Yohimbine

updated

Yohimbine is an alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist found in yohimbe bark and sold alone and in fat-loss blends for stubborn fat, libido and erections. Two 3-week trials of 20 people each were positive on weight or body fat percentage, a six-month trial in 47 men found no effect, and a 1998 meta-analysis found an erectile benefit over placebo. No FDA application record was found, supplement doses are unreliable, and poison center exposures had more severe outcomes than average.

Alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist

  • No FDA application for yohimbine was found in openFDA on 11 October 2026; 21 CFR 310.528 treats OTC products promoted as aphrodisiacs as new drugs that need approval.
  • In 20 obese women on a 1,000 kcal/day diet, weight loss over 3 weeks was 3.55 kg on yohimbine versus 2.21 kg on placebo.
  • In 47 men over six months, yohimbine had no effect on body weight, body fat or fat distribution.
  • A 1998 meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials found yohimbine superior to placebo for erectile dysfunction (odds ratio 3.85).
  • In 49 US supplement brands, yohimbine per serving ranged from none detected to 12.1 mg.
  • Rauwolscine (alpha-yohimbine) is a different stereoisomer with no human trial in the records reviewed.

What is yohimbine, and is it approved?

Yohimbine is a defined molecule found in yohimbe bark, sold as the free base or hydrochloride salt. No FDA application record was found, and federal regulation treats any OTC product promoted as an aphrodisiac as a new drug that needs an approved application.

Yohimbine free base is PubChem CID 8969, C21H26N2O3, 354.4 g/mol, CAS 146-48-5. Yohimbine hydrochloride is CID 6169, C21H27ClN2O3, 390.9 g/mol, CAS 65-19-0. A product labeled yohimbe is a bark extract of Pausinystalia johimbe, which contains yohimbine, rauwolscine and corynanthine, so it is not a defined yohimbine dose.

On 11 October 2026 openFDA Drugs@FDA returned no match for yohimbine or Yocon, or for the active ingredients yohimbine and yohimbine hydrochloride, and the openFDA NDC and label endpoints returned no yohimbine product. The one yohimbine record in DailyMed is a bulk ingredient listing from a manufacturer in Shandong (effective 18 December 2020), not a finished-product label.

21 CFR 310.528, a 1989 final rule, names yohimbine, yohimbine hydrochloride and yohimbinum among ingredients in OTC aphrodisiac products, states there is a lack of adequate data to establish general recognition of their safety and effectiveness, and treats any OTC product promoted as an aphrodisiac as a new drug needing an approved application. NIH NCCIH (page updated May 2025) says a prescription medication containing yohimbine exists, that yohimbe supplements may not work like it, and that marketing an OTC yohimbine product as an erectile dysfunction treatment without FDA approval is illegal in the United States.

PubChem: yohimbine, its hydrochloride and rauwolscine

Chemical identity record

National Library of Medicine. PubChem compound records CID 8969 (yohimbine), CID 6169 (yohimbine hydrochloride) and CID 643606 (rauwolscine).

Yohimbine free base: C21H26N2O3, 354.4 g/mol, CAS 146-48-5. Yohimbine hydrochloride: C21H27ClN2O3, 390.9 g/mol, CAS 65-19-0. Rauwolscine (alpha-yohimbine): C21H26N2O3, 354.4 g/mol, CAS 131-03-3, with names that differ from yohimbine at two of five named stereocenters. Yohimbe bark extract of Pausinystalia johimbe contains yohimbine, rauwolscine and corynanthine.

Participants / model
Chemical identity, not a clinical population
Treatment
Defined molecules; free base and hydrochloride salt
Follow-up
Not applicable
Study design
NLM chemical record
Funding
not stated in the source

Rauwolscine is a distinct stereoisomer, not a synonym, so data for one do not transfer to the other.

Read the original source
21 CFR 310.528 and US records: no FDA application found

Regulatory record

Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Section 310.528 (1989 final rule), drug products containing active ingredients offered over-the-counter for use as an aphrodisiac. With openFDA Drugs@FDA, NDC and label queries run on 11 October 2026, a DailyMed bulk ingredient listing (effective 18 December 2020), and the NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health page on yohimbe (updated May 2025).

openFDA returned no application under the names yohimbine or Yocon or the active ingredients yohimbine or yohimbine hydrochloride, and no NDC or label record. DailyMed returned only a bulk ingredient listing. 21 CFR 310.528 names yohimbine, yohimbine hydrochloride and yohimbinum among OTC aphrodisiac ingredients, states there is a lack of adequate data to establish general recognition of their safety and effectiveness, and treats any OTC product promoted as an aphrodisiac as a new drug needing an approved application. NCCIH says a prescription medication containing yohimbine exists, that yohimbe supplements may not work like it, and that marketing an OTC yohimbine product as an erectile dysfunction treatment without FDA approval is illegal in the United States.

Participants / model
Regulatory records, not a clinical population
Treatment
Not applicable
Follow-up
Searches run on 11 October 2026; rule from 1989
Study design
Federal regulation text, dated US approval-record searches and an NIH information page
Funding
not stated in the source

No FDA application record was found, so no approval history is given.

Read the original source

What did the fat-loss trials find?

Results conflict. Two 3-week trials of 20 people each were positive, one on body weight in obese women on a strict diet and one on body fat percentage in soccer players, while a six-month trial in 47 men found no effect on weight, body fat or fat distribution.

Twenty obese women outpatients followed a 1,000 kcal/day diet for 3 weeks, then were randomized double-blind to oral yohimbine 5 mg four times a day (n=10) or placebo (n=10) for 3 more weeks on the same diet. Mean weight loss was 3.55 +/- 0.24 kg with yohimbine versus 2.21 +/- 0.37 kg with placebo (P less than 0.005). There was no significant effect on lipolysis measured as serum glycerol. The endpoint was body weight on a low-energy diet, not fat mass.

Forty-seven men with a mean age of 42 were randomized double-blind to placebo or high-dose yohimbine with a peak dose of 43 mg/day, and 33 completed six months. Yohimbine had no effect on body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL, body fat, or fat distribution by waist-to-hip ratio and CT scan. The abstract does not state whether the men had obesity.

Twenty male professional soccer players were randomized to yohimbine 20 mg/day in two doses or placebo for 21 days alongside resistance training. Body fat percentage fell in the yohimbine group from 9.3 +/- 1.1 to 7.1 +/- 2.2% (p below 0.05) and was lower than placebo afterward. Body mass, muscle mass and exercise performance did not change, and the abstract does not state how body fat was measured.

Diet trial: 20 obese women, 3.55 kg versus 2.21 kg over 3 weeks

Randomized controlled trial

Kucio C et al. Isr J Med Sci. 1991;27(10):550-6. PMID 1955308.

Mean weight loss was 3.55 +/- 0.24 kg with yohimbine versus 2.21 +/- 0.37 kg with placebo (P less than 0.005). No significant effect on lipolysis (serum glycerol) was seen.

Participants / model
20 obese women outpatients
Treatment
Oral yohimbine 5 mg four times a day (n=10) or placebo (n=10), with a 1,000 kcal/day diet
Follow-up
3 weeks after a 3-week diet run-in
Study design
Randomized double-blind trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The endpoint is body weight on a low-energy diet, not fat mass.

Read the original source
Six-month trial: 47 men, no effect on weight or body fat

Randomized controlled trial

Sax L. Int J Obes. 1991;15(9):561-5. PMID 1960007.

Yohimbine had no effect on body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL, body fat or fat distribution by waist-to-hip ratio and CT scan compared with the control group.

Participants / model
47 men randomized (mean age 42), 33 completers; obesity status not stated in the abstract
Treatment
Oral yohimbine with a peak dose of 43 mg/day, or placebo
Follow-up
Six months
Study design
Randomized double-blind trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The longest fat-loss trial found, and it was null.

Read the original source
Soccer trial: 20 players, body fat percentage fell over 21 days

Randomized controlled trial

Ostojic SM. Res Sports Med. 2006;14(4):289-99. PMID 17214405.

Body fat percentage fell in the yohimbine group (9.3 +/- 1.1 to 7.1 +/- 2.2%, p below 0.05) and was lower than placebo after supplementation. Body mass, muscle mass and exercise performance did not change, and no side effects were reported.

Participants / model
20 male professional soccer players
Treatment
Oral yohimbine 20 mg/day in two doses, or placebo, with resistance training
Follow-up
21 days
Study design
Randomized trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The abstract does not state how body fat was measured.

Read the original source

What did the erectile function and libido studies find?

A 1998 meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials found yohimbine superior to placebo for erectile dysfunction, before PDE5 inhibitors existed. In sexually functional men, a crossover study found no effect on most aspects of sexual response, and it reported no separate result for desire.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials of yohimbine alone for erectile dysfunction found 7 trials of satisfactory methodological quality and concluded yohimbine was superior to placebo (odds ratio 3.85, 95% CI 2.22 to 6.67). Serious adverse reactions were infrequent and reversible. The abstract gives no doses, trial sizes or outcome measure, and the review predates PDE5 inhibitors.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, oral yohimbine up to 30 mg/day had no effect on most aspects of sexual response in sexually functional men. In men with erectile dysfunction the effects were mixed: 3 of 11 reported strong positive effects, sexual activity and self-rated genital response to visual sexual stimulation rose, and diaries showed more arousal and erectile response during masturbation but not intercourse. Nocturnal penile tumescence and retrospective summaries showed no effect. Sexual desire was assessed, but the abstract reports no separate desire result.

ED meta-analysis (1998): 7 trials, odds ratio 3.85

Systematic review and meta-analysis

Ernst E et al. J Urol. 1998;159(2):433-6. PMID 9649257.

Seven trials of satisfactory methodological quality; yohimbine was superior to placebo (odds ratio 3.85, 95% CI printed as 6.67 to 2.22). Serious adverse reactions were infrequent and reversible.

Participants / model
Men with erectile dysfunction in 7 pooled randomized trials
Treatment
Yohimbine monotherapy; route and doses not stated in the abstract
Follow-up
not stated in the source
Study design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials
Funding
not stated in the source

The review predates PDE5 inhibitors. The abstract gives no doses, trial sizes or outcome measure.

Read the original source
Crossover study: no effect on most measures in sexually functional men

Randomized controlled trial

Rowland DL et al. Arch Sex Behav. 1997;26(1):49-62. PMID 9015579.

Yohimbine up to 30 mg/day had no effect on most aspects of sexual response in sexually functional men. In men with erectile dysfunction, effects were mixed: 3 of 11 reported strong positive effects, sexual activity frequency and self-assessed genital response to visual stimulation rose, diaries showed more arousal and erectile response during masturbation but not intercourse, and nocturnal penile tumescence and retrospective summaries showed no effect. Desire was assessed, but no separate desire result is reported.

Participants / model
Men with erectile problems and sexually functional men; group sizes other than the 11 not stated in the abstract
Treatment
Oral yohimbine up to 30 mg/day or placebo
Follow-up
not stated in the source
Study design
Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study
Funding
not stated in the source

The one study here that measured sexual response in sexually functional men.

Read the original source

Does yohimbine burn stubborn fat or raise libido?

Stubborn fat loss is unproven rather than disproven: two short trials were positive on weight or body fat percentage and a six-month trial found nothing. Libido is not supported by the one trial that measured sexual response in sexually functional men, while erectile function has meta-analytic support from trials before 1998.

Sellers offer yohimbine alone and inside fat-loss blends for stubborn fat, and for libido and erections. No trial reviewed measured fat loss from specific body areas. The positive weight trial ran 3 weeks on a 1,000 kcal/day diet and found no significant effect on lipolysis, the soccer trial ran 21 days with an unstated body fat method, and the six-month trial in 47 men found no change in body fat or fat distribution.

The erectile claim rests on a 1998 meta-analysis of 7 trials. The libido claim is not supported: in sexually functional men yohimbine had no effect on most aspects of sexual response. Product content also varies widely, as the section on adverse effects and product quality below describes.

Diet trial: 20 obese women, 3.55 kg versus 2.21 kg over 3 weeks

Randomized controlled trial

Kucio C et al. Isr J Med Sci. 1991;27(10):550-6. PMID 1955308.

Mean weight loss was 3.55 +/- 0.24 kg with yohimbine versus 2.21 +/- 0.37 kg with placebo (P less than 0.005). No significant effect on lipolysis (serum glycerol) was seen.

Participants / model
20 obese women outpatients
Treatment
Oral yohimbine 5 mg four times a day (n=10) or placebo (n=10), with a 1,000 kcal/day diet
Follow-up
3 weeks after a 3-week diet run-in
Study design
Randomized double-blind trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The endpoint is body weight on a low-energy diet, not fat mass.

Read the original source
Soccer trial: 20 players, body fat percentage fell over 21 days

Randomized controlled trial

Ostojic SM. Res Sports Med. 2006;14(4):289-99. PMID 17214405.

Body fat percentage fell in the yohimbine group (9.3 +/- 1.1 to 7.1 +/- 2.2%, p below 0.05) and was lower than placebo after supplementation. Body mass, muscle mass and exercise performance did not change, and no side effects were reported.

Participants / model
20 male professional soccer players
Treatment
Oral yohimbine 20 mg/day in two doses, or placebo, with resistance training
Follow-up
21 days
Study design
Randomized trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The abstract does not state how body fat was measured.

Read the original source
Six-month trial: 47 men, no effect on weight or body fat

Randomized controlled trial

Sax L. Int J Obes. 1991;15(9):561-5. PMID 1960007.

Yohimbine had no effect on body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL, body fat or fat distribution by waist-to-hip ratio and CT scan compared with the control group.

Participants / model
47 men randomized (mean age 42), 33 completers; obesity status not stated in the abstract
Treatment
Oral yohimbine with a peak dose of 43 mg/day, or placebo
Follow-up
Six months
Study design
Randomized double-blind trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The longest fat-loss trial found, and it was null.

Read the original source
ED meta-analysis (1998): 7 trials, odds ratio 3.85

Systematic review and meta-analysis

Ernst E et al. J Urol. 1998;159(2):433-6. PMID 9649257.

Seven trials of satisfactory methodological quality; yohimbine was superior to placebo (odds ratio 3.85, 95% CI printed as 6.67 to 2.22). Serious adverse reactions were infrequent and reversible.

Participants / model
Men with erectile dysfunction in 7 pooled randomized trials
Treatment
Yohimbine monotherapy; route and doses not stated in the abstract
Follow-up
not stated in the source
Study design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials
Funding
not stated in the source

The review predates PDE5 inhibitors. The abstract gives no doses, trial sizes or outcome measure.

Read the original source
Crossover study: no effect on most measures in sexually functional men

Randomized controlled trial

Rowland DL et al. Arch Sex Behav. 1997;26(1):49-62. PMID 9015579.

Yohimbine up to 30 mg/day had no effect on most aspects of sexual response in sexually functional men. In men with erectile dysfunction, effects were mixed: 3 of 11 reported strong positive effects, sexual activity frequency and self-assessed genital response to visual stimulation rose, diaries showed more arousal and erectile response during masturbation but not intercourse, and nocturnal penile tumescence and retrospective summaries showed no effect. Desire was assessed, but no separate desire result is reported.

Participants / model
Men with erectile problems and sexually functional men; group sizes other than the 11 not stated in the abstract
Treatment
Oral yohimbine up to 30 mg/day or placebo
Follow-up
not stated in the source
Study design
Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study
Funding
not stated in the source

The one study here that measured sexual response in sexually functional men.

Read the original source

Is rauwolscine the same as yohimbine?

No. Rauwolscine, also called alpha-yohimbine, has the same formula and weight as yohimbine but different stereochemistry, so it is a distinct molecule and yohimbine data do not transfer to it. No study in the records reviewed gave rauwolscine to people for any outcome.

Rauwolscine is PubChem CID 643606, C21H26N2O3, 354.4 g/mol, CAS 131-03-3. PubChem's names for it and for yohimbine differ at two of the five named stereocenters, so it is a stereoisomer, not a synonym.

A PubMed search on 11 October 2026 for rauwolscine with fat, body composition, obesity, weight loss, lipolysis, erectile or supplement terms returned 20 records. Nineteen are receptor-binding, isolated-tissue, isolated-cell or animal pharmacology studies, and one is the supplement analysis described below; none gave rauwolscine to people. The nearest result is a 1984 mouse study in which yohimbine and rauwolscine reduced 3- and 6-hour food intake in genetically obese and lean mice, an intake endpoint and not fat loss.

PubChem: yohimbine, its hydrochloride and rauwolscine

Chemical identity record

National Library of Medicine. PubChem compound records CID 8969 (yohimbine), CID 6169 (yohimbine hydrochloride) and CID 643606 (rauwolscine).

Yohimbine free base: C21H26N2O3, 354.4 g/mol, CAS 146-48-5. Yohimbine hydrochloride: C21H27ClN2O3, 390.9 g/mol, CAS 65-19-0. Rauwolscine (alpha-yohimbine): C21H26N2O3, 354.4 g/mol, CAS 131-03-3, with names that differ from yohimbine at two of five named stereocenters. Yohimbe bark extract of Pausinystalia johimbe contains yohimbine, rauwolscine and corynanthine.

Participants / model
Chemical identity, not a clinical population
Treatment
Defined molecules; free base and hydrochloride salt
Follow-up
Not applicable
Study design
NLM chemical record
Funding
not stated in the source

Rauwolscine is a distinct stereoisomer, not a synonym, so data for one do not transfer to the other.

Read the original source
PubMed search, 11 October 2026: 20 records, no human rauwolscine study

PubMed search record

PubMed search run on 11 October 2026: rauwolscine[tiab] AND (fat OR body composition OR obesity OR weight loss OR lipolysis OR erectile OR supplement*). 20 records returned.

Of 20 records, 19 are receptor-binding, isolated-tissue, isolated-cell or animal pharmacology studies and 1 is the supplement analysis (PMID 26391406). None gave rauwolscine to people for any outcome. The nearest result is a 1984 mouse study in which yohimbine and rauwolscine reduced 3- and 6-hour food intake in ob/ob and lean mice (PMID 6145164).

Participants / model
Records returned, not a population
Treatment
Not applicable
Follow-up
Search run on 11 October 2026
Study design
Literature search
Funding
not stated in the source

A search result shows what PubMed returned on that date. The mouse result is a food-intake endpoint, not fat loss.

Read the original source

How is yohimbine thought to work?

Yohimbine is classed as an alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist, which is the basis sellers give for fat loss. In the one trial that measured lipolysis, yohimbine increased weight loss but had no significant effect on serum glycerol.

Yohimbine is classed as an alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist. The 20-woman diet trial measured energy expenditure, serum noradrenaline and serum glycerol alongside weight, and found no significant effect on lipolysis by serum glycerol. The class alone does not show targeted fat loss, and the six-month trial in men found no change in body fat.

Diet trial: 20 obese women, 3.55 kg versus 2.21 kg over 3 weeks

Randomized controlled trial

Kucio C et al. Isr J Med Sci. 1991;27(10):550-6. PMID 1955308.

Mean weight loss was 3.55 +/- 0.24 kg with yohimbine versus 2.21 +/- 0.37 kg with placebo (P less than 0.005). No significant effect on lipolysis (serum glycerol) was seen.

Participants / model
20 obese women outpatients
Treatment
Oral yohimbine 5 mg four times a day (n=10) or placebo (n=10), with a 1,000 kcal/day diet
Follow-up
3 weeks after a 3-week diet run-in
Study design
Randomized double-blind trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The endpoint is body weight on a low-energy diet, not fat mass.

Read the original source
Six-month trial: 47 men, no effect on weight or body fat

Randomized controlled trial

Sax L. Int J Obes. 1991;15(9):561-5. PMID 1960007.

Yohimbine had no effect on body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL, body fat or fat distribution by waist-to-hip ratio and CT scan compared with the control group.

Participants / model
47 men randomized (mean age 42), 33 completers; obesity status not stated in the abstract
Treatment
Oral yohimbine with a peak dose of 43 mg/day, or placebo
Follow-up
Six months
Study design
Randomized double-blind trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The longest fat-loss trial found, and it was null.

Read the original source

What safety concerns come with yohimbine products?

Poison center reports link yohimbine products to gastrointestinal distress, fast heart rate, anxiety and high blood pressure, with more severe outcomes than average exposures. Supplement doses are unreliable, ranging from none detected to 12.1 mg per serving, and federal regulation says safety and effectiveness are not established for OTC aphrodisiac use.

A review of California Poison Control System reports from 2000 to 2006 found 238 adults symptomatic after a yohimbine-containing product, 98.7% of them herbal products. The yearly rate per 10,000 adult exposures rose from 1.8 in 2000 to 8.0 in 2006. Reasons for use were sexual enhancement (27.7%), weight loss (9.2%) and stimulant effects (7.6%). Reported effects were gastrointestinal distress (46%), tachycardia (43%), anxiety or agitation (33%) and hypertension (25%). Compared with the average substance exposure, yohimbine exposures had more severe outcomes (odds ratio 5.81, 95% CI 4.43 to 7.64) and more need for health-care facility care (odds ratio 2.35, 95% CI 1.82 to 3.04). Poison center reports have no count of total users, so they do not give a rate of harm per user.

An analysis of 49 brands labeled as containing yohimbe or yohimbine from seven major US retailers found yohimbine per recommended serving ranging from none detected to 12.1 mg. Only 11 brands (22%) listed a specific yohimbine quantity, and most of those were inaccurate, with actual content 23% to 147% of the label. Nineteen of 49 (39%) contained no rauwolscine or corynanthine, which the authors read as highly processed extract or synthetic yohimbine. Nine of 49 (18%) gave no information on adverse effects, and only 2 of 49 (4.1%) gave both an accurate quantity and adverse-effect information. These were yohimbe and yohimbine products, not fat-loss blends.

In the 1998 erectile dysfunction meta-analysis, serious adverse reactions were infrequent and reversible. The soccer trial reported no side effects over 21 days.

Poison center review: 238 symptomatic adults, odds ratio 5.81 for severe outcomes

Human study

Kearney T et al. Ann Pharmacother. 2010;44(6):1022-9. PMID 20442348.

238 adult cases were symptomatic after a yohimbine-containing product with a possible or better causality rating. The yearly rate per 10,000 adult exposures rose from 1.8 in 2000 to 8.0 in 2006, and 98.7% involved herbal products. Effects were gastrointestinal distress (46%), tachycardia (43%), anxiety or agitation (33%) and hypertension (25%). Compared with the average substance exposure, outcomes were more severe (odds ratio 5.81, 95% CI 4.43 to 7.64) and health-care facility care more often needed (odds ratio 2.35, 95% CI 1.82 to 3.04).

Participants / model
Adults reported to one US poison control system
Treatment
Herbal and prescription yohimbine products, mostly herbal
Follow-up
2000 to 2006
Study design
Retrospective poison center review
Funding
not stated in the source

Poison center reports have no denominator of total users. Reasons for use were sexual enhancement (27.7%), weight loss (9.2%) and stimulant effects (7.6%).

Read the original source
Supplement analysis: 49 brands, none detected to 12.1 mg per serving

Chemical identity record

Cohen PA et al. Drug Test Anal. 2016;8(3-4):357-69. PMID 26391406.

Yohimbine per recommended serving ranged from none detected to 12.1 mg. Only 11 brands (22%) listed a specific yohimbine quantity, and most of those were inaccurate (actual content 23% to 147% of the label). Nineteen of 49 (39%) contained no rauwolscine or corynanthine. Nine of 49 (18%) gave no adverse-effect information, and only 2 of 49 (4.1%) gave both an accurate quantity and adverse-effect information.

Participants / model
49 US dietary supplement brands from seven major retailers
Treatment
Commercial oral supplements labeled as containing yohimbe or yohimbine
Follow-up
Not applicable
Study design
Original analytical study of label accuracy
Funding
not stated in the source

These were yohimbe and yohimbine products, not fat-loss blends specifically.

Read the original source
21 CFR 310.528 and US records: no FDA application found

Regulatory record

Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Section 310.528 (1989 final rule), drug products containing active ingredients offered over-the-counter for use as an aphrodisiac. With openFDA Drugs@FDA, NDC and label queries run on 11 October 2026, a DailyMed bulk ingredient listing (effective 18 December 2020), and the NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health page on yohimbe (updated May 2025).

openFDA returned no application under the names yohimbine or Yocon or the active ingredients yohimbine or yohimbine hydrochloride, and no NDC or label record. DailyMed returned only a bulk ingredient listing. 21 CFR 310.528 names yohimbine, yohimbine hydrochloride and yohimbinum among OTC aphrodisiac ingredients, states there is a lack of adequate data to establish general recognition of their safety and effectiveness, and treats any OTC product promoted as an aphrodisiac as a new drug needing an approved application. NCCIH says a prescription medication containing yohimbine exists, that yohimbe supplements may not work like it, and that marketing an OTC yohimbine product as an erectile dysfunction treatment without FDA approval is illegal in the United States.

Participants / model
Regulatory records, not a clinical population
Treatment
Not applicable
Follow-up
Searches run on 11 October 2026; rule from 1989
Study design
Federal regulation text, dated US approval-record searches and an NIH information page
Funding
not stated in the source

No FDA application record was found, so no approval history is given.

Read the original source
ED meta-analysis (1998): 7 trials, odds ratio 3.85

Systematic review and meta-analysis

Ernst E et al. J Urol. 1998;159(2):433-6. PMID 9649257.

Seven trials of satisfactory methodological quality; yohimbine was superior to placebo (odds ratio 3.85, 95% CI printed as 6.67 to 2.22). Serious adverse reactions were infrequent and reversible.

Participants / model
Men with erectile dysfunction in 7 pooled randomized trials
Treatment
Yohimbine monotherapy; route and doses not stated in the abstract
Follow-up
not stated in the source
Study design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials
Funding
not stated in the source

The review predates PDE5 inhibitors. The abstract gives no doses, trial sizes or outcome measure.

Read the original source
Soccer trial: 20 players, body fat percentage fell over 21 days

Randomized controlled trial

Ostojic SM. Res Sports Med. 2006;14(4):289-99. PMID 17214405.

Body fat percentage fell in the yohimbine group (9.3 +/- 1.1 to 7.1 +/- 2.2%, p below 0.05) and was lower than placebo after supplementation. Body mass, muscle mass and exercise performance did not change, and no side effects were reported.

Participants / model
20 male professional soccer players
Treatment
Oral yohimbine 20 mg/day in two doses, or placebo, with resistance training
Follow-up
21 days
Study design
Randomized trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The abstract does not state how body fat was measured.

Read the original source

Why does yohimbine sit in C tier?

A plausible mechanism and some human data support C, but the fat-loss trials are small and conflicting, the erectile meta-analysis predates PDE5 inhibitors, and no FDA application record was found. Unreliable product doses and more severe poison center outcomes than average make a D arguable.

The grade sits above D because the trial meta-analysis found serious adverse reactions infrequent. It sits below B because the only six-month fat-loss trial was null, the sexually functional men in the crossover study saw no effect on most measures, and rauwolscine has no human trial in the records reviewed.

Diet trial: 20 obese women, 3.55 kg versus 2.21 kg over 3 weeks

Randomized controlled trial

Kucio C et al. Isr J Med Sci. 1991;27(10):550-6. PMID 1955308.

Mean weight loss was 3.55 +/- 0.24 kg with yohimbine versus 2.21 +/- 0.37 kg with placebo (P less than 0.005). No significant effect on lipolysis (serum glycerol) was seen.

Participants / model
20 obese women outpatients
Treatment
Oral yohimbine 5 mg four times a day (n=10) or placebo (n=10), with a 1,000 kcal/day diet
Follow-up
3 weeks after a 3-week diet run-in
Study design
Randomized double-blind trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The endpoint is body weight on a low-energy diet, not fat mass.

Read the original source
Six-month trial: 47 men, no effect on weight or body fat

Randomized controlled trial

Sax L. Int J Obes. 1991;15(9):561-5. PMID 1960007.

Yohimbine had no effect on body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL, body fat or fat distribution by waist-to-hip ratio and CT scan compared with the control group.

Participants / model
47 men randomized (mean age 42), 33 completers; obesity status not stated in the abstract
Treatment
Oral yohimbine with a peak dose of 43 mg/day, or placebo
Follow-up
Six months
Study design
Randomized double-blind trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The longest fat-loss trial found, and it was null.

Read the original source
Soccer trial: 20 players, body fat percentage fell over 21 days

Randomized controlled trial

Ostojic SM. Res Sports Med. 2006;14(4):289-99. PMID 17214405.

Body fat percentage fell in the yohimbine group (9.3 +/- 1.1 to 7.1 +/- 2.2%, p below 0.05) and was lower than placebo after supplementation. Body mass, muscle mass and exercise performance did not change, and no side effects were reported.

Participants / model
20 male professional soccer players
Treatment
Oral yohimbine 20 mg/day in two doses, or placebo, with resistance training
Follow-up
21 days
Study design
Randomized trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The abstract does not state how body fat was measured.

Read the original source
ED meta-analysis (1998): 7 trials, odds ratio 3.85

Systematic review and meta-analysis

Ernst E et al. J Urol. 1998;159(2):433-6. PMID 9649257.

Seven trials of satisfactory methodological quality; yohimbine was superior to placebo (odds ratio 3.85, 95% CI printed as 6.67 to 2.22). Serious adverse reactions were infrequent and reversible.

Participants / model
Men with erectile dysfunction in 7 pooled randomized trials
Treatment
Yohimbine monotherapy; route and doses not stated in the abstract
Follow-up
not stated in the source
Study design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials
Funding
not stated in the source

The review predates PDE5 inhibitors. The abstract gives no doses, trial sizes or outcome measure.

Read the original source
Poison center review: 238 symptomatic adults, odds ratio 5.81 for severe outcomes

Human study

Kearney T et al. Ann Pharmacother. 2010;44(6):1022-9. PMID 20442348.

238 adult cases were symptomatic after a yohimbine-containing product with a possible or better causality rating. The yearly rate per 10,000 adult exposures rose from 1.8 in 2000 to 8.0 in 2006, and 98.7% involved herbal products. Effects were gastrointestinal distress (46%), tachycardia (43%), anxiety or agitation (33%) and hypertension (25%). Compared with the average substance exposure, outcomes were more severe (odds ratio 5.81, 95% CI 4.43 to 7.64) and health-care facility care more often needed (odds ratio 2.35, 95% CI 1.82 to 3.04).

Participants / model
Adults reported to one US poison control system
Treatment
Herbal and prescription yohimbine products, mostly herbal
Follow-up
2000 to 2006
Study design
Retrospective poison center review
Funding
not stated in the source

Poison center reports have no denominator of total users. Reasons for use were sexual enhancement (27.7%), weight loss (9.2%) and stimulant effects (7.6%).

Read the original source
Supplement analysis: 49 brands, none detected to 12.1 mg per serving

Chemical identity record

Cohen PA et al. Drug Test Anal. 2016;8(3-4):357-69. PMID 26391406.

Yohimbine per recommended serving ranged from none detected to 12.1 mg. Only 11 brands (22%) listed a specific yohimbine quantity, and most of those were inaccurate (actual content 23% to 147% of the label). Nineteen of 49 (39%) contained no rauwolscine or corynanthine. Nine of 49 (18%) gave no adverse-effect information, and only 2 of 49 (4.1%) gave both an accurate quantity and adverse-effect information.

Participants / model
49 US dietary supplement brands from seven major retailers
Treatment
Commercial oral supplements labeled as containing yohimbe or yohimbine
Follow-up
Not applicable
Study design
Original analytical study of label accuracy
Funding
not stated in the source

These were yohimbe and yohimbine products, not fat-loss blends specifically.

Read the original source

Studies and sources

PubChem: yohimbine, its hydrochloride and rauwolscine

Chemical identity record

National Library of Medicine. PubChem compound records CID 8969 (yohimbine), CID 6169 (yohimbine hydrochloride) and CID 643606 (rauwolscine).

Yohimbine free base: C21H26N2O3, 354.4 g/mol, CAS 146-48-5. Yohimbine hydrochloride: C21H27ClN2O3, 390.9 g/mol, CAS 65-19-0. Rauwolscine (alpha-yohimbine): C21H26N2O3, 354.4 g/mol, CAS 131-03-3, with names that differ from yohimbine at two of five named stereocenters. Yohimbe bark extract of Pausinystalia johimbe contains yohimbine, rauwolscine and corynanthine.

Participants / model
Chemical identity, not a clinical population
Treatment
Defined molecules; free base and hydrochloride salt
Follow-up
Not applicable
Study design
NLM chemical record
Funding
not stated in the source

Rauwolscine is a distinct stereoisomer, not a synonym, so data for one do not transfer to the other.

Read the original source
21 CFR 310.528 and US records: no FDA application found

Regulatory record

Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Section 310.528 (1989 final rule), drug products containing active ingredients offered over-the-counter for use as an aphrodisiac. With openFDA Drugs@FDA, NDC and label queries run on 11 October 2026, a DailyMed bulk ingredient listing (effective 18 December 2020), and the NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health page on yohimbe (updated May 2025).

openFDA returned no application under the names yohimbine or Yocon or the active ingredients yohimbine or yohimbine hydrochloride, and no NDC or label record. DailyMed returned only a bulk ingredient listing. 21 CFR 310.528 names yohimbine, yohimbine hydrochloride and yohimbinum among OTC aphrodisiac ingredients, states there is a lack of adequate data to establish general recognition of their safety and effectiveness, and treats any OTC product promoted as an aphrodisiac as a new drug needing an approved application. NCCIH says a prescription medication containing yohimbine exists, that yohimbe supplements may not work like it, and that marketing an OTC yohimbine product as an erectile dysfunction treatment without FDA approval is illegal in the United States.

Participants / model
Regulatory records, not a clinical population
Treatment
Not applicable
Follow-up
Searches run on 11 October 2026; rule from 1989
Study design
Federal regulation text, dated US approval-record searches and an NIH information page
Funding
not stated in the source

No FDA application record was found, so no approval history is given.

Read the original source
ED meta-analysis (1998): 7 trials, odds ratio 3.85

Systematic review and meta-analysis

Ernst E et al. J Urol. 1998;159(2):433-6. PMID 9649257.

Seven trials of satisfactory methodological quality; yohimbine was superior to placebo (odds ratio 3.85, 95% CI printed as 6.67 to 2.22). Serious adverse reactions were infrequent and reversible.

Participants / model
Men with erectile dysfunction in 7 pooled randomized trials
Treatment
Yohimbine monotherapy; route and doses not stated in the abstract
Follow-up
not stated in the source
Study design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials
Funding
not stated in the source

The review predates PDE5 inhibitors. The abstract gives no doses, trial sizes or outcome measure.

Read the original source
Crossover study: no effect on most measures in sexually functional men

Randomized controlled trial

Rowland DL et al. Arch Sex Behav. 1997;26(1):49-62. PMID 9015579.

Yohimbine up to 30 mg/day had no effect on most aspects of sexual response in sexually functional men. In men with erectile dysfunction, effects were mixed: 3 of 11 reported strong positive effects, sexual activity frequency and self-assessed genital response to visual stimulation rose, diaries showed more arousal and erectile response during masturbation but not intercourse, and nocturnal penile tumescence and retrospective summaries showed no effect. Desire was assessed, but no separate desire result is reported.

Participants / model
Men with erectile problems and sexually functional men; group sizes other than the 11 not stated in the abstract
Treatment
Oral yohimbine up to 30 mg/day or placebo
Follow-up
not stated in the source
Study design
Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study
Funding
not stated in the source

The one study here that measured sexual response in sexually functional men.

Read the original source
Diet trial: 20 obese women, 3.55 kg versus 2.21 kg over 3 weeks

Randomized controlled trial

Kucio C et al. Isr J Med Sci. 1991;27(10):550-6. PMID 1955308.

Mean weight loss was 3.55 +/- 0.24 kg with yohimbine versus 2.21 +/- 0.37 kg with placebo (P less than 0.005). No significant effect on lipolysis (serum glycerol) was seen.

Participants / model
20 obese women outpatients
Treatment
Oral yohimbine 5 mg four times a day (n=10) or placebo (n=10), with a 1,000 kcal/day diet
Follow-up
3 weeks after a 3-week diet run-in
Study design
Randomized double-blind trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The endpoint is body weight on a low-energy diet, not fat mass.

Read the original source
Six-month trial: 47 men, no effect on weight or body fat

Randomized controlled trial

Sax L. Int J Obes. 1991;15(9):561-5. PMID 1960007.

Yohimbine had no effect on body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL, body fat or fat distribution by waist-to-hip ratio and CT scan compared with the control group.

Participants / model
47 men randomized (mean age 42), 33 completers; obesity status not stated in the abstract
Treatment
Oral yohimbine with a peak dose of 43 mg/day, or placebo
Follow-up
Six months
Study design
Randomized double-blind trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The longest fat-loss trial found, and it was null.

Read the original source
Soccer trial: 20 players, body fat percentage fell over 21 days

Randomized controlled trial

Ostojic SM. Res Sports Med. 2006;14(4):289-99. PMID 17214405.

Body fat percentage fell in the yohimbine group (9.3 +/- 1.1 to 7.1 +/- 2.2%, p below 0.05) and was lower than placebo after supplementation. Body mass, muscle mass and exercise performance did not change, and no side effects were reported.

Participants / model
20 male professional soccer players
Treatment
Oral yohimbine 20 mg/day in two doses, or placebo, with resistance training
Follow-up
21 days
Study design
Randomized trial
Funding
not stated in the source

The abstract does not state how body fat was measured.

Read the original source
Supplement analysis: 49 brands, none detected to 12.1 mg per serving

Chemical identity record

Cohen PA et al. Drug Test Anal. 2016;8(3-4):357-69. PMID 26391406.

Yohimbine per recommended serving ranged from none detected to 12.1 mg. Only 11 brands (22%) listed a specific yohimbine quantity, and most of those were inaccurate (actual content 23% to 147% of the label). Nineteen of 49 (39%) contained no rauwolscine or corynanthine. Nine of 49 (18%) gave no adverse-effect information, and only 2 of 49 (4.1%) gave both an accurate quantity and adverse-effect information.

Participants / model
49 US dietary supplement brands from seven major retailers
Treatment
Commercial oral supplements labeled as containing yohimbe or yohimbine
Follow-up
Not applicable
Study design
Original analytical study of label accuracy
Funding
not stated in the source

These were yohimbe and yohimbine products, not fat-loss blends specifically.

Read the original source
Poison center review: 238 symptomatic adults, odds ratio 5.81 for severe outcomes

Human study

Kearney T et al. Ann Pharmacother. 2010;44(6):1022-9. PMID 20442348.

238 adult cases were symptomatic after a yohimbine-containing product with a possible or better causality rating. The yearly rate per 10,000 adult exposures rose from 1.8 in 2000 to 8.0 in 2006, and 98.7% involved herbal products. Effects were gastrointestinal distress (46%), tachycardia (43%), anxiety or agitation (33%) and hypertension (25%). Compared with the average substance exposure, outcomes were more severe (odds ratio 5.81, 95% CI 4.43 to 7.64) and health-care facility care more often needed (odds ratio 2.35, 95% CI 1.82 to 3.04).

Participants / model
Adults reported to one US poison control system
Treatment
Herbal and prescription yohimbine products, mostly herbal
Follow-up
2000 to 2006
Study design
Retrospective poison center review
Funding
not stated in the source

Poison center reports have no denominator of total users. Reasons for use were sexual enhancement (27.7%), weight loss (9.2%) and stimulant effects (7.6%).

Read the original source

Why is Yohimbine in C tier?

C fits a compound with a plausible mechanism and some human data that are small and conflicting: two short fat-loss trials were positive, a six-month trial was not, and the erectile dysfunction meta-analysis predates PDE5 inhibitors. Unreliable doses in real products and more severe poison center outcomes than average keep it from rising higher, and a D is arguable on those harm data.