Yohimbe Extract Side Effects Of Heart Damage

Yohimbe, commonly used in alternative medicine as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, has been used as an aphrodesiac for centuries in its native West Africa. Containing over 30 pharmacologically active alkaloids, only yohimbine HCl has been approved as a pharmaceutical treatment for impotence. Although safer and more effective treatments for sexual dysfunction have been developed, MayoClinic.com still lists yohimbine HCl as a specific for psychogenic sexual dysfunction. However, due to the risk of serious side effects, the use of products containing yohimbine HCl is usually not recommended.

Mechanism

Despite popular assumptions, yohimbe has no effect on hormones or the male glandular system. Yohimbine HCl, its primary active constituent, exerts a paradoxical simultaneous stimulation and sedation of the nervous system. First, yohimbine blocks receptor sites for the body's own stimulant neurotransmitter norepinephrine, promoting the parasympathetic activity in the central nervous system needed for the erection of genital tissue. This blockage interferes with the body's ability to regulate norepinephrine levels, resulting in a dramatic increase in serum norepinephrine levels.

Cardiovascular Effects

The increase in serum norepinephrine caused by yohimbine HCl can cause a spike in blood pressure and an increase in the resting heart rate. These effects may subside after several days of use as the body adapts and downregulates norepinephrine production. Nonetheless, yohimbe should not be taken by patients with heart disease, hypertension or kidney disease or who are at risk for heart attack or stroke.

Drug Interactions

Due to yohimbe's powerful stimulating action on the central nervous system, you should not take it alongside other stimulants, as the combination may increase the intensity of cardiovascular side effects. The stimulant medications Wellbutrin and Adderall interact negatively with products containing yohimbine HCl, according to the Mayo Clinic. Combining these drugs can result in elevated blood pressure and heart rate, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke. If you have been diagnosed with heart disease, hypertension or kidney disease or if you have a family history of cardiovascular illness, do not take yohimbe.

Heart Damage

Although yohimbe may increase the risk of heart attack or stroke in at-risk populations, no research to date indicates that yohimbe or yohimbine HCl alone causes direct damage to the heart muscle. Yohimbe should not be used for extended periods of time, nor should it be taken with other stimulants, as this may stress the heart. Due to the risk of serious side effects and drug interactions, you should talk with your doctor before taking products containing yohimbe.