Does yohimbine HCl burn fat?

Does yohimbine HCl help you lose fat?

Not in a way you can count on. Yohimbine is the main active substance in the bark of the yohimbe tree. HCl means it comes as a salt form.

It revs up the same system as adrenaline. Here’s what trials found.

In 20 male professional footballers, 20 mg a day for 3 weeks cut body fat from 9.3% to 7.1%. Weight, muscle and fitness tests didn’t change.

Both of those trials were tiny and lasted 3 weeks. The one to weigh most is the 6-month trial.

It gave 47 men up to 43 mg a day, and 33 finished. Yohimbine had no effect on weight, body fat or where the fat sat, checked by CT scan, a type of X-ray body scan.

A 2011 review found no conclusive evidence that it helps body shape, bodybuilding or performance.

Your move: don’t build a fat loss plan around it. Start with how many calories you need to lose weight.

Does taking yohimbine fasted before cardio work?

The idea rests on how yohimbine affects fat cells. Here’s what a 1988 study in healthy men found.

But taking cash out of the bank isn’t the same as spending it. The study measured fat leaving fat cells, not fat lost from your body.

The diet trial also found no clear effect on fat release. And over 6 months, body fat didn’t change.

Like fasted cardio anyway? See the fat-burning heart rate to set your pace.

What are the side effects of yohimbine?

In high doses it may cause agitation, anxiety, high blood pressure and a fast heartbeat. The 2011 review says low doses are generally well tolerated, but harm can rise with the dose.

Weight loss was the reason in 9.2% of these cases. These cases more often turned severe and needed hospital or clinic care than the average poison call.

Medicines matter too. One woman on a blood pressure medicine and two antidepressants had a bleed in the brain after a yohimbine product. Doctors couldn’t prove it was the cause, but warned about mixing them.

On any medicine? Ask a pharmacist before you try it. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.

Is yohimbine legal in the UK?

UK food law lists yohimbe bark as under scrutiny. That’s because experts couldn’t name a daily amount in food free of health concerns.

Unlicensed herbal medicines with yohimbe bark can only be sold in a registered pharmacy, under a pharmacist’s supervision.

Both rules name yohimbe bark. Neither names yohimbine HCl itself.

The label may not match the tub. A US check of 49 brands found only 11 gave a yohimbine amount. Most of those were wrong, at 23% to 147% of the stated dose.

Across all 49, a serving held anything from none detected to 12.1 mg. So the mg on a label may be wrong.

Buying anyway? Pick one that states yohimbine in mg, and ask a pharmacist before you take it.

Should I take yohimbine for fat loss?

The proof is thin and the risks are real. If you still want to try it, run these checks first.

Comparing pills? See which natural weight loss supplements work.

Cutting hard? Read how to keep muscle while you lose weight.

When to speak to a GP

A fast or pounding heartbeat was a common problem. The NHS says to see a GP about palpitations if you feel well but:

• they keep coming back or are happening more often
• they last longer than a few minutes
• you have a heart condition
• heart problems run in your family

Call 999 or go to A&E if palpitations don’t go away, or come with chest pain, shortness of breath, or feeling faint or fainting. Don’t drive yourself.

Had those symptoms and they’ve stopped? Ask your GP surgery for an urgent appointment, or call 111.

Using yohimbine for erection problems? See what an erectile dysfunction blood test checks.