What Is PHYSTA® Tongkat Ali Extract?

Physta® is a standardized water extract of Tongkat Ali root (Eurycoma longifolia), produced in Malaysia by Biotropics Malaysia Berhad using an extraction process co-developed with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is standardized to 4 measured compounds, and it has been studied in 28 human clinical studies involving 1,290 participants, 18 of them randomized controlled trials.

That last part is what separates it from most Tongkat Ali on the market. Almost all published human research on Tongkat Ali has been conducted on this one extract, and on the same extract throughout, which is why the results can be compared to each other at all.

Physta® Tongkat Ali is sold as LJ100® in the US market.

Physta® at a glance

Is Physta® the same thing as Tongkat Ali?

Not quite. Tongkat Ali is the plant. Physta® is one specific extract made from it.

The difference matters more than it sounds. Tongkat Ali sold as ground root, as an ethanol extract, or as an extract with no stated composition can vary enormously in what it actually contains, because the compounds in any plant shift with soil, plant age, harvest time, drying and storage. 2 products can both say "Tongkat Ali" on the front and contain almost nothing in common.

A standardized extract is measured. Every batch of Physta® is tested against the same 4 markers before it leaves the factory, so a capsule made this year contains what a capsule made 5 years ago contained. That is the only way research done in 2013 can tell you anything useful about a product you buy in 2026.

What is Physta® standardized to?

4 compounds, each with a minimum or a range:

These are the values set out in MS2409:2011, the Malaysian Standard for standardized Tongkat Ali water extract, governed by the Department of Standards Malaysia. Physta® is the extract used as the benchmark for that standard.

A note on labels claiming high eurycomanone. Extracts are sometimes marketed at 3%, 5%, 8% or even 10% eurycomanone, on the reasoning that more must be better. Standardization above 1.5% eurycomanone has not been clinically researched. There is no human safety or efficacy data at those levels, and concentrations that high are generally reached with chemical solvents rather than the water process the research was done on. A higher number on the label is not evidence of a better product. It means the product sits outside the range anything was tested in.

We tested this ourselves. [Link: What we found when we analyzed 22 Tongkat Ali extracts bought on the open market]

How is Physta® made?

Only the root is used, and only roots that pass incoming quality testing. Extraction is done with hot water, the method Tongkat Ali has traditionally been prepared with as a tonic, and the method every human study on Physta® has used.

The extraction process is patented. It was co-developed with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, working with the Malaysian government.

Every batch is tested against the 4 markers before release. Nothing ships without passing.

What does the research on Physta® show?

28 human clinical studies. 18 are randomized controlled trials, the design that can separate an effect from a placebo. Below are findings from the controlled trials, with what was measured and how many people took part. Results in a trial are not a promise for any individual.

Stress and mood. In 63 moderately stressed adults taking 200 mg a day for 4 weeks, tension fell 11%, anger 12% and confusion 15%. Testosterone was 37% higher and cortisol 16% lower than placebo (Talbott et al., 2013). A 24-week trial in 93 moderately stressed adults recorded a 15% reduction in stress against 0.7% in the placebo group, using 50 mg a day with a multivitamin (George et al., 2018).

Testosterone in older adults. In 105 people aged 50 to 70 taking 100 mg or 200 mg a day for 12 weeks, total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEA all rose significantly against placebo, alongside improvements in muscle tone and fatigue. Changes appeared by week 2 on the 200 mg dose (Chinnappan et al., 2021).

Strength and body composition. In 14 men on a 5-week strength training program taking 100 mg a day, lean body mass rose 4% and muscle size 1.8 cm, while the placebo group showed no significant change. Body fat fell 9% against 7%, and strength rose 6% against 2% (Hamzah and Yusuf, 2003). In 31 women aged 45 to 59 taking 100 mg a day for 12 weeks alongside exercise, strength, balance and flexibility all improved significantly against placebo (Md. Yusof et al., 2009).

Exercise and recovery. In 45 men aged 40 to 55 over 6 months, exercise alone increased muscle strength 14%, while exercise with 200 mg a day increased it 17%. Aging male symptom scores fell 27% with exercise alone and 36% with exercise plus Physta® (Leitão et al., 2021, 45 enrolled, 37 randomized and analyzed). In 30 male athletes at a 24-hour mountain biking event, a single 100 mg dose before the ride left testosterone 16% higher and cortisol 32% lower than placebo (Talbott and George, 2024).

Immunity. In 83 adults aged 40 to 59 taking 200 mg a day for 4 weeks, immune cell counts including naïve cells and CD4+ T-cells rose significantly against placebo (George et al., 2016).

Menopausal symptoms. In 138 women aged 40 to 55 taking 100 mg a day for 3 months, total MENQOL scores fell 33.9% from baseline, with improvements in the physical and sexual domains (Muniandy et al., 2025).

What dose was used in the research?

Most trials used 200 mg a day, the dose behind the stress, testosterone and immunity results above, and the most researched dose overall. 400 mg is the next most studied. Some used 50 mg or 100 mg and still recorded effects. Doses up to 600 mg a day have been assessed for safety.

If a product lists Physta® on the label, check the amount. An ingredient named without a quantity tells you nothing about whether it matches what was studied.

Is Physta® safe?

In a dose-ranging study of 20 men taking 200 mg, 400 mg or 600 mg a day for 3 weeks, blood profiles, liver function and kidney function remained normal at every dose (Mohd. Tambi, 2005). A separate double-blind placebo-controlled study in 32 young men found 600 mg a day well tolerated (Chan et al., 2021).

Will it affect a doping test? In a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study of 13 men taking 400 mg a day, the testosterone to epitestosterone ratio measured by anti-doping tests did not change significantly, and there was no difference against placebo (Chen et al., 2014). A second study in 40 healthy men taking 300 mg a day reported the same: the ratio stayed within normal limits (George et al., 2013).

As with any supplement, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking prescription medication or managing a health condition, speak to your doctor before starting.

What certifications does Physta® or Physta®-containing products hold?

• MS2409:2011. Physta® is the benchmark extract for the Malaysian Standard for standardized Tongkat Ali water extract, governed by the Department of Standards Malaysia.

• Halal, certified by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM).

• Kosher, certified by Badatz Igud Rabbonim.

• GMP, Good Manufacturing Practice, overseen by the Malaysian Ministry of Health. This covers the manufacture of the finished product, Nu-Prep®, rather than the Physta® extract itself.

• HACCP and ISO 22000, certified by Lloyd's Register.

On research standards. ICH, GLP and GCP are not certifications and no product holds them. They are the international guidelines the safety and efficacy studies on Physta® were conducted under.

[IMAGE 1.5 — Certification badges: MS2409:2011, JAKIM Halal, Badatz Kosher, GMP, HACCP, ISO 22000. Needed from Biotropics.]

On the US FDA. Biotropics Malaysia Berhad's manufacturing facility is registered with the United States Food and Drug Administration. Facility registration means the FDA has the facility on record and may inspect it. It is not approval of any product. The FDA does not approve dietary supplements, and no supplement company can claim that it does.

How do I know if a supplement actually contains Physta®?

Look for the name on the ingredient panel, not the front of the pack. Physta® is a registered ingredient brand, so a product containing it will name it in the ingredients list alongside a quantity in milligrams. In the United States it may appear as LJ100®, which is the same extract.

If the label says only "Tongkat Ali extract", or gives a ratio like 100:1 or 200:1 with no standardization stated, you have no way of knowing what is in it. [Link: Why ratios tell you almost nothing]

Frequently asked questions

Is Physta the same as Tongkat Ali?

Tongkat Ali is the plant, Eurycoma longifolia. Physta® is a specific standardized water extract made from its root, measured against 4 markers in every batch.

Is Physta the same as LJ100?

Yes. LJ100® is the name Physta® is sold under in the US market. Same extract, same standardization.

Is Physta better than regular Tongkat Ali extract?

It is a measured extract rather than an unmeasured one, and it is the extract nearly all the published human research was conducted on. Unstandardized Tongkat Ali may contain very different amounts of the same compounds from batch to batch.

What dose of Physta was used in the studies?

Most used 200 mg a day, with 400 mg the next most studied. Some recorded effects at 50 mg and 100 mg. Safety has been assessed up to 600 mg a day.

How long does Physta take to work?

In the 12-week trial in adults aged 50 to 70, changes appeared by week 2 at 200 mg a day and week 4 at 100 mg. Most trials ran between 4 and 24 weeks.

Is Physta safe?

Blood, liver and kidney function stayed normal at doses up to 600 mg a day in the studies above. Speak to your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or managing a health condition.

Will Physta show up on a doping test?

In a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial the testosterone to epitestosterone ratio measured by anti-doping tests did not change significantly against placebo, and a second study in healthy men found the ratio stayed within normal limits.

Is Physta halal?

Yes, certified by JAKIM. It is also Kosher certified.

Can women take Physta?

It has been studied in women. Trials include 31 women aged 45 to 59 for strength and balance, and 138 women aged 40 to 55 for menopausal symptoms.