Yohimbe Bark Tea Benefits, Preparation and Side Effects

Yohimbe tea is made from the bark of the yohimbe tree, an evergreen found in West Africa. This tea was traditionally prepared as an herbal medicine to improve libido and energy, treat coughs and fevers, and for topical applications.

Yohimbe tea contains an active alkaloid, known as yohimbine. This plant extract has been widely researched for its effects on erectile function, sex drive, weight loss and more.

Prior to the commercial release of Viagara and other PDE-5 inhibitors, yohimbine hydrochloride (Yocon) was used as a first-line intervention in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. However, it is no longer widely used as a prescription drug due to the potential risk of side effects.

There is still significant demand for herbal yohimbe tea as a remedy for low sex drive in both men and women. You can buy raw yohimbe bark or liquid extracts to brew the tea at home, but caution is advised to avoid adverse effects.

Yohimbine

Herbal Supplement

Weight Loss

Energy

Libido

How It Works:

• Helps promote fat loss
• Increases energy & suppresses appetite
• Promotes sex drive & performance

Dosage:

Between 5-50 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Unsafe

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Yohimbe Bark Tea Benefits

The yohimbine in yohimbe bark tea acts on the body in several different ways. It increases the production of norepinephrine, a naturally-occurring hormone.

Norepinephrine (noradrenaline) is involved in regulating fat metabolism, energy levels, blood pressure, mental focus, motivation and many more functions in the body.

Yohimbine also increases the body’s potential to become sexually aroused as well as improving sensitivity to touch. It has a significant effect on sex drive in both men and women and has been reported to improve sexual enjoyment by many users.

In research studies, yohimbe and yohimbine supplements have been observed to help:

• Alleviate anxiety, especially when anxiety is rooted in fears or phobias
• Improve the mood
• Improve sexual arousal and orgasm
• Alleviate the symptoms of erectile dysfunction
• Boost energy and improve exercise performance

Some people also use yohimbine to treat orthostatic hypotension and dry mouth. Traditionally, yohimbe tea was also used as a cough suppressant and to relieve fever symptoms.

Yohimbe Bark Tea Preparation Instructions

Individuals interested in consuming yohimbe tea can purchase yohimbe bark tea bags, or they can make their own teas at home.

To make your own tea, you will need a spice grinder and raw yohimbe bark. After grinding up the yohimbe bark thoroughly, 6 teaspoons of the powder should be boiled in a pint of water for 10 minutes.

The tea should then be strained, and 500 mg of vitamin C should be added for solubility. If the taste is unpleasant, the addition of honey and cinnamon can help.

Most people notice the effects of the tea within 30 minutes of consumption. It is suggested to consume the tea on an empty stomach for full benefits.

Because the process of preparing your own yohimbe tea at home is lengthy and complicated, you may choose to buy premade tea bags instead.

Yohimbe tea bags are sold by a small number of herbalists and specialty health supplement vendors in brick and mortar retail locations or online.

However, purchase of yohimbe products is banned in several countries, including Europe, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. It can be purchased in the United States from vendors such as Amazon.com.

Yohimbe Tea Dosage

Standardized recommendations for yohimbe tea dosages do not exist. This is because there can be significant differences in the amount of yohimbine contained in different formulations of yohimbe bark extract.

Yohimbine alkaloids make up between 5 – 15% of the total alkaloid content (6%) in the bark of this tree. 450 mg of yohimbe bark extract may contain as little as 1.5 mg of yohimbine or as much as 23 mg of yohimbine.

For this reason, dosages recommendations are typically stated in mg of yohimbine that a person should consume for their health goals.

For example, to treat anxiety, 10 mg of yohimbine is consumed once each week, usually in conjunction with therapy. For erectile dysfunction, on the other hand, a maximum of 100 mg of yohimbine may be taken in divided doses throughout the day to resolve the problem.

Unfortunately, determining the exact amount of yohimbine present in yohimbe tea can be complicated.

In addition, many of the side effects and complications that occur with the consumption of yohimbine are dose dependent. For this reason, people consuming yohimbe tea should take caution and use no more than they need to achieve the desired effect.

Always start with a low dose and gradually increase it until you have reached your goals. Furthermore, you should always talk to a doctor before you begin the use of any herbal supplement, including yohimbe tea.

Yohimbe Tea Side Effects

Yohimbine, the active ingredient in yohimbe tea, has the power to produce severe side effects in some individuals. These side effects are more pronounced in high doses.

Some of the serious side effects of yohimbine include:

• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Myocardial infarction
• Seizure
• Agitation
• Blood pressure changes
• Respiratory depression

According to isolated case reports, yohimbine may even be fatal to some consumers when taken in a high dose.

Seek medical attention for any serious side effects you notice while using yohimbe tea or supplements and never take this product without talking to your doctor first.

How to Prevent Yohimbe Side Effects

To reduce the risk of yohimbe tea side effects, it is important to consult with a doctor before using this supplement. According to the Natural Medicines Database, yohimbine has been used safely for up to 10 weeks under medical supervision.

It is important that you do not take this supplement if you use certain pharmaceutical drugs. Yohimbine may interact with some prescription medications, including:

• Naloxone (major reaction)
• Phenothiazines
• Stimulants
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
• Guanabenz
• Tricyclic antidepressants

Yohimbine may also interact with some herbs and supplements, including anticoagulant supplements, berberine, ephedra and any supplement that contains caffeine.

While drinking yohimbe tea, avoid consuming foods that contain tyramine, including red wine, fermented meat and aged cheese. You should also avoid foods that contain vasopressors, including chocolate, coffee, cola, tea and fava beans.

If you have certain medical conditions, consuming yohimbe tea may be contraindicated. Talk to your doctor to determine whether yohimbe tea is safe for you if you suffer from any of the conditions below.

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Anxiety
• Angina
• Heart disease
• Schizophrenia
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Liver disease
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Bleeding conditions
• Kidney disease
• Hypotension
• Hypertension

Pregnant women should not consume yohimbe tea unless directed to do so by a medical professional. Yohimbine may be toxic to the fetus in pregnant women, and it may also increase the risk of miscarriage.

Because the risk of side effects is higher in infants and children, yohimbe tea is not generally appropriate for children or breastfeeding women.

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