Yohimbe
Other Names: 11-hydroxy Yohimbine, Alpha Yohimbine HCl, Coryanthe Yohimbe, Corynanthe Johimbe, Corynanthe johimbi, Corynanthe yohimbi, Johimbi, Pausinystalia yohimbe, Pausinystalia johimbe, Yohimbehe, Yohimbehe Cortex, Yohimbine, Yohimbine HCl, Yohimbinum Muriaticum.
Pausinystalia Johimbe is the name of an evergreen tree that is found in Zaire, Cameroon, and Gabon. The bark of yohimbe contains a chemical called yohimbine, which is used to make medicine. Yohimbe bark is on the FDA list of banned substances. Yohimbe bark is also currently banned in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Canada.
Special Precautions of Yohimbe
- Yohimbine is possibly unsafe because of reports that have linked the substance to irregular heartbeat, seizures, heart attack, kidney failure and other side effects.
- Yohimbine is particularly unsafe for children, as they appear to be very sensitive to its effects.
- High doses of yohimbine could cause a number of very severe side effects, including difficulty breathing, very low blood pressure, heart problems, paralysis and even death.
- Pregnant or breast-feeding women and those with kidney problems or psychiatric conditions should not use yohimbine. Never take yohimbine with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, as this could increase side effects.
- Pregnancy or breast-feeding: Yohimbe is LIKELY UNSAFE. Yohimbe might affect the uterus and endanger the pregnancy. It might also poison the unborn child. Don’t take yohimbe if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
- Schizophrenia: Use yohimbe with caution. The yohimbine in yohimbe might make people with schizophrenia psychotic.
- Prostate problems: Use yohimbe with caution. Yohimbe might make the symptoms of BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) worse.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Don’t use yohimbe. There is a report that four individuals with PTSD suffered worse symptoms after using yohimbe.
- Liver disease: Don’t use yohimbe. Liver disease might change the way the body processes yohimbe.
- Kidney disease: Don’t use yohimbe. There is a concern that yohimbine might slow or stop the flow of urine.
- High blood pressure or low blood pressure: Don’t use yohimbe. Small amounts of yohimbine can increase blood pressure. Large amounts can cause dangerously low pressure.
- Chest pain or heart disease: Don’t use yohimbe. Yohimbine can seriously harm the heart.
- Anxiety: Don’t use yohimbe. Yohimbine might make anxiety worse.
- Depression: Don’t use yohimbe. Yohimbine might bring out manic-like symptoms in people with bipolar depression or suicidal tendencies in individuals with depression.
- Diabetes: Don’t use yohimbe. Yohimbe might interfere with insulin and other medications used for diabetes and cause low blood sugar.
- Medications for depression (MAOIs) interacts with YOHIMBE
- Clonidine (Catapres) interacts with YOHIMBE
- Guanabenz (Wytensin) interacts with YOHIMBE
- Medications for depression (Tricyclic antidepressants) interacts with YOHIMBE
- Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with YOHIMBE
- Naloxone (Narcan) interacts with YOHIMBE
- Phenothiazines interacts with YOHIMBE
- Stimulant drugs interacts with YOHIMBE
Benefits and uses of Yohimbe are
Yohimbe contains a chemical called yohimbine which can increase blood flow and nerve impulses to the penis or vagina. It also helps counteract the sexual side effects of certain medications used for depression.
- Extracts from the bark of yohimbe are used in West Africa as a general tonic and as an aphrodisiac.
- Erectile dysfunction (ED). There is evidence that the active ingredient, yohimbine, can be helpful for ED. Some herbalists suggest that the yohimbe bark actually works better than the yohimbine ingredient alone. However, so far yohimbe bark has not been evaluated in research studies.
- Sexual problems caused by selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). There is evidence from many studies that the active ingredient, yohimbine, can improve sexual problems associated with this class of medications used for depression. However, this benefit has not been described specifically for the yohimbe bark.
