Ashwagandha and tongkat ali are both traditional root herbs, but researchers have studied them for different things. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has the larger body of human trials, mostly measuring perceived stress, sleep quality, and strength during resistance training in healthy adults, while tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia) has a smaller, more mixed literature on stress hormones, mood and exercise.
They are not substitutes for each other. People pair them because they come from different plants with different compounds, but we found no published trial testing the two together, so each herb's case rests on its own research.
Key takeaways
- Ashwagandha root extract has been tested in randomized trials, most lasting 6 to 12 weeks, that measured perceived stress, sleep quality, and strength and recovery in healthy adults.
- Tongkat ali research is smaller and less consistent. One 4-week trial in moderately stressed adults recorded lower salivary cortisol, while a 2024 trial in exercise-trained adults found no differences from placebo.
- We found no study of the combination. The case for taking both is that they cover different research ground, not that the pair has been studied.
- Both carry cautions: pregnancy, thyroid and rare liver concerns for ashwagandha, and unresolved safety questions for tongkat ali. Anyone taking medication should check with a clinician first.
What each herb is
Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub long used in Ayurvedic practice as an adaptogen. Its root and leaf differ chemically, and most supplements use the root. Compounds called withanolides are thought to account for many of its effects, though other constituents may also contribute.
Tongkat ali, also sold as long jack, is a slender tree native to Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. The root is the part most often used. It contains quassinoids and several alkaloids, and extracts are usually standardized to marker compounds such as glycosaponins or eurycomanone, so one tongkat ali extract is not interchangeable with another.
What the ashwagandha research measured
The studies in this article tested individual ingredients, not any finished MAXIS product.
Perceived stress
A 2021 review summarized by the NIH pooled seven placebo-controlled trials with 491 adults, each running six to eight weeks. Participants taking ashwagandha reported lower stress and fatigue and had lower serum cortisol than those on placebo, with larger effects at 500 to 600 mg per day. In one example, 60 stressed but otherwise healthy adults took 250 or 600 mg of root extract daily for eight weeks; both doses lowered Perceived Stress Scale scores and serum cortisol compared with placebo.
Sleep quality
A 2021 meta-analysis of five randomized trials found a small but significant improvement in sleep scores. The effect held in the healthy-adult subgroup and was larger in trials using at least 600 mg per day and lasting at least eight weeks.
Strength and recovery
In an eight-week trial, 57 men aged 18 to 50 who were new to resistance training took 600 mg per day of KSM-66 root extract or placebo while following the same program. Bench press one-rep max rose 46.0 kg with ashwagandha versus 26.4 kg with placebo, and leg extension rose 14.5 kg versus 9.8 kg. A 2021 meta-analysis of 12 trials in healthy men and women found ashwagandha outperformed placebo on strength and power, cardiorespiratory fitness, and fatigue and recovery measures, though most participants were not trained athletes and several authors disclosed industry ties. NCCIH still rates the evidence for athletic performance as insufficient.
What the tongkat ali research measured
Stress hormones and mood
In a four-week trial, 63 moderately stressed men and women took 200 mg per day of a standardized water extract of tongkat ali root or placebo. The tongkat ali group showed a 16% drop in salivary cortisol, and its tension, anger and confusion scores improved compared with placebo. Vigor, fatigue and depression scores did not change.
Exercise
The exercise data are thin. A 2022 overview described three small trials: one found no effect on endurance cycling time, one found no change in running capacity after seven days at 150 mg per day, and one reported within-group gains in leg power after eight weeks of training at 200 mg per day, without a reported comparison to placebo. A 2024 trial gave 33 exercise-trained adults 400 mg per day or placebo for four weeks and found no differences in lean mass, fat mass, mood, sleep, grip strength, cortisol or free testosterone.
How they compare
| Ashwagandha | Tongkat ali | |
|---|---|---|
| Part used | Root (some products add leaf) | Root |
| Main outcomes studied | Perceived stress, sleep quality, strength and recovery | Cortisol, mood scores, hormone markers, exercise |
| Human evidence | Many small trials and several meta-analyses | Few small trials with mixed results |
| Daily doses in trials | About 225 to 1,250 mg of extract (stress trials) | About 100 to 600 mg of extract |
| Trial length | Mostly 30 to 90 days | A few days to 6 months |
Can you take them together?
Nothing in the sources we reviewed rules it out, but we found no trial of the pair, so nobody can say it works better than either herb alone. The logic is complementary coverage: ashwagandha brings the stronger evidence on perceived stress, sleep and training, while tongkat ali adds a different plant with its own, smaller research base. A combined product carries both herbs' cautions.
Avoid doubling up. If two of your supplements contain either herb, add up the totals before taking both.
Safety cautions
Ashwagandha. Trials suggest it is well tolerated for up to about three months, but the NIH notes that its safety over many months or years is not known. Reported side effects are usually mild: stomach upset, loose stools, nausea and drowsiness. Rare cases of liver injury have been reported, including a case series of five people taking 450 to 1,350 mg per day who improved after stopping. It may affect thyroid hormone levels and is not advised for people with thyroid or autoimmune conditions. Avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding, stop before surgery, and check with a doctor if you take thyroid, diabetes, blood pressure, immunosuppressant, sedative or anticonvulsant medication.
Tongkat ali. Reported side effects include trouble sleeping and restlessness. It should be avoided in pregnancy, breastfeeding and children, and it lowered the bioavailability of the blood pressure drug propranolol in a study of healthy men. In 2021 the European Food Safety Authority reviewed one tongkat ali root extract and concluded its safety had not been established, citing positive DNA-damage tests in lab and high-dose animal studies. Some tongkat ali products have also been found to contain undeclared prescription drugs, one reason third-party testing matters.
Where MAXIS Ashwagandha+ fits
Each two-capsule serving of Ashwagandha+ provides 600 mg KSM-66 ashwagandha root extract, the extract and daily amount used in the strength trial above, and 400 mg Eury Gold 28 tongkat ali root extract standardized to 28% glycosaponins and 10% eurypeptides. It also contains 200 mg velvet bean seed extract (15% L-Dopa), 50 mg Tribulus terrestris fruit extract, 50 mg muira puama bark extract and 50 mg maca. Ashwagandha+ helps the body adapt to stress, supports energy and stamina, and supports healthy hormone balance.†
It is not for anyone under 18, pregnant or nursing. Talk to your doctor first if you have a thyroid, autoimmune or hormone-sensitive condition, or take MAOIs, antipsychotics, Parkinson's, sedative, immunosuppressant or blood pressure medication. Stop two weeks before surgery, and do not combine it with MAXIS Men's Vitality, which also contains both herbs. More on how we select ingredients is on our standard page.
FAQ
Which has more research on stress, ashwagandha or tongkat ali?
Ashwagandha, by a wide margin, including several trials in healthy adults and a multi-study review. Tongkat ali's stress data come mainly from one four-week trial that measured cortisol and mood.
Does either one change testosterone?
Both have been studied for hormone markers. NCCIH describes the ashwagandha evidence as limited, and a 2022 review of tongkat ali found the clearest changes in men who started with low levels, with no significant effect in men with normal levels. Neither replaces a blood test or a conversation with your doctor.
Morning or night?
Many ashwagandha trials split the daily amount into two doses, and the trials we reviewed did not compare morning with evening timing. Follow the label, and keep in mind that drowsiness is one of the reported side effects.
References
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (2025). Ashwagandha: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (2023). Ashwagandha. nccih.nih.gov
- Langade D, et al. (2019). Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study. Cureus. doi:10.7759/cureus.6466
- Cheah KL, Norhayati MN, Husniati Yaacob L, Abdul Rahman R (2021). Effect of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0257843
- Wankhede S, Langade D, Joshi K, Sinha SR, Bhattacharyya S (2015). Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. PubMed 26609282
- Bonilla DA, Moreno Y, Gho C, Petro JL, Odriozola-Martínez A, Kreider RB (2021). Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on Physical Performance: Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology. doi:10.3390/jfmk6010020
- Talbott SM, et al. (2013). Effect of Tongkat Ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-10-28
- Antonio J, Evans C, Pereira F, et al. (2024). The Effect of Tongkat Ali Supplementation on Body Composition in Exercise-Trained Males and Females. Applied Sciences. doi:10.3390/app14114372
- Leisegang K, Finelli R, Sikka SC, Panner Selvam MK (2022). Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) Improves Serum Total Testosterone in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. Medicina. doi:10.3390/medicina58081047
- Lee EL, Barnes J (2022). Tongkat Ali/Long Jack. Journal of Primary Health Care. doi:10.1071/HC22143
- EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (2021). Safety of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) root extract as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. EFSA Journal. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6937
†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
