Yohimbine (Yohimbe)
Yohimbe is an evergreen tree native to central and western Africa. Yohimbine (Yohimbe) is used for Traditional use.
Pronunciation: pronunciation varies by local usage.
- Generic name
- yohimbine
- Drug class
- Herbal product / dietary supplement ingredient; the bark of the yohimbe tree contains yohimbine
- Form
- Not established by the sources used for this page. Herbal medicines are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and fresh or dried plants.
- Route
- Oral (by mouth) as a dietary supplement; yohimbe bark has also been used traditionally and herbal products may be administered orally or topically, depending on the product
- Legal status
- In the United States, yohimbe is generally marketed as a dietary supplement; dietary supplements are not approved by the FDA before they are sold to the public. It is illegal in the United States to market an over-the-counter product containing yohimbine as a treatment for erectile dysfunction without FDA approval. Yohimbe supplements have been restricted or banned in many countries.
Availability and supply rules vary by country
Trade names by country: Canada
Australia: · Full directory
What yohimbine is and how it works
Yohimbe is an evergreen tree native to central and western Africa. It has a compound called yohimbine in its bark. The bark has been used traditionally as an aphrodisiac and sexual performance enhancer, as well as a mild hallucinogen. Yohimbe is promoted for erectile dysfunction, athletic performance, weight loss, as a mood booster, and more. (1) (3)
There is very little research in people on the effects of yohimbe as a dietary supplement, but studies have documented the risks of taking it. There is not enough evidence for definite conclusions to be reached about yohimbe's effectiveness for any health condition. Herbal medicines do not have to go through the testing that drugs do, and dietary supplements are not approved by the FDA before they are sold to the public. If you take any type of medicine, talk with your health care provider before using yohimbe or other herbal products; some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways.
Mechanism of action: how yohimbine works
Not established by the sources used for this page. The sources state only that yohimbe is an evergreen tree native to central and western Africa and that it has a compound called yohimbine in its bark. (1)
What is Yohimbine used for?
Promoted uses (evidence insufficient)
Yohimbe is promoted for erectile dysfunction, athletic performance, weight loss, as a mood booster, and more. There is not enough research to say whether yohimbe as a dietary supplement is helpful for any condition, including erectile dysfunction, athletic performance, or obesity. There is not enough evidence for definite conclusions to be reached about yohimbe's effectiveness for any health condition. (1)
Prescription yohimbine is not the same as yohimbe supplements
Yohimbe sold as a dietary supplement may not work like the prescription medication that contains yohimbine. It is illegal in the United States to market an over-the-counter product containing yohimbine as a treatment for erectile dysfunction without getting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to do so. (1)
Traditional use
The bark of the yohimbe tree has been used traditionally as an aphrodisiac and sexual performance enhancer, as well as a mild hallucinogen. (1)
Before taking yohimbine
Do not take / not appropriate for
- Do not use yohimbe if you are taking types of antidepressant medications called monoamine oxidase inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants. Yohimbe can interact with these medications. (all products) (1)
- It might be unsafe to use yohimbe orally (taken by mouth) during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. (oral use, pregnancy and breastfeeding) (1)
Tell your clinician about
- If you take any type of medicine, talk with your health care provider before using yohimbe or other herbal products; some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways.
- Tell your health care provider about any herbal medicines you are taking.
- If you are thinking about using an herbal medicine, first get information on it from reliable sources.
- Whether you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding, because it might be unsafe to use yohimbe orally during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Yohimbine dosage and how to take it
- The sources used for this page do not provide a dose, schedule, or administration instruction for yohimbe or yohimbine supplements. Do not rely on this page for any dose or dosing decision; ask your health care provider.
- Herbal medicines are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and fresh or dried plants; the form and content differ between products and are not established here.
- The amount of yohimbine in dietary supplements may vary; most yohimbe products don't say how much yohimbine they contain.
- Yohimbe sold as a dietary supplement may not work like the prescription medication that contains yohimbine.
Procedures and treatment changes
Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1) (2) (3)
Missed dose
Not established by the sources used for this page; no dose or dosing schedule for yohimbe supplements is given by these sources. Ask your health care provider for guidance.
Overdose
Overdose amounts are not established by the sources used for this page. Yohimbine, a component of yohimbe, has been associated with cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), blood pressure problems, heart attacks, and seizures. Yohimbe caused stomach problems, tachycardia (a rapid heartbeat), anxiety, and high blood pressure, according to a study that compared calls made to the California Poison Control System over a 7-year period; people calling about yohimbe were generally more likely to need medical care than other callers. If someone has taken yohimbe or yohimbine and has concerning symptoms, seek emergency medical care or contact a poison control service. (1)
Yohimbine side effects
Studies have documented the risks of taking yohimbe, and serious effects have been reported. Most of the supplements did not provide information about known side effects.
Stomach problems, tachycardia (a rapid heartbeat), anxiety, and high blood pressure
What to notice: These effects were reported in a study about yohimbe and other substances that compared calls made to the California Poison Control System over a 7-year period. People calling about yohimbe were generally more likely to need medical care than other callers.
What to do: Seek medical assessment; do not continue use based on this page. Ask your health care provider for advice. (1)
Cardiac arrhythmia, blood pressure problems, heart attack, and seizures
What to notice: Yohimbine, a component of yohimbe, has been associated with cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), blood pressure problems, heart attacks, and seizures. Seek emergency care for chest symptoms, irregular or rapid heartbeat, collapse, seizure, or severe blood-pressure symptoms.
What to do: Seek emergency medical care promptly and tell the treating team which product was taken. (1)
Serious warnings
Cardiac and neurologic harm associated with yohimbine — emergency
Symptoms: Yohimbine, a component of yohimbe, has been associated with cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), blood pressure problems, heart attacks, and seizures.
Action: Seek emergency medical care. Because of inaccurate labeling and potential for serious side effects, yohimbe supplements have been restricted or banned in many countries. (1)
Serious interactions with some antidepressants — high
Symptoms: Do not use yohimbe if you are taking types of antidepressant medications called monoamine oxidase inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants. Yohimbe can interact with these medications.
Action: Talk with your health care provider before using yohimbe or other herbal products; some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways. (1)
Inaccurate labeling and variable yohimbine content — high
Symptoms: The amount of yohimbine in dietary supplements may vary; some yohimbe products contain very little yohimbine. Most yohimbe products don't say how much yohimbine they contain. The amount may vary a lot among products, according to a 2015 analysis of 49 brands of supplements labeled as containing yohimbe or yohimbine for sale in the United States; some of the yohimbine was either synthetic or from highly processed plant extracts. Most of the supplements did not provide information about known side effects.
Action: Ask your health care provider before using any yohimbe or yohimbine product. The sources used for this page do not provide a safe dose or product standard. (1)
Interactions
| Medicine or test | Effect | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) | Do not use yohimbe if you are taking this type of antidepressant medication. Yohimbe can interact with these medications. | Talk with your health care provider before using yohimbe or other herbal products. (1) |
| Tricyclic antidepressants | Do not use yohimbe if you are taking this type of antidepressant medication. Yohimbe can interact with these medications. | Talk with your health care provider before using yohimbe or other herbal products. (1) |
| Other medicines and herbal products generally | Some herbs can interact with prescription or over-the-counter medicines, and some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways. | If you take any type of medicine, talk with your health care provider before using yohimbe or other herbal products, and tell your health care provider about any herbal medicines you are taking. (1) (3) |
| Energy drinks | Yohimbe is listed among ingredients that energy drinks may contain, alongside caffeine, guarana, sugars, taurine, ginseng, B vitamins, glucuronolactone, carnitine, and bitter orange. | Note the total intake of products containing yohimbe and discuss with your health care provider. (2) |
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
It might be unsafe to use yohimbe orally (taken by mouth) during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. (1)
Children
Not established by the sources used for this page; no information about use in children is provided by these sources. (1)
People taking antidepressants
Do not use yohimbe if you are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants. Yohimbe can interact with these medications. (1)
Monitoring
Before starting
- Get information on the herbal medicine from reliable sources before using it.
- Tell your health care provider about any herbal medicines you are taking and about all medicines you use, because some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways.
- Do not use yohimbe if you are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants.
- Consider pregnancy or breastfeeding status, because it might be unsafe to use yohimbe orally during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
During treatment
- Note that the amount of yohimbine in dietary supplements may vary and most yohimbe products don't say how much yohimbine they contain, so the exposure from a product is uncertain.
- Watch for stomach problems, tachycardia (a rapid heartbeat), anxiety, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, or other serious symptoms and seek medical care if they occur.
- Talk with your health care providers about any complementary health approaches you use, so you can make shared, well-informed decisions.
Storage
Not established by the sources used for this page. No storage instructions for yohimbe or yohimbine supplements are given by these sources; follow the product label and ask a pharmacist or health care provider if unsure.
Professional information
Clinician-facing context only. Dietary supplements are not approved by the FDA for safety or effectiveness before sale, and the sources used for this page provide no dose, indication-specific regimen, or monitoring parameters. No dose is displayed here.
All regions
Indication: Any yohimbe/yohimbine supplement use
Dose summary: No dose is displayed. The sources used for this page do not provide a supplement dose or dosing schedule. Note that the amount of yohimbine in dietary supplements may vary; most yohimbe products don't say how much yohimbine they contain, and some yohimbine analyzed in US products was either synthetic or from highly processed plant extracts (2015 analysis of 49 brands). Yohimbe sold as a dietary supplement may not work like the prescription medication that contains yohimbine.
Renal context: Not established by the sources used for this page; no renal dosing information is provided. (1)
Hepatic guidance
Not established by the sources used for this page; no hepatic information is provided.
Overdose note
Overdose amounts are not established by the sources used for this page. Yohimbine, a component of yohimbe, has been associated with cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), blood pressure problems, heart attacks, and seizures; a study of California Poison Control System calls over a 7-year period reported stomach problems, tachycardia (a rapid heartbeat), anxiety, and high blood pressure, and callers about yohimbe were generally more likely to need medical care than other callers. (1)
Frequently asked questions
Does yohimbe work for erectile dysfunction, athletic performance, or weight loss?
There is not enough research to say whether yohimbe as a dietary supplement is helpful for any condition, including erectile dysfunction, athletic performance, or obesity. There is not enough evidence for definite conclusions to be reached about yohimbe's effectiveness for any health condition. (1)
Is yohimbe safe?
Yohimbine, a component of yohimbe, has been associated with cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), blood pressure problems, heart attacks, and seizures. Because of inaccurate labeling and potential for serious side effects, yohimbe supplements have been restricted or banned in many countries. Studies have documented the risks of taking it. (1)
Do yohimbe supplements contain a reliable amount of yohimbine?
The amount of yohimbine in dietary supplements may vary; some yohimbe products contain very little yohimbine, and most yohimbe products don't say how much yohimbine they contain. According to a 2015 analysis of 49 brands of supplements labeled as containing yohimbe or yohimbine for sale in the United States, the amount may vary a lot among products, and some of the yohimbine was either synthetic or from highly processed plant extracts. Most of the supplements did not provide information about known side effects. (1)
Can I use yohimbe with antidepressants?
Do not use yohimbe if you are taking types of antidepressant medications called monoamine oxidase inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants. Yohimbe can interact with these medications. If you take any type of medicine, talk with your health care provider before using yohimbe or other herbal products. (1)
Are dietary supplements like yohimbe approved by the FDA before sale?
Unlike drugs, dietary supplements are not approved by the FDA before they are sold to the public. Manufacturers and distributors of supplements are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all regulatory requirements. When public health concerns arise about the safety of a dietary supplement or an ingredient including an herb, the FDA can take action to protect the public. (1)
What is the mechanism of action of yohimbine?
Not established by the sources used for this page. The sources state only that yohimbe is an evergreen tree native to central and western Africa and that it has a compound called yohimbine in its bark. (1)
References
- Yohimbe: Usefulness and SafetyNIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health · United States · dated 2025-05 · accessed 2026-10-13 · source 1
- Energy DrinksNIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health · United States · dated 2018-07 · accessed 2026-10-13 · source 2
- Herbal Medicine (health topic)MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine · United States · accessed 2026-10-13 · source 3
Brand names by country
Single-ingredient yohimbine names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.
Priority countries
Canada
- YOHIMBINE-ODANregulator source