According to the American Urological Association, research is needed to assure the effectiveness of the prescription drug yohimbine hydrochloride, or yohimbine HCL for the treatment of impotence. Dietary supplements contain yohimbine HCL or yohimbe bark extract. Claims for yohimbine use include weight loss and increased muscle mass. Scientific evidence has not yet validated these claims.Yohimbine may cause dangerous health effects or even death. A physician should monitor the use of yohimbine as a dietary supplement.
Side Effects
According to Medline Plus, the dietary supplement yohimbine may not be safe. Seek emergency medical attention if you experience severe headache, blurred vision, anxiety, tremors, fast heartbeat, poor coordination or other serious side effects. Yohimbine may also cause seizures, high blood pressure, or heart attack. Fatalities with large doses have occured.
Hypertensive Crisis With Foods
The amino acid tyramine, found in foods such as alcoholic beverages, liver, cheeses, aged or cured meats, and many other foods may cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure if combined with yohimbine. Consult a doctor regarding food interactions with yohimbine. MedlinePlus advises to avoid large amounts of caffeine from herbs and food items such as coffee, tea, guarana or mate if taking yohimbine due to increased risk of hypertensive crisis.
Narrow Therapeutic Index
The amount of yohimbine needed for therapeutic purposes could approach toxic amounts. Prescriptions to treat impotence are generally 15 to 30 mg. A severe drop in blood pressure, hallucinations or paralysis may occur with doses greater than 40 mg. According to RxList, yohimbine supplementation should be monitored by a physician to prevent dangerously low blood pressure, heart problems and death.
Drug and Supplement Interactions
Yohimbine may cause adverse health effects from interactions with prescription and over the counter medicines, herbs or other supplements. Tricyclic antidepressants may cause heart problems if combined with yohimbine. If you take tricyclic medications, avoid yohimbine. Don't take yohimbine if you take MAOIs, as a dangerous drug interaction and mania may occur. Sudafed and other stimulant drugs such as phentermine, a drug used in weight loss products, may cause a dangerous increase in heart rate and blood pressure if taken with yohimbine. Avoid yohimbine if you take stimulant medicines. If you have any medical conditions or take medications or supplements, consult a doctor before taking yohimbine.
Dietary Supplement Quality
The manufacturer is responsible to ensure the safety of supplement ingredients. The FDA has no provision within the law to provide pre-market approval for safety or effectiveness of supplements. The FDA cannot conduct pre-market evaluations to guarantee that supplement ingredients match the amounts declared on the label. Quality tests show supplements may contain much more or negligible amounts of the active ingredients claimed on product labels. According to "The New England Journal of Medicine", contaminants such as prescription medications and other drugs could cause serious physical harm or death.
