# The Effect of Tongkat Ali Supplementation on Body Composition in Exercise-Trained Males and Females
## 4 Discussion  
The primary clinical endpoint of our investigation was body composition. Our investigation found that Tongkat Ali supplementation did not affect body composition (i.e., body mass, lean body mass, fat mass, percent body fat, and total body water) in exercise-trained males and females. This is the first investigation in trained males and females to show how Tongkat Ali supplementation affects body composition. The theoretical increase in lean body mass has been previously speculated due to the ostensible effect of Tongkat Ali supplementation on testosterone concentrations [3; 14]. Nevertheless, our investigation showed that Tongkat Ali supplementation did not affect free testosterone or cortisol. Notably, virtually all studies on Tongkat Ali have been conducted on either clinical populations or untrained individuals. Interestingly, body composition is often neglected in these investigations. [PERSON] et al. examined the short-term impact of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (ELJ) supplementation on muscle damage caused by eccentric exercise [15]. Eighteen well-trained rugby players (19-25 years) were randomized into one of two groups, ELJ and placebo (PLA). Each participant consumed four 100 mg capsules of the ELJ or placebo daily for seven days before performing a leg press eccentric exercise. Measurements taken included peak force, peak power, and jump height in countermovement jump (CMJ), drop jump reactive strength index (RSI), muscle soreness (using a 100 mm visual analogue scale), plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, and salivary hormones at 24 h before and 0.5, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after the exercise. These investigators found that the number of eccentric contractions performed was similar between the ELJ and PLA groups. Salivary testosterone and cortisol levels did not change significantly after supplementation in either group. In addition, there were no between-group differences in any of the other assessments. Thus, one week of ELJ (i.e., Tongkat Ali) supplementation did not affect hormones (i.e., testosterone and cortisol), performance, or skeletal muscle damage markers in the athletes [15]. [PERSON] et al. conducted a six-month treatment for androgen deficiency in aging males (ADAM) [5]. These investigators aimed to determine the effects of concurrent exercise training and Eurycoma longifolia supplementation on erectile function and testosterone levels in men with ADAM, as well as the relationship between erectile function and total testosterone levels. Twenty-two participants received a 200 mg supplement of Eurycoma longifolia, and twenty-three participated in concurrent training sessions three times a week for 60 min at progressive intensity. Both interventions improved erectile function, with the most significant improvements observed in the concurrent training + Eurycoma longifolia group. Thus, a 200 mg supplement of Eurycoma longifolia combined with concurrent training for 6 months significantly enhanced erectile function and increased total testosterone levels in men with ADAM [5]. [PERSON] et al. studied the effects of one month of 200 mg daily Tongkat Ali supplementation in hypogonadal males and demonstrated a significant increase in total testosterone [14]. Figure 4: This figure represents the delta score regarding free testosterone in the treatment vs. placebo groups. The circles represent individual data points. The data are presented as the mean and SD. In brief, 76 out of 320 patients with late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) were administered 200 mg of a standardized water-soluble extract of Tongkat Ali for one month. The Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) rating scale and serum testosterone concentration were measured. Results indicated that treatment with Tongkat Ali extracts significantly improved both the AMS score and serum testosterone levels. Prior to treatment, only 10.5% of patients had no complaints according to the AMS scale, and 35.5% had normal testosterone levels. After treatment, 71.7% of patients had no complaints, and 90.8% had normal testosterone levels.