What Is Yohimbe Bark Extract?

For generations, the bark of the yohimbe tree, an evergreen native to western Africa, has been used as a remedy for erectile dysfunction (ED).

Yohimbe bark extract, also known as yohimbine, is a dietary supplement. Made from yohimbe bark, it's sold under various names. Available without a prescription, its promoters claim it is an alternative remedy for ED. But whether it actually works is unclear.

Yohimbe bark extract should not be confused with yohimbine hydrochloride, which is different from the supplement. Yohimbine hydrochloride has been available by prescription in the U.S. as a treatment for impotence since the 1930s. Research done with yohimbine hydrochloride cannot be used as evidence for effectiveness of the dietary supplement.

Is There Difference Between Yohimbine Hydrochloride and Yohimbe Supplements?
Prescription drugs like yohimbine hydrochloride are strictly regulated by the FDA. They must meet standards in terms of package labeling, detailed testing for safety and efficacy, and claims about potential benefit before they are approved by the FDA.

Supplements do not require FDA approval. Companies that manufacture and distribute supplements are responsible for making sure supplements are safe and that product labeling is truthful. After it is on the market, the FDA's responsibility is to take action against unsafe dietary supplements and false or misleading claims.

Additionally, you can't always be sure you're getting what the label of the supplement says you're getting. Researchers analyzing the content of a number of commercial yohimbe supplement products found that the proportion of yohimbine was less than it would be in the tree's bark.

The researchers also found that many of the supplements contained other substances that are not found in yohimbe bark.

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