Back to Homepage

Tongkat Ali And Cortisol

Tongkat ali is one of the fastest-growing products in the world of natural supplements in 2025, thanks in large part to the vast number of health benefits that it is said to provide. However, not all of these health benefits are created equal, and there are some that are more useful and far more desirable than others.

One such benefit is its ability to lower cortisol production and levels, which can be very beneficial for the human body for many reasons. However, as a new supplement, many people still have reservations over its ability to do this, either because they do not understand how it works or just don’t believe that it does.

That is why we have created the following article, in which we will go over all that there is to know about the connection between Tongkat ali and cortisol, to help put your mind at ease and ensure you are properly informed. This should hopefully help you make the decision to give it a try and enjoy the reduced cortisol levels and all of the other benefits that it offers for yourselves.

Table of Contents

What Is Tongkat Ali?

Tongkat ali is a herbal extract made from the roots of a plant found in southeast Asia that is also called Eurycoma longifolia, longjack, and Malaysian ginseng. Used in various types of traditional medicine in Asia for centuries, it has long been said to offer an extensive list of health benefits for the human body.

While these claims were once thought to be nothing more than hearsay, recent studies have found that it does indeed contain a number of beneficial compounds that allow it to possess restorative properties. These include the quassinoid compounds eurycomanone and eurycomanol, canthin-6-one metabolites, eurycolactones, eurypeptides, and eurylene and teurilene, two derivatives of the triterpene squalene (1).

As a result, it can produce beneficial effects like increased stamina and testosterone production and levels, reduced blood pressure, aging, anxiety and stress, improved exercise performance, recovery time, muscle growth, and male sexual health and functions, enhanced brain and immune system health and functions, and a lower risk of fatigue and fever.

In fact, there are so many health benefits linked to Tongkat ali that we have already written not one but two articles covering them all, which anyone wanting to discover all it does can find here and here.

With the range of health benefits that Tongkat ali offers being so vast, it has unsurprisingly become one of the most popular supplements in 2025, and it can be widely purchased, both on its own and in supplements that combine it with other ingredients.

What Is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a steroid hormone often referred to as the “stress hormone”. It is naturally made by the adrenal glands of all human beings and is produced in response to stress.

Very high levels of cortisol can lead to a number of different health issues in humans, with the most common being anxiety, depression, weight gain, inflammation, high blood sugar levels, a poor metabolic rate, and poor mental functions like memory and an ability to learn [2].

How Does Tongkat Ali Reduce Cortisol?

Boasts Adaptogenic Properties

Tongkat Ali is classed as an adaptogen, which means it is capable of helping the human body adapt to stress. As compounds with adaptogenic properties such as this help to modulate the body’s stress response, it will reduce the production of stress hormones like cortisol, even during periods of increased stress, leading to generally lower cortisol levels overall [3].

Increases Testosterone Production & Levels

Tongkat Ali is perhaps better known for boosting testosterone levels than it is for doing anything else. It does this through a number of different mechanisms, including boosting luteinizing hormone (LH) production, reducing sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) production, and directly improving your free testosterone levels, fitness, and overall health.

In fact we even published an entire article dedicated to its effect on testosterone, which you can read here.

Studies show that increased testosterone levels can help to balance the effects that cortisol has on the human body, especially in stressful situations. This means not only will it help to lower your overall cortisol levels, but it will also help to combat the negative effects that can occur when cortisol levels are high or you are dealing with chronic stress, such as fatigue, muscle breakdown, and a reduced libido [4].

Reduces Stress

A number of studies suggest that Tongkat Ali can help to directly reduce feelings of stress and anxiety and promote feelings of calmness and relaxation.

As feelings of stress and anxiety are directly responsible for the production of cortisol in the human body, Tongkat ali’s ability to relieve these and improve a person’s mood gives it the power to directly help control cortisol production and keep your overall levels down [5].

What is the Best Recovery Strategy? Ask a PT

Regulates The HPA Axis

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands as a reaction to signals from the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in the brain, which is what controls the human body’s stress response.

Studies suggest that tongkat ali may help to regulate the HPA, which will lead to a more well-balanced stress response, preventing excessive cortisol production and overall heightened cortisol levels, especially during periods of stress [6].

Naturally Boosts Energy Levels

One of the less talked about benefits of Tongkat ali is its ability to gently and naturally enhance a person’s energy levels, which it achieves indirectly through a number of different mechanisms.

While this may not look to relate to your cortisol levels on the surface, low energy levels can lead to fatigue, which is one of the main causes of both physical and mental stress in humans.

By keeping your energy levels up, Tongkat ali can therefore prevent you from becoming fatigued, enabling you to avoid the heightened stress and cortisol levels that it will inevitably lead to in the process [7].