The Definitive Guide To Yohimbine

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Yohimbine - The Ultimate Guide: Dosage, Benefits & For Weight Loss

Are you at your wits end trying to lose those last ten pounds of stubborn belly fat? Is your caffeine tolerance so high that you need a pot of coffee or three scoops of pre-workout just to get a buzz and hunger suppression?

What if I told you there's a compound that acts on different metabolic pathways in the body to not only burn fat but also increase blood flow to your hands, feet, and reproductive organs.

Yohimbine is a chemical found in the bark of the Yohimbe tree (Pausinystalia yohimbe), an evergreen tree native to central and western Africa. [1] Yohimbine is a powerful stimulant and alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist. [2]

Yohimbine increases adrenaline levels in the blood and blocks these alpha-2 receptors, which turns the fat-burning switch from "off" to "on". [3] Moderate doses of yohimbine increases blood flow to the skin's surface, upper, and lower extremities of the body (e.g. hands and feet). [4]

Yohimbine's powerful effects on blood flow explain why it's been used in traditional African medicine to increase sexual desire in both genders as well as improve the strength of erections in males. [1]Yohimbine's powerful stimulant properties may also benefit athletic performance on and off the field. The body absorbs and expels yohimbine rapidly.

It takes only about 10 minutes for half of the compound to be absorbed and only about 35 minutes for half of the compound to be expelled. [5]This doesn't mean you should take yohimbine close to bedtime but it does suggest that the occasional poorly timed dose will not keep you up for days.

You can find this compound as a standalone ingredient in capsule, tablet, or tea form as well as a component of preworkouts and fat burners. Yohimbine is not for everyone - even with moderate dosages it can increase the frequency and severity of panic attacks in high-anxiety individuals, interfere with medications, as well as cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea.

This article outlines the dose and use recommendations for, benefits of, and frequently asked questions pertaining to yohimbine.

Yohimbine Recommended Dose & Use

Yohimbine is primarily used by both males and females to increase fat burning without negatively impacting lean mass. It appears to be most effective when taken in a fasted state. It is also used by males to improve penile blood flow and erection quality.

Yohimbine hydrochloride (HCL) is the most commonly used form of this compound for both cases. it's sold as a standalone product in tablet or capsule form as well as incorporated into pre-workouts and fat burners.

Yohimbine HCL is chemically synthesized to offer a source of yohimbine that is not only more cost-efficient but also of higher purity and potency compared to Yohimbe bark extract. Those choosing the natural route may prefer products with yohimbine extracted from yohimbine bark or dried yohimbine bark steeped in hot water.

A yohimbine HCL dosage of 0.2 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight taken on an empty stomach immediately upon waking or in-between meals ramps up fat oxidation without causing undesirable side effects like high blood pressure or racing heart. [3] The table below provides a guideline on how many 2.5mg capsules of yohimbine HCL you should take based on your weight and the recommended dosage:

Bodyweight in pounds	Bodyweight in kilograms	Milligrams of Yohimbine HCL per day	Quantity of 2.5mg Capsules
120	55	11	~4
140	64	13	~5
160	73	15	~6
180	82	16	~7
200	91	18	~7
220	100	20	~8
240	109	22	~9

Males consuming yohimbine HCL for its pro-erectile benefits should take 5.4mg to 6mg three times per day but don't expect for the results to be noticeable until after about two to weeks of consistent dosing. [4] Not all males will experience this benefit so if you do not notice a change after four weeks of consistent dosing then consider stopping supplementation altogether.

As with any supplement start with a conservative dose and adjust the dosage up or down based on your response. Most importantly, don't expect yohimbine HCL to be a miracle compound - it's not going to melt off fat overnight nor will it be a replacement for medications like Viagra®.

A Deeper Look at Yohimbine Benefits

Yohimbine is primarily used to increase lipolysis, the body's breakdown of fats and release of fatty acids, and improve erectile function in males. Yohimbine is a powerful stimulant also useful for increasing the chemicals responsible flight-or-flight in the blood.

Twenty elite soccer athletes consumed either 10mg of yohimbine HCL or placebo (cellulose tablets) twice per day for 21 consecutive days. Yohimbine had no impact on muscle mass or exercise performance but it significantly decreased total fat mass and subsequently body fat percentage, compared to placebo. [6]

Those consuming yohimbine lost nearly 30% more fat and experienced 31% greater reductions in body fat percentage compared to those in the placebo group. Neither group reported negative side effects from a twice-daily dosing of 10mg of Yohimbine HCL. These findings indicate that the powerful fat loss effects of yohimbine apply to even the most seasoned athletes with already low levels of body fat.

Acute yohimbine consumption appears to significantly improve the speed and intensity of your fight-or-flight response. During this response, the sympathetic nervous system is triggered, releasing norepinephrine, commonly called an adrenaline hormone, into the blood.

Most people notice dilated pupils, increased blood pressure, and heart rate while in this state. While this response is not advantageous in all scenarios, it can be beneficial when rapid decision-making and action is required.

The oral consumption of 20 to 40 milligrams of yohimbine significantly increases the release of norepinephrine from sympathetic nerves and release of epinephrine from the adrenals into the blood. [7]

A second study found that 10mg of yohimbine significantly increased both norepinephrine and dopamine blood levels but did not increase blood pressure in otherwise healthy subjects. [8] Dopamine, also known as the "feel good" chemical, is a precursor for the creation of norepinephrine and epinephrine. [9]

A study of 23 individuals found that a dose of 0.4mg/kg of yohimbine not only increased norepinephrine in the blood, blood pressure, and heart rate, but it also increases impulsive response rates. These response rates are measured by the number of impulsive errors, response biases, and reaction times on an immediate memory task. [10] While yohimbine may improve your reaction time it may also encourage you to act irrationally.

Most human studies completed thus-far examine the impact of oral yohimbine consumption on erectile dysfunction (ED) in males. A meta-analysis of seven randomized, placebo-controlled trials found that yohimbine is significantly more effective in treating ED compared to placebo. [11] These findings did not compare yohimbine to prescription medications like Viagra®, which are designed to treat ED.

A double-blind placebo-controlled study provided 86 subjects with either 30mg of yohimbine HCL split across three doses or placebo daily for eight weeks. Researchers measure both subjective and objective criteria halfway through and at the end of the study.

Yohimbine significantly increased subjective measurements of sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, frequency of sexual contacts, and erection quality during sexual intercourse. Each subject also underwent a sleep study and researchers found that yohimbine also objectively increased the rigidity of erections while sleeping. [12] Yohimbine appears to alleviate both physical and psychological symptoms associated with ED.

A conflicting study of 22 subjects found that a 100mg daily dose of yohimbine for 30 days did not significantly improve penile rigidity. Three subjects experienced a notable increase in penile rigidity and twelve subject experience a partial increase in rigidity. [13] These findings do not completely discount the use of yohimbine to treat erectile dysfunction, but do suggest the compound's effects, even at very high dosages, will cause varying responses across a similar population.

29 males with both erectile and orgasmic dysfunction consumed at least 20 milligrams of yohimbine daily. Researchers found that yohimbine helped 55% of the patients achieve orgasm through masturbation or sexual intercourse. [14]

The final study we will be examining in this article took a novel approach to by dosing 16 healthy male subjects with 7.7 milligrams of yohimbine tartrate and 6 grams of L-arginine glutamate and comparing it to a placebo. Depending on their group each subject was randomly assigned to consume the placebo one week and the novel compound the other week.

Researchers found that this compound, delivering 6mg of yohimbine HCL and 3.25g of L-arginine, significantly improved erectile function in those with mild-to-moderate ED. [15] L-arginine is an amino acid that acts as a precursor to and plays a critical role in nitric oxide production. Yohimbine paired with a compound encouraging nitric oxide production may be the perfect combination for significantly decreasing or eliminating symptoms of erectile dysfunction.

Yohimbine FAQs

Where can I find Yohimbine today?

You can find yohimbine as a stand-alone ingredient or as part of a blend in pre-workout and fat-burning supplements in powder, pill, and liquid forms. Products that contain yohimbine include:

• MTS Nutrition Yohimbine HCL - 2.5mg of Yohimbine HCL per one capsule serving
• Core Nutritionals BURN - 75mg of Yohimbine Extract, standardized to 8% alkaloid, per 3 capsule serving
• Muscletech Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite - 28mg of yohimbine extract per 2 capsule serving
• PrimaForce Yohimbine HCl
• GAT JetFuel - 8th of 20 ingredients in a 565mg JetFuel PWD Proprietary Blend per 1 scoop serving

Is Yohimbine safe and is it stackable with other supplements?

When used in moderate quantities in otherwise healthy individuals yohimbine is a safe supplement for increasing your metabolism and burning body fat. The three most common side effects related to yohimbine consumption include increased anxiety, blood pressure, and cortisol levels. [3]

If you experience any of these issues then significantly lower the dose or discontinue yohimbine usage altogether. Other possible side effects may include increased heart rate, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, tremors, or sleeplessness. [1]

Do not take yohimbine if you're predisposed to anxiety attacks, consume psychological medications, have bipolar disorder, depression, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, or take monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOs). [1][3][4]

Regular Yohimbine consumption If you're an otherwise healthy individual then do not let these warnings completely dissuade you from trying yohimbine - it might be exactly what you need to burn that stubborn body fat or improve your performance in the bedroom.

Yohimbine may be stacked with other supplements to improve erection quality and/or expedite fat loss. If you're consuming yohimbine to improve your erection quality, then stack it with horny goat weed. [3] Animal models support a yohimbine dose of 0.2mg/kg of bodyweight stacked with a 55 to 110mg dose of horny goat weed to significantly increases erection strength. [16]

More is not better with these two supplements - excessive quantities of yohimbine can have harmful and in some cases deadly effects while amounts of horny goat weed beyond the recommended dose will simply lighten your wallet with little-added benefit.

Those looking to crank up their body's fat-burning to the next level may stack yohimbine HCL with ephedrine HCL and caffeine, creating the ECY stack. Yohimbine is a powerful stimulant that acts on different metabolic pathways compared to caffeine and ephedrine. The most common dosage for each compound in this stack is 5mg of yohimbine HCL, 200mg caffeine, and 25mg ephedrine HCL two to three times per day.

To maximize efficacy, you should consume this stack in a fasted or semi-fasted state and at least 6 hours before bedtime. This stack is going to significantly increase your heart rate and blood pressure so be watch out for overexertion if you choose to take the ECY stack immediately before an intense weightlifting session. Some users also choose to alternate consuming EC and EY to obtain some of the positive effects without being overstimulated.

References

1) Yohimbe. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, July 2012, Accessed Oct. 2016.
2) Drug Record - Yohimbine (PAUSINYSTALIA YOHIMBE). LiverTox, United States National Library of Medicine, Sept. 2016, Accessed Oct. 2016.
3) Orwell, Sol, et al. "Yohimbine - Scientific Review on Usage, Dosage, Side Effects." Examine.com, 2016, Accessed Oct. 2016.
4) Yohimbine (Oral Route). Mayo Clinic, Micromedex, 1 Apr. 2015, Accessed Oct. 2016.
5) Owen, J. A., et al. "The Pharmacokinetics of Yohimbine in Man." National Center for Biotechnology Information, Eur J Clin Pharmacol., 1987, Accessed Oct. 2016.
6) Ostojic, S. M. "Yohimbine: the Effects on Body Composition and Exercise Performance in Soccer Players." National Center for Biotechnology Information, Res Sports Med., Dec. 2006, Accessed Oct. 2016.
7) Murburg, M. M., et al. "Effects of Yohimbine on Human Sympathetic Nervous System Function." National Center for Biotechnology Information, J Clin Endocrinol Metab, Oct. 1991, Accessed Oct. 2016.
8) Musso, N. R., et al. "Yohimbine Effects on Blood Pressure and Plasma Catecholamines in Human Hypertension." National Center for Biotechnology Information, Am J Hypertens., June 1995, Accessed Oct. 2016.
9) Musacchio JM (2013). "Chapter 1: Enzymes involved in the biosynthesis and degradation of catecholamines". In Iverson L. Biochemistry of Biogenic Amines. Springer. pp. 1?35
10) Swann, Alan C. et al. ?Norepinephrine and Impulsivity: Effects of Acute Yohimbine.? Psychopharmacology 229.1 (2013): 83?94. PMC. Web. Oct. 2016.
11) Ernst, E. "Yohimbine for Erectile Dysfunction: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials." National Center for Biotechnology Information, J Uro, Feb. 1998, Accessed Oct. 2016.
12) Vogt, H. J., et al. "Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Safety and Efficacy Trial with Yohimbine Hydrochloride in the Treatment of Nonorganic Erectile Dysfunction." National Center for Biotechnology Information, Int J Impot Res., Accessed Oct. 2016.
13) Telöken, C., et al. "Therapeutic Effects of High Dose Yohimbine Hydrochloride on Organic Erectile Dysfunction." National Center for Biotechnology Information, J Urol, Jan. 1998, Accessed Oct. 2016.
14) Adeniyi, A. A., et al. "Yohimbine in the Treatment of Orgasmic Dysfunction." National Center for Biotechnology Information, Asian J Androl., May 2007, Accessed Oct. 2016.
15) Kernohan, A F B et al. ?An Oral Yohimbine/l-Arginine Combination (NMI 861) for the Treatment of Male Erectile Dysfunction: A Pharmacokinetic, Pharmacodynamic and Interaction Study with Intravenous Nitroglycerine in Healthy Male Subjects.? British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 59.1 (2005): 85?93. PMC. Web. Oct. 2016.
16) Orwell, Sol, and Kurtis Frank. "Horny Goat Weed - Scientific Review on Usage, Dosage, Side Effects." Examine.com, 2016, Accessed Oct. 2016.