Tongkat ali vs Viagra

Tongkat ali vs Viagra. Demythifying the “herbal Viagra” tongkat ali.
Tongkat ali has been traditionally known by many names. Some people referred to it as the “Asian Viagra” or “herbal viagra”. Because of its ability to increase testosterone, tongkat Ali is known as a supplement with sexual enhancement properties. In Southeast Asia, people is even ashamed to buy tongkat ali, thinking that it will uncover their erection issues. This misconception is rooted in its traditional usage. For generations, tongkat ali has been used to treat erectile dysfunction and similar problems, even though little was known at the time that tongkat ali has many other benefits for men.
If you ever though that herbal viagra tongkat Ali is anything like the pharmaceutical viagra so you can fix your erection naturally instead of going to a doctor, I’m sorry to give you the bad news. Tongkat ali and Viagra are fundamentally different. Viagra is a fast acting medication that targets very specifically the blood vessels of the penis, while tongkat ali is a supplement that when taken regularly can increases your testosterone. Now, you are probably wondering “what’s in for me?” If you suffer from and erectile dysfunction problem, should you take Tongkat Ali or Viagra? Let me explain when is best to use each one, but first, you need to know the enemy.
What is causing your erection problems?
Erectlile dysfunctions problems are more complex that what you might think. In reality, erection problems can have many different causes, and even be confused with lack of sex drive (if this affects you, check this article on natural aphrodisiacs for men). To give you a few examples:
A perfectly healthy young guy can have erection problems because of psychological factors: performance anxiety is a very well known cause for example. When the mind is worrying so much that produces excessive stress, your erection suffers. This is an erectile dysfunction problem that can resolve itself, if not, you might need to check with a psychologist or sex therapist. Many middle age men that cope with a lot of stress from their work can experience lack of sex drive and as a result they will find very difficult to obtain an erection. It doesn’t mean that their erection doesn’t work, they are just not motivated enough to produce one. This is a typical example of lack of sex drive mistaken for an erection problem. Men that take certain medications can experience erection problems as the side effect of taking their medication, this erection problems can be solved when changing the brand of their medicine. Men that experience a loss of testosterone due to ageing can have difficulties maintaining an erection because of lack of sex drive or because sex is not as pleasant anymore. Men with diabetes can experience a loss of sensitivity in their penis, which in turn makes sex not pleasant anymore, which in turn makes it hard to maintain an erection.
Those are just a few examples of what can go wrong, but the point is that in order for you to have a rock hard lasting erection your mind and your body have to be very healthy. So if you have erection issues, the very first question is to ask yourself what is causing it. All these factors can contribute to erection issues (taken from Mayo clinic):
Heart disease Clogged blood vessels (atherosclerosis) High cholesterol High blood pressure Diabetes Obesity Metabolic syndrome, a condition involving increased blood pressure, high insulin levels, body fat around the waist and high cholesterol Parkinson’s disease Multiple sclerosis Low testosterone Peyronie’s disease, development of scar tissue inside the penis Certain prescription medications Tobacco use Alcoholism and other forms of substance abuse Treatments for prostate cancer or enlarged prostate Surgeries or injuries that affect the pelvic area or spinal cord Depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions Stress Relationship problems due to stress, poor communication or other concerns.
Herbal Viagra versus Real Viagra, which one should you use?
Identifying the cause of your erection is fundamental when deciding which one you should use. This is however not a question of which one, because you can use them both together. It is more important to understand when and how they should be used. Viagra pills can help you for many of the causes of ED listed above, but tongkat ali can only help in a few of those.
I can’t tell you when you should or should not use Viagra because only your doctor can give you that information after reviewing your medical history and health issues. What I can tell you is in which of those cause tongkat ali can potentially have some benefits. Think of Viagra as a something that can give you a “quick fix”, an erection when you really need it. While tongkat ali is more about building a foundation for your testosterone to increase and potentially get a better erection. All the causes above that could be alleviated by better testosterone levels are candidates for tongkat ali use.
Heart disease and atherosclerosis.
An erection happens when the penis is filled with blood, therefore problems in the circulatory system can impede an erection. There are a few studies that show that normal levels of testosterone are optimal for cardiovascular function. Levels above or bellow the optimal range increases the risk of heart and vessels conditions like atherosclerosis. As men age, their testosterone levels also decrease, increasing the risk of cardiovascular conditions. By inducing the body to produce more testosterone naturally, tongkat ali can help you decrease the chance of having problems with the cardiovascular system, or even improve the situation of those who are already experiencing problems.
A high percentage of men with diabetes experience problem with their erection. The causes of erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes are complex and involve impairments in nerve, blood vessel, and muscle function. Because many diabetic patients also suffer from heart complications, they are restricted in the use of common prescription medication to treat erectile dysfunction. If you are diabetic, tongkat ali might help your erection by increasing testosterone and therefore your cardiovascular function, but tongkat ali also can help you decrease the sugar level in blood. Because of the latter, you should be more cautious when using this supplement, here is another article on the subject: How Tongkat Ali Helps Diabetes.
Clinical studies has found a clear link between obesity and sexual dysfunction. Obesity by itself can carry a lot of health problems such as levated cholesterol levels, a higher risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, higher risk of diabetes and lower testosterone. All these complications that esteem from being obese can affect a man’s erection. Tongkat Ali can increase testosterone levels, and this increase can help men lose weight, therefore lowering the risk of developing ED or improving the erection of those who are already experiencing problems due to their weight. We wrote an article about using tongkat ali to lose weight that you may want to read.
Low testosterone (Andropause)
Andropause is triggered by the reduction in testosterone due to aging. It is also known as late onset hypogonadism and androgen decline in the aging male. It can take place as early as 40, and 2 to 5 percent of men in this age group show signs. From 50 to 60 years of age, the numbers are more astonishing. It is estimated that between 8 and 40 percent of men in this age group have andropause. Since testosterone is a bodily hormone involved mainly in sexual function, numerous symptoms of andropause are sex related. Men with low testosterone levels could experience not only problems with their erection, but also lack of interest in sex.
Andropause has other symptons like gaining weight, losing strength, low energy and general bad mood. However these symptons could easily come from stress and psychological factors therefore they are easily overlooked as being triggered by low testosterone in the aging men.
When the decline in testosterone is severe, there are effective treatments to increase the testosterone levels such as testosterone replacement therapy. However these methods are accompanied by a multitude of unwanted side effects. If you are interested in increasing your testosterone levels naturally, tongkat ali has been shown to be among the most powerful natural testosterone booster. If you want more information you can’t miss our article onAndropause and Tonkat Ali.
Prescription medications.
Certain prescription medications can cause ED as a side effect, some examples are:
antidepressants antihistamines hypertension medicines medications for Parkinson’s disease.
This area would be too big and complex to cover exhaustively. Bottom line is tongkat ali may or may not help your erectile dysfunction depending on what medication it is. For example, anecdotal evidence suggest that many men can improve their sex lives despite taking antidepressants. However, in many other cases tongkat ali may not be able to help at all. The best solution here would be to talk to your doctor about alternatives to your current medication that has a lower chance of developing ED. In some cases you can find another drug to treat the same condition but with less impact on your erection.
Psychological problems.
Erectile dysfunction can occur due to psychological causes such as stress, anxiety, guilt, depression or low self-esteem. Tongkat ali has shown to have a positive impact on stress and mood in healthy individuals. Hence, it could potentially benefit individuals that may be experiencing erection problems due to these mental factors. However, if the psychological factor is strong and deeply routed tongkat ali may not have any effect at all, in those cases it would be best to consult an specialist to treat these problems.
About Fran Sanchez.
Based in Singapore (but originally from Spain) Fran is the founder of herbolab. Having a diverse background, ranging from cancer research to biomedical business, Fran now spend most of his time helping men and women achieve their peak sexual performance though coaching and supplementation.