Yohimbe: Benefits, Uses & Scientific Facts - A Comprehensive Guide

Yohimbe is a tree grown in Central Africa (Cameroon, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The bark is most important, marketed as an alternative cure for erectile dysfunction and libido issues.

Significance

• Yohimbe increases the blood flow in the sex organs, making it a very popular sexual enhancement drug.

Benefits

• The herb can be used alone, but it is often taken as a supplement to many antidepressants known to negatively affect the libido.

Features

• Yohimbe bark is dried and used in teas or pulverized for use in capsule or tablet form. Consult a doctor before using in conjunction with antidepressants or to self-treat a low libido.

Side Effects

• The active ingredient in yohimbe is yohimbine, which has a few known side effects. They include: low blood pressure, heart attack, sleep dysfunction, paralysis, vomiting, chills and even death. The National Institutes of Health warns pregnant women, kidney and psychiatric patients to avoid yohimbe.

Misconceptions

• Despite the marketing used by many yohimbe supplement manufacturers, the herb has not completed clinical trials and is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.