Almost all marketing for Tongkat Ali is aimed at men, and almost all the research is in men. A few trials did include women, which is what this guide covers: what they found, which doses were used, what has never been tested, and who should be careful. For the male research and dosing, see our Tongkat Ali guide and Tongkat Ali dosage.
Does Tongkat Ali Work for Women?
For menopause quality of life, one trial says it may, at 100mg a day. For everything else commonly claimed for women, such as libido, fertility, hot flushes or hormone balance, there is no trial of Tongkat Ali on its own Not studied.
What the Trials in Women Found
| Study | Dose and length | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| 138 women aged 40 to 55 with menopause symptoms (Muniandy, 2025) | 50mg or 100mg a day, 12 weeks | 100mg lowered total menopause quality-of-life score by 33.9%, including physical and sexual domains; 50mg didn't; no change in reproductive hormones or safety tests |
| 119 women aged 41 to 55 (Chinnappan, 2020) | Tongkat Ali plus Labisia pumila, 24 weeks | Hot-flush improvement 65% vs. 60% on placebo, not a significant difference. Can't be credited to Tongkat Ali alone |
| 25 active adults aged 57 to 72, 12 of them women (Henkel, 2014) | 400mg a day, 5 weeks | Free testosterone and grip strength rose in the women too; no placebo group |
| 63 moderately stressed adults, 31 of them women (Talbott, 2013) | Hot-water extract, 4 weeks | Lower cortisol, better tension, anger and confusion scores; results not given for women separately |
The menopause finding is encouraging but narrow: one 12-week trial, a statistically borderline result (p = 0.049), a total mood score that didn't reach significance, and a sponsor that makes the extract Preliminary.
Menopause Symptoms
In the 138-woman trial, quality of life improved most in the physical and sexual domains at 100mg, and the trial's own authors say higher doses and longer studies are needed. The combination trial with Labisia pumila found no clear advantage over placebo for hot flushes, so there is no good evidence that Tongkat Ali helps hot flushes Not supported so far.
Does Tongkat Ali Raise Testosterone in Women?
The testosterone evidence is mostly in men; a 2022 meta-analysis pooled trials in men. In the older-adult pilot, free testosterone rose in women, which the authors tie to lower SHBG, but testosterone levels stayed lower in women than in men, and there was no placebo group. In the 138-woman menopause trial, reproductive hormones didn't change at 50 or 100mg. So the effect in women is unclear and may depend on dose and age.
Libido and Fertility
The sexual-function benefits reported for Tongkat Ali come from trials in men. In women, the menopause trial measured a sexual domain as part of quality of life, but no trial has tested libido, arousal or fertility specifically, and nothing has tested it for women trying to conceive Not studied. If you want a supplement with trial data on sexual function in women, see ashwagandha for women.
Tongkat Ali Dose for Women
| Dose | Where it was used |
|---|---|
| 50mg a day | Menopause trial: no benefit |
| 100mg a day | Menopause trial: improved quality of life (12 weeks) |
| 400mg a day | Older-adult pilot, 5 weeks, 12 women |
All of these were standardized water extracts, not raw root powder. A label dose for men (200 to 400mg) is therefore two to four times higher than the one dose that worked in the menopause trial. Check the extract type on any label against our dosage guide.
Safety and Who Should Avoid It
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: avoid. No safety data, and a 2021 European Food Safety Authority review concluded the safety of a standardized extract "has not been established under any condition of use".
- Hormone-sensitive conditions and PCOS: not studied. Because free testosterone rose in older women in one pilot, anyone with high androgens, PCOS or a hormone-sensitive condition should ask a doctor first.
- Contaminated products: surveys of Tongkat Ali products in Malaysia found 26 to 36% above the legal mercury limit. Buy only products with third-party heavy-metal testing.
- Medication: a small study found Tongkat Ali cut absorption of propranolol by 29%. Check with a pharmacist if you take any regular medication.
- Liver: a case report describes acute liver injury after starting it. Stop and seek advice if you develop jaundice or dark urine.
- Length of use: the menopause trial ran 12 weeks; longer use in women hasn't been studied.
For how long to take it and whether to take breaks, see how to cycle Tongkat Ali.
