SexRx: Yohimbine and Your Sex Life
Yohimbine is an alkaloid that is found in the bark of a West African evergreen tree—the yohimbe tree. Yohimbine might help treat impotence that can be caused by a variety of factors, although it comes with many risks.
Commonly Used Product Names
- Yohimbine hydrochloric acid (HCL)—a tablet available only by prescription
-
Yohimbe bark—available without a prescription in the following forms:
- Capsule
- Concentrated drops
- Decoction (an extract obtained from boiling)
- Tablet
- Tea
- Tincture
Yohimbe bark is often not standardized based on yohimbine content. Therefore, it is a less reliable source than the prescription tablet.
Sexual Effects
Yohimbine has a long history of being used as an aphrodisiac. Some studies have suggested that it may have the following pro-sexual effects:
- Helps to obtain and maintain erection
- Enhances quality of erection
Side Effects
Since the effective level of yohimbine is close to its toxic level, it is not clear that its benefits outweigh its risks. Side effects include:
Cautions
Medications
Yohimbine may cause adverse reactions when taken with certain medicines. These include:
- MAO inhibitors—When combined with yohimbine, MAO inhibitors can cause dangerously high blood pressure .
- Antidepressants—Yohimbine can interact with most types of antidepressants.
- Antihypertensives—Yohimbine may increase blood pressure-lowering effects.
- Nasal decongestants
- Phenylpropanolamine-containing diet aids
Health Conditions
If you have kidney disease , you should not take yohimbine.
If you have one of the following conditions, talk to your doctor before taking yohimbine:
- High or low blood pressure
- Chronic inflammation of the prostate gland
- Heart or liver disease
- Angina
- Panic or anxiety disorders
- Sexual phobias or obsession-compulsion
- History of gastric or duodenal ulcer disease
- Schizophrenia
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
Yohimbine is not usually prescribed for women. It should never be taken during pregnancy.
Dietary Considerations
Yohimbine is classified as an MAO inhibitor. When taking MAOIs, you should avoid the following foods:
-
Foods with a high-tyramine content, such as
- Cheese
- Alcohol
- Pickled or marinated or smoked or cured or fermented foods
- Organ meats
- Nuts, peanut butter
- Fava beans
- Onions
- Avocados
- Canned figs
- Chocolate
- Excess amounts of caffeine
- Foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG)
RESOURCES:
Family Doctor.org
http://familydoctor.org/
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
http://nccam.nih.gov/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html/
Men's Health Centre
http://www.menshealthcentre.net/
References
Crenshaw TL, Goldberg JP. Sexual Pharmacology: Drugs that Affect Sexual Function. WW Norton & Company; 1996.
Guay AT, Spark RF, Jacobson J, Murray FT, Geisser ME. Yohimbine treatment of organic erectile dysfunction in a dose-escalation trial. Int J Impot Res. 2002;14:25-31.
Lebret T, Hervé JM, Gorny P, et. al. Efficacy and safety of a novel combination of L-arginine glutamate and yohimbine hydrochloride: a new oral therapy for erectile dysfunction. Eur Urol. 2002;41:608-613.
Peirce A, American Pharmaceutical Association. The American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines. New York, NY: Morrow; 1999.
Yohimbe. EBSCO Publishing Natural and Alternative Treatments website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/thisTopic.php?marketID=16&topidID=1034. Updated February 2010. Accessed June 16, 2010.
Last reviewed June 2010 by Brian P. Randall, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © 2007 EBSCO Publishing All rights reserved.