Yohimbine Toxicity

Yohimbine, a natural alkaloid found in the bark of the yohimbe tree of southwestern Africa, stimulates the central nervous system and increases blood flow to the lower abdomen. Yohimbine increases blood circulation in the penis and can help sexually dysfunctional men achieve erections. Yohimbine users risk serious side effects including interactions with other medicines. Yohimbine overdose could cause confusion, hallucinations and abnormal heart rhythms. Consult your doctor before using any supplement containing yohimbine or yohimbe bark.

Yohimbine Treatments

You could take yohimbine supplements for reasons other than sexual problems. Manufacturers of bodybuilding supplements, performance-enhancing tonics and weight-loss pills promote yohimbine's ability to dilate blood vessels as a way to energize your body and increase the amount of fat you burn. Your doctor could prescribe yohimbine to treat an overdose of clonidine, a treatment for high blood pressure. Prescribed for impotence, doses of yohimbine vary from 15 to 30 mg daily. In supplement form, you could only take 2.5 mg of yohimbine per tablet. Some supplements advertising yohimbine contain little or none of yohimbe's active ingredient.

Side Effects

At low dosages, you could react to yohimbine with nausea, a rise in your blood pressure and a racing heart. Individual reactions vary, and some people show an intense allergic response that interferes with swallowing and breathing. Mental reactions include insomnia and anxiousness. Over 40 mg daily puts you at risk of more serious side effects. You could lose control of your muscles, hallucinate or develop chills. Any existing mental problems such as post traumatic stress disorder could intensify with yohimbine use. Taking even slightly more than the recommended dose could trigger problems requiring a doctor's care.

Yohimbine Poisoning

Usually an overdose of yohimbine causes temporary but unpleasant side effects, and individuals taking as much as 200 mg have fully recovered. Treatment includes careful supervision, since you may not behave rationally under yohimbine's influence. Severe reactions include psychotic episodes as well as dangerous heart palpitations. Taking too much yohimbine could cause life-threatening problems such as seizures and kidney failure. If you suffer from kidney disease, liver ailments or cardiovascular illness, don't take yohimbine. Anyone taking medication for psychiatric problems risks blocking the effect of that medicine by using yohimbine. Yohimbine could exaggerate abdominal bleeding, including menstrual flow or bleeding stomach ulcers.

Risks vs. Benefits

Until the mid-1990s, medication for impotence usually involved oral treatment with yohimbine hydrochloride, according to TAP Holdings, Inc. Yohimbine produced inconsistent results in clinical trials, and in some studies showed no effect on men in good sexual health. Safer and more effective medications now exist. Modern claims that yohimbine benefits athletic performance or aids in weight loss lack scientific backing. Although yohimbine can affect you in positive ways, its many side effects make yohimbine use a personal gamble. If you take yohimbine, seek medical help if you experience unusual heart rhythms, swelling of the face or throat, or psychiatric complications.