Why 70% of UK Tongkat Ali Is Fake | Quality Guide 2025

Here's an uncomfortable truth the supplement industry doesn't want you to know:

Most Tongkat Ali products sold in the UK don't contain enough active compounds to do anything meaningful. Some barely contain any at all.

This isn't conspiracy theory territory. It's what independent lab testing consistently reveals—and it explains why so many men try Tongkat Ali, get zero results, and conclude the whole thing is snake oil.

The product wasn't the problem. The product was fake.

Let me explain how this works, why it happens, and what you need to know to avoid wasting your money on expensive rice flour.

Here's what happens when independent labs test Tongkat Ali products sold in the UK:

The clinical standard: Research studies showing benefits used extracts containing 0.8-1.5% eurycomanone (the primary active compound) at doses of 200-400mg daily.

What many UK products contain: Analysis has found numerous products with less than 0.5% eurycomanone—some as low as 0.1-0.2%.

What this means: You'd need to take 5-10 capsules of many "standard" products to get what one capsule of a properly standardised extract provides.

The label might say "500mg Tongkat Ali" and technically be accurate—it contains 500mg of something derived from Tongkat Ali root. But if that 500mg contains 0.2% eurycomanone, you're getting 1mg of active compound instead of the 4-10mg you'd need for clinical effects.

This is how products can be technically legal while being practically useless.

You've probably seen claims like "200:1 extract" or "100:1 concentrate" on Tongkat Ali products. Sounds impressive, right?

Here's the dirty secret: These ratios mean absolutely nothing.

A "200:1 extract" supposedly means 200kg of root was used to make 1kg of extract. But there's no standardisation of what ends up in that extract. You could have a "200:1 extract" with high eurycomanone content or one with almost none—the ratio tells you nothing about what matters.

It's pure marketing language designed to sound scientific while committing to nothing measurable.

What actually matters: The percentage of active compounds (eurycomanone) in the final product—which most brands conveniently don't disclose.

Another common tactic: prominent "Made in UK" or "British Supplements" labelling.

What this typically means: Raw material was imported from Asia (often the cheapest available source), then put into capsules in a UK facility.

What it doesn't mean: Any guarantee of quality, potency, or proper extraction.

UK manufacturing of the capsule tells you nothing about the quality of what's inside. A company can buy the cheapest, lowest-grade Tongkat Ali powder from Indonesia, encapsulate it in Britain, and legally call it a British product.

Many budget Tongkat Ali products are padded with fillers:

These aren't necessarily harmful, but they dilute the already-questionable active content even further. That 500mg capsule might contain 300mg of fillers and 200mg of low-grade extract.

Here's perhaps the most concerning practice:

Legitimate supplement manufacturers have their products tested by independent, accredited laboratories. They publish Certificates of Analysis (CoAs) showing exactly what's in each batch.

Many Tongkat Ali sellers don't do this—or if they do, they don't publish the results.

Why? Because independent testing would reveal that their products don't contain what they claim. The cost of proper testing (and proper ingredients) would make their £15 price point impossible.

Here's something interesting:

Holland & Barrett stocks Tongkat Ali in their Singapore stores but not in UK locations.

Nature's Best UK has publicly stated they won't sell Tongkat Ali, citing "insufficient data to support health claims."

Boots and other major chains don't carry it either.

Why would major retailers avoid a product category with genuine consumer demand?

Because they can't find suppliers meeting their quality standards. The big retailers have compliance teams, testing requirements, and reputational risk concerns. They've looked at the Tongkat Ali market and decided it's not worth the quality control headaches.

This creates a situation where the only Tongkat Ali available in the UK comes from smaller brands, online sellers, and Amazon—with wildly varying quality standards.

Let's talk specifically about Amazon, where many UK consumers buy supplements.

The marketplace model: Amazon doesn't manufacture or verify products. They provide a platform for sellers, who are responsible for product quality. Enforcement is reactive, not proactive.

The result: Amazon is flooded with Tongkat Ali products of questionable quality. Some are fine. Many are not. The consumer has no real way to distinguish between them.

The review problem: Fake reviews, incentivised reviews, and review manipulation are rampant in the supplement category. A product with 4.5 stars and 2,000 reviews might have achieved that through review manipulation rather than genuine customer satisfaction.

The counterfeit issue: Counterfeit supplements mimicking legitimate brands appear regularly on Amazon. You might think you're buying a reputable product and receive a knockoff.

This isn't Amazon-bashing—it's marketplace reality. The platform isn't designed to verify supplement quality, and bad actors exploit that gap.

So what should a legitimate, effective Tongkat Ali product include?

The product should specify the eurycomanone content—typically 1-2% for a quality extract. If a product just says "Tongkat Ali extract" without specifying active compound content, that's a red flag.

What to look for: "Standardised to 2% eurycomanone" or similar specific claims.

Every batch should be tested by an independent laboratory (not the manufacturer's own lab). The Certificate of Analysis should show:

What to look for: Published CoAs accessible on the company's website, ideally with batch numbers you can match to your product.

Quality Tongkat Ali comes from mature roots (typically 10+ years old) from Malaysia or Indonesia, processed using proper extraction methods that preserve active compounds.

What to look for: Clear information about sourcing, root maturity, and extraction methods.

GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certification ensures consistent quality control. German pharmaceutical manufacturing standards are among the strictest globally.

What to look for: GMP certification, facility information, manufacturing location.

"Proprietary blend" is often code for "we don't want to tell you how much of each ingredient is included." A quality Tongkat Ali product should clearly state exactly what's in it.

What to look for: Full disclosure of all ingredients and amounts.

Quality comes with a cost. Here's the uncomfortable maths:

Quality Malaysian Tongkat Ali root (mature, properly sourced): Not cheap.

Proper extraction to achieve 2% eurycomanone: Requires significant processing.

Independent laboratory testing for every batch: £500-1,000+ per batch.

Pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing: More expensive than bulk encapsulation.

The result: A genuinely quality product cannot be produced and sold at £12-15 for 60 capsules while remaining profitable.

When you see Tongkat Ali at that price point, something has been compromised. Usually it's the quality of the raw material or the absence of proper testing.

A more realistic price point for properly standardised, independently tested Tongkat Ali: £25-40 for 60 capsules.

Yes, it's more expensive. But it's the difference between something that works and expensive placebo.

The Tongkat Ali market in the UK has a serious quality problem. The majority of products don't contain enough active compounds to produce the effects shown in clinical research.

This isn't because Tongkat Ali doesn't work—the research shows it can. It's because what most people are buying isn't really Tongkat Ali in any meaningful sense.

The supplement industry profits from this confusion. It's cheaper to sell weak products to customers who'll blame themselves ("guess it doesn't work for me") than to invest in quality and testing.

Your job as a consumer is to be sceptical, ask questions, and demand evidence. Don't accept marketing claims at face value. Look for standardisation percentages, independent testing, and transparent manufacturing.

Yes, quality costs more. But given the choice between £15 wasted on something that doesn't work and £30 invested in something that might—the maths is pretty clear.

The supplement you don't take because you got burned by fake products costs you nothing and delivers nothing. The quality supplement you invest in properly might actually change how you feel.

Choose accordingly.