepherine, drugs which may increase the risk of side effects such as anxiety, dizziness,
fast heart beat, headache, insomnia, nausea, and restlessness when they are taken with
yohimbe or yohimbine.
Herbal Products
Yohimbe or yohimbine and certain other herbal products such as ephedra, guarana, and mate
may cause blood pressure to rise. If two or more of these herbals are taken at the same time,
a sharp increase in blood pressure known as a hypertensive crisis may result. Symptoms of a
hypertensive crisis may include confusion, difficulty breathing, intense headache, or numb or
tingling fingers or toes.
Foods
Caffeine increases the central nervous system stimulation effect of yohimbe and yohimbine.
The combination may cause excessive nervousness and irritability, along with other signs of
over-stimulation. In addition, the risk of a hypertensive crisis increases when caffeine and
yohimbe are taken together. Caffeinated beverages such as coffee, soft drinks, and tea should
not be consumed when taking yohimbe or yohimbine.
Yohimbe and yohimbine may enhance the effects of alcohol, leading to a feeling of intoxication
with only a small amount of alcohol ingestion.
Drugs that block the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO) may interact seriously with tyramine,
a chemical in that helps maintain blood pressure levels in the body. Tyramine is found in many
beverages and foods including beer, red wine, aged or smoked meats, certain cheeses,
sauerkraut, and yeast. Since yohimbine is a mild MAO inhibitor, a dangerous rise in blood
pressure may result if it is taken with any food or drink containing tyramines.
Some interactions between herbal products and medications can be more severe than others.
The best way for you to avoid harmful interactions is to tell your doctor and/or pharmacist
what medications you are currently taking, including any over-the-counter products, vitamins,
and herbals. For specific information on how yohimbe and yohimbine interact with drugs, other
herbals, and foods and the severity of those interactions, please use our Drug Interactions
Checker to check for possible interactions.
Should I take it?
Yohimbe is the bark of an evergreen tree that grows wild along the coasts of west-central
Africa. Because it is thick and soft, it is relatively easy to remove from the tree trunk and
branches. While yohimbe bark may be harvested anytime during the year, its alkaloid content
is highest during the rainy, winter season which is between May and September in the
Southern Hemisphere. While stripping off the bark does not usually kill the trees, it gives
boring insects the chance to burrow into the yohimbe trees. Eventually the effects of these
insect and will kill an affected tree. New trees grow relatively quickly, however, and they may
start from the stumps of dead ones. Yohimbe trees also produce numerous seeds that look
similar to those of maple trees.
Residents of the area where it grows have long used yohimbe for numerous medical purposes
ranging from heart conditions to sleepiness. It has been smoked to produce hallucinations for
recreational or religious reasons and it has been used to improve endurance for hunting. It is
best known, however, as an aphrodisiac, a substance believed to increase sexual desire and
performance.
Dosage and Administration
Herbal yohimbe or yohimbine is not recommended for use without the supervision of
a health professional.
In clinical studies, a commonly used dose to treat ED was 6 mg of yohimbine taken three
times a day. None of the studies lasted longer than 10 weeks, and the safety of yohimbine
taken longer than 10 weeks is not known.
Recommended doses for other conditions vary greatly. If you plan to take yohimbe or
yohimbine, seek the advice of a healthcare professional before starting to take it.
Summary
Yohimbine, an alkaloid in yohimbe, has been used as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.
Newer prescription drugs may offer better results with less chance of side effects, however.
Risks
Yohimbe and yohimbine may cause miscarriage or birth defects if taken by a pregnant woman.
Because they may produce anxiety disorders in children, yohimbe and yohimbine should also
be avoided by children and breast-feeding women. Individuals with benign prostate
hyperplasia, high blood pressure, or kidney diseases should not take products made from
yohimbe, which may worsen these conditions. Taking yohimbe or yohimbine may also trigger
or aggravate mental conditions such as depression or schizophrenia.
Side Effects
Very large doses of yohimbine may result in possibly dangerous changes in blood pressure,
breathing, or heart rate. Yohimbe and yohimbine have also been associated with diarrhea,
headache, insomnia, nausea, restlessness, sweating, and a number of other side effects.
Interactions
Yohimbe and its derivatives may interfere with the effects of drugs to treat high blood
pressure, depression, schizophrenia, and several other conditions. Taking yohimbe or
yohimbine may increase the risk of side effects from drugs such as tricyclic antidepressants
and pseudoephedrine; herbals such as guarana and mate; and foods such as caffeine. When a
yohimbe product is taken at the same time as alcohol, intoxication may occur more rapidly.
Foods and drinks containing an amino acid known as tyramine may raise blood pressure when
they are consumed while yohimbe or yohimbine is being taken.
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