Yohimbe – fat-burning stimulant and sex enhancer

I’ve used and encountered yohimbe and its active component yohimbine in various forms over the years. It’s never been on a regular basis, but I thought it would be of interest to write about this week.

I’ve also mentioned this one along side several select herbs in the Testosterone Black Book for sexual enhancement.

What is yohimbe and what does it do?

Yohimbe is the bark of a woody plant native to central and western Africa. There, it has a long and storied history of use as both a stimulant and as an aphrodisiac .

Today, yohimbe (or its isolated alkaloid yohimbine) is included in certain (pre)workout stacks and energy drinks such as Spike Shooter for its fat-burning and stimulating effects. It’s also included in certain pro-erectile preparations.

In terms of its stimulant abilities, yohimbine acts directly on the central nervous system and is noted to increase heart rate and blood pressure. In some people this may create a sort of euphoria, however it may also cause anxiety in others who are prone to it. Yohimbine is known to increase blood levels of the “stress hormone” cortisol.¹

Because of its stimulant effects, it reduces appetite and causes fat loss in both lean and obese individuals.

In short, here’s what yohimbe/yohimbine do:

• Act as a general stimulant and fat burner
• Increases blood pressure and heart rate
• Aphrodisiac: improves erections in men, may even be useful in women
• May cause anxiety in some individuals
• May interact favorably (or unfavorably) with certain medications – Don’t take with an MAO-I!²

Yohimbe’s aphrodisiac properties

Here’s the part you’ve likely been waiting for.

In the Erowid Experience Vaults, several people have shared the sexual effects of yohimbe, proving it to be quite the ally in the bedroom.

Here’s an account by a female who took the herb with her boyfriend:³

I was starting to feel a little sweaty after a while. The room felt quite hot. Then I also noticed that I was getting really wet down there (though not horny).

When I got into bed with my boyfriend, he looked so beautiful and felt amazing. We kissed, and the kiss felt more sensuous than usual. He stroked my back, and I felt tingles all over. Each touch was heavenly.

He was erect and hard before I got into bed. But when me made love, it was even bigger and harder. We both had a really intense orgasm.

Here’s an account by a female who gave her boyfriend some yohimbe and really noticed a difference:⁴

I gave my boyfriend a 1500 mg tablet of yohimbe along with 1000 mg. of vitamin C to enhance absorbtion around 4pm. Within 1/2 hour he was giddy and said he felt really stoned and was happy and laughing. Shortly after that, he said he felt more sensitive all over. About 1 hour after ingesting the combo, I took him to bed. He was bigger, harder, more sensitive, more energetic, happier, and had what he said was the best orgasm yet. He also stayed hard afterwards and has had repeated spontaneous erections since and we are going on 16 hours since ingestion.

Here’s another account by a young man who found it favorable for working out as well as sexual activity:⁵

In the bedroom yohimbe makes me feel like another person. Sometimes I feel like ‘he’ is controlling me, at others that it feels like he is just there for moral ‘support.’ I am usually a gentle lover, meaning I like to build up slowly during sex and give my partner some say in what we do. Not with yohimbe. I am a god. I am THE MAN. I call the shots, and when I do, I execute them with extreme intensity and brutal force. This is great for my current partner, who is very submissive, but i I worry down the road about how my future partners will take to my yohimbe sex personality. Again, I am not usually like this, but my girlfriend has not yet had any complaints!

My experience with yohimbe

As mentioned before, I’ve used yohimbe on and off in different forms. There are many supplements you can try that contain either yohimbe or its most-researched alkaloid yohimbine.

My preference is for the liquid tincture by Herb Pharm. It generally takes just 10 drops minimum to “feel” anything, and I only take the lowest dose needed. I tend not to go over 20 drops since I am prone to the more negative anxiety-like side effects that come from excessive stimulation.

(I highly recommend that if you want yohimbe or yohimbine, take the lowest dose you can in order to see how you feel. If it’s bad, cut back or don’t take it at all. I’m going to remind you again later too.)

One day, I just took a small 10 drop dose of yohimbe tincture for the hell of it. It’s stimulating and while it didn’t seem to aid or alter my focus very much, there was a definite and pleasant head change. I’d say it gave me an almost “arrogant” and ready-to-go attitude.

When I hit the weights, it didn’t make me pumped like citrulline but I felt more prepared to get under the bar and start my sets. Probably no different than coffee or any other mild stimulant in that regard, but it did had some kind of effect.

I never bought it for its fat burning effects so I can’t say anything there, but the research is all over the Examine.com page on Yohimbine.

As for the sex? Taken an hour or so beforehand in some water and on an empty stomach, it works wonders. Normally I’m too spent after the first round to get going again right away, but the most recent time I took yohimbe and had sex I was literally able to pause for the orgasm, change rubbers and keep going. Combined with citrulline, it’s almost too much boner power.

Now here’s the reality: yohimbe won’t magically make you a “sex god” and I can’t compare it to “traditional” boner remedies like Viagra but it helps you keep going if stamina or erectile function are an issue for you.

So if you’re ready for something that can help you burn some fat and sex it up like there’s no tomorrow, pick some yohimbe up. I give it the unofficial Pill Scout Seal of Approval.

Final warning: take the smallest effective dose that you can. I’m talking maybe 1/4 the recommended dose to start with, then work your way up in an hour or so if you don’t feel anything. It’s strong.

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1. Yohimbine | Examine.com ↩

2. Yohimbine has been shown to be potentially dangerous in combination with other drugs such as SSRIs and amphetamines…Yohimbe / yohimbine are contraindicated in people with high blood pressure, heart problems, anxiety, and panic attacks, all of which can be made worse with adrenergic activity. It should not be taken with any stimulant. Avoid MAOIs with yohimbine. ↩

3. Erowid Experience Vaults: Yohimbe – Arousal for Both Sexes ↩

4. Erowid Experience Vaults: Yohimbe & Vitamin C – Girls, Give This To Your Man ↩

5. Erowid Experience Vaults: Yohimbe – West African Gym Buddy ↩