Tongkat Ali (Lj100) for Mood Support

Research suggests that Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) may offer mood-related benefits, particularly in reducing anxiety, with the available evidence drawn primarily from animal studies, narrative reviews, and a small number of pilot trials in humans rather than large randomized controlled trials. Studies indicate that plant extracts produced anxiety-reducing effects in mice comparable to diazepam across multiple behavioral measures, and a 2013 systematic review of herbal anxiolytics included Eurycoma longifolia among plants showing preclinical promise, with proposed mechanisms involving GABA, serotonin, and dopamine pathways. A pilot study in older adults also documented hormonal changes, including reduced cortisol, that may indirectly support stress and mood regulation, and traditional medicine reviews note the plant has historically been used to address fatigue and low mood. The overall direction of the evidence is supportive, but meaningful limitations apply: most findings come from animal models or reviews rather than rigorous human clinical trials, standardization of extracts across studies varies, and more controlled research in human populations is needed before firm conclusions about mood benefits can be drawn.