How Yohimbine Promotes Weight Loss
Most of the time nature provides the best medicine. Long before scientists were creating drugs in a lab, people relied on the land to give them natural ways to prevent and treat illnesses. The same can be said for supplements. Yohimbine is an organic chemical found in Africa that has emerged in recent years as a weight loss ingredient among bodybuilders.
The Benefits of Yohimbine
If you’re wondering “what is Yohimbine?” it’s an alkaloid that comes from the bark of the Yohimbe tree. The Yohimbe is an evergreen tree native to western and central Africa. For around two centuries, yohimbine has been used in traditional West African medicine as a sexual performance enhancer [1]. But recently, it’s become an increasingly popular ingredient in pre-workout due to its perceived weight loss benefits.
Yohimbine blocks the body’s alpha-2-adrenergic receptors, found in the central and peripheral nervous systems [2]. As a result, this enhances the release of norepinephrine and serotonin. These are neurotransmitters that carry chemical messages, stimulating certain responses. Serotonin and nonepinepherine can increase energy expenditure, giving you the potential to move more weight and slow fatigue set in. Another benefit of yohimbine is increased blood flow, improving circulation and helping oxygen and nutrients travel to the muscles.
All of these things help boost the metabolism, resulting in thermogenesis and fat-burning. Yohimbine can make it easier to burn fat due to being an alpha-2 receptor antagonist. Because it binds to alpha-2s, catecholamines hormones that can inhibit fat mobilization and burning bind to beta receptors [3]. This is what draws in bodybuilders and others trying to lose weight. Plus yohimbine is capable of improving body composition, increasing muscle definition.
There’s still research that needs to be done to better understand yohimbine’s effects. You probably won’t see significant weight loss if you aren’t also properly eating and exercising. But one way to make sure you see benefits, is to take the optimal dose of yohimbine.
What is a safe dosage for Yohimbine?
With too little, you won’t see any results and with too much, you’ll see negative side effects. There are yohimbine prescriptions, but it’s also sold over the counter commonly as yohimbine hydrochloride and yohimbe bark extract. Acute doses seem to have the best results, with most products ranging from 2 to 3mg per serving. The greatest time to take yohimbine is usually on an relatively empty stomach, so when you wake up in the morning, between meals, or before a workout.
References:
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Yohimbe. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved April 1, 2023, from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/yohimbe
- Giovannitti, J. A., Thoms, S. M., & Crawford, J. J. (2015). Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists: A review of current clinical applications. Anesthesia progress. Retrieved April 1, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4389556/
- D;, K. C. J. K. P. (n.d.). Does yohimbine act as a slimming drug? Israel journal of medical sciences. Retrieved April 1, 2023, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1955308/