Tongkat Ali Extract for Menopause Relief and Mood Support: What the Latest Study Suggests
Menopause can be a turning point, but for many people it does not arrive quietly. Hot flashes, sleep changes, mood shifts, lower sexual comfort, fatigue, and changes in daily confidence can all show up at once. The result is not just a list of symptoms. It can affect work, relationships, exercise, intimacy, and the ability to feel like oneself.
Hormone therapy remains one of the most studied options for moderate to severe menopause symptoms. For some people, it can be very effective. Still, it is not the right fit for everyone, especially when long-term use, personal risk factors, or medical history come into play. That is one reason researchers continue to study non-hormonal options, including botanical extracts.
One of the newer areas of interest is tongkat ali, also known by its botanical name, Eurycoma longifolia. A recent clinical study by Muniandy, Yahya, Shahar, and colleagues examined a water extract of tongkat ali, sold as Physta®, for menopause-related quality of life and mood states. The study is useful because it did not simply rely on tradition or anecdote. It used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, which is a stronger way to test whether an intervention may have a measurable effect.
Why researchers are looking beyond hormone therapy
Most people experience menopause between ages 45 and 55. The transition happens as ovarian hormone production changes, and symptoms can vary sharply from one person to another.
Some have mild changes. Others deal with symptoms that disrupt sleep, relationships, mood, and concentration. Common menopause-related concerns include:
Hot flashes and night sweats
Sleep disruption
Irritability, sadness, or anxiety
Vaginal dryness or discomfort during sex
Lower libido
Fatigue
Joint or body discomfort
Changes in body weight or body composition
Quality of life matters here because menopause is not measured only by whether a symptom exists. The real question is how much that symptom interferes with life.
Hormone therapy can help many symptoms, especially vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Yet it also requires careful screening. Age, time since menopause, cardiovascular risk, breast cancer history, clotting risk, and other factors can influence whether it is appropriate.
That leaves many people searching for other options. Some turn to lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, sleep support, non-hormonal prescription medications, or dietary supplements. Herbal products are also especially popular.
The tongkat ali study stands out because it used a more controlled trial design and focused on validated measures of menopause-related quality of life and mood.
What tongkat ali is and why it is being studied
Tongkat ali is a shrub-like tree native to Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia and Indonesia. Its root has a long history of use in traditional Malaysian wellness practices. It is often associated with male vitality, but traditional use has not been limited to men. In Malaysia, it has also been used in postpartum recovery traditions, often in the context of energy and physical resilience.
The extract studied in the recent trial was Physta®, a standardized water extract of Eurycoma longifolia produced by Biotropics Malaysia in Shah Alam, Malaysia.
That detail matters. Herbal products are not all the same. The plant part used, extraction method, concentration, and quality control standards can change the final product. A study on one branded extract does not automatically apply to every tongkat ali supplement on the market.
Tongkat ali has drawn research interest because of its possible effects on:
Energy and fatigue
Stress response
Mood
Hormonal balance
Sexual well-being
Those areas overlap with common menopause concerns. Still, overlap does not equal proof. A plant associated with vitality in traditional use still needs careful testing in the specific population it is meant to support.
That is where this study adds value.
How the Physta® menopause study was designed
The study cited was published in World Journal of Clinical Cases in November 2025. It was conducted through the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of the National University of Malaysia in Bangi, Malaysia, from November 20, 2022, to May 15, 2024.
The researchers designed it as a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-arm parallel-group study.
That phrase is dense, but each part matters.
Study feature | What it means | Why it matters |
Randomized | Participants were assigned to groups by chance | Helps reduce selection bias |
Double-blind | Participants and researchers did not know who received which treatment during the trial | Helps reduce expectation bias |
Placebo-controlled | One group received an inactive comparison product | Helps separate product effects from placebo effects |
Three-arm parallel-group | Participants stayed in one assigned group throughout the study | Allows comparison across more than two groups |
12 weeks | The intervention lasted about three months | Long enough to observe short-term symptom changes |
The study enrolled women ages 40 to 55 who had an intact uterus and ovaries. Participants also had a body mass index between 18 and 29.9 kg/m² and a score of at least 61 on the Menopause-specific Quality of Life assessment, known as MENQOL.
That MENQOL score requirement suggests the researchers were not studying people with only minimal complaints. They were looking at participants whose symptoms were meaningful enough to affect quality of life.
The exclusion criteria were also important. The study excluded people who were pregnant, nursing, had major surgery in the previous year, had a hysterectomy, had induced menopause, had a mental illness, or had uncontrolled hyperlipidemia, based on the information provided.
These criteria help create a clearer study population. They also affect how broadly the findings can be applied.
What the MENQOL assessment measures
The Menopause-specific Quality of Life questionnaire is commonly used in menopause research. It asks about symptoms across key areas of daily function.
MENQOL focuses on four broad domains:
Vasomotor symptoms
Psychosocial well-being
Physical symptoms
Sexual symptoms
This matters because menopause does not affect only one system. Someone may not be most troubled by hot flashes. They may be more affected by poor sleep, mood changes, or sexual discomfort. A broad questionnaire can capture more of that lived experience.
The Physta® study also looked at mood states. That is relevant because mood changes during the menopause transition can be complicated. Hormonal shifts, sleep disruption, stress, life stage changes, and health changes can all interact.
A supplement that claims to support menopause should be evaluated on more than one symptom. Menopause relief is not just about cooling hot flashes. It is also about daily function, emotional steadiness, and overall well-being.
What this study suggests so far
The study suggests that tongkat ali extract deserves serious research attention as a possible non-hormonal support for menopause-related quality of life and mood. Its strength lies less in dramatic claims and more in its design.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial gives researchers a better way to test whether the extract has effects beyond expectation, habit, or placebo response. That is especially important in menopause research because symptoms naturally rise and fall. Sleep, stress, diet, relationships, and environment can all change how symptoms feel from week to week.
The study also focused on people with measurable menopause-related quality-of-life concerns. That makes the research more relevant than testing a product in a broad population with mild or unclear symptoms.
Still, the findings should be interpreted with care.
The trial studied one specific extract, Physta®, over 12 weeks in a defined group of participants in Malaysia. The results may not apply in the same way to:
People outside the study age range
People with surgical or medically induced menopause
People with higher or lower BMI than the study range
People with complex medical histories
People using different tongkat ali products
People taking medications that may interact with supplements
The study also used questionnaires, which are valuable but still subjective. That does not make them weak. Menopause symptoms are often best understood through lived experience. But self-reported measures can be influenced by mood, expectations, and outside life events.
A fair reading is this: the study strengthens the case for continued research into Tongkat Ali Extract for Menopause Relief and Mood Support, but it does not turn tongkat ali into a one-size-fits-all solution.
Why product quality matters with herbal supplements
One of the biggest challenges with herbal research is that the studied extract may not match what people buy online or in stores.
Tongkat ali products can differ by:
Plant source
Root quality
Extraction method
Water or alcohol extraction
Standardization
Testing for contaminants
Dose per serving
Added ingredients
The Physta® study used a specific water extract. That does not mean every tongkat ali capsule, powder, or blend works the same way.
A higher-quality supplement should clearly list the extract, serving size, and safety information. Products should also be tested for purity and quality.
Safety conversations should come before supplementation
Tongkat ali may not be appropriate for everyone, especially people with hormone-sensitive conditions, liver concerns, significant cardiovascular risk, or complex medication regimens. Anyone managing chronic illness should be especially cautious.
Before trying tongkat ali or any menopause supplement, it is wise to discuss:
Current menopause symptoms and severity
Personal and family medical history
Current medications and supplements
Blood pressure, cholesterol, and metabolic health
Sleep, mood, and stress concerns
Whether hormone therapy or non-hormonal prescriptions may be appropriate
A clinician can also help identify symptoms that should not be brushed off as “just menopause.” Heavy bleeding, new pelvic pain, severe depression, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, or sudden major changes in health need medical evaluation.
How tongkat ali fits into a broader menopause plan
No supplement should carry the whole weight of menopause care. The best results often come from a layered plan that addresses symptoms from several angles.
For many people, that plan may include:
Regular physical activity, including strength training
Consistent sleep habits
Enough protein and fiber
Limiting alcohol if it worsens hot flashes or sleep
Stress management that is realistic and repeatable
Vaginal moisturizers or lubricants for dryness
Medical treatment when symptoms are moderate or severe
Mental health support when mood changes persist
Tongkat ali may eventually find a place within this broader category of non-hormonal support. The recent clinical trial helps move the conversation from tradition alone toward evidence-informed use.
This article is informational only and is not medical advice. Menopause symptoms, hormone therapy decisions, and supplement use should be discussed with a qualified health care professional.
Reference
Muniandy S, Yahya HM, Shahar S, et al. Effect of Eurycoma longifolia water extract (Physta®) on menopausal quality of life and mood states. World Journal of Clinical Cases. November 2025;13(31):109113. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v13.i31.109113.
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