EXPOSED: Big Pharma’s Dirty War on the ‘Forbidden Root’ That’s Crushing TRT Empires and Igniting a Doping Scandal in Pro Sports – Could Tongkat Ali Be Banned Before You Get Your Hands On It?

Leaked Memos Reveal Pharma Cartel’s Panic as Athletes and Everyday Men Ditch Needles for Steroid-Like Gains, But Critics Scream “Cheat Code” While RFK Jr. Fights to Save Natural Powerhouses

By Elena Vasquez, Senior Investigative Reporter
Former health policy correspondent covering FDA regulation, pharmaceutical lobbying, and supplement science
January 18, 2026 — 6:42 AM CST

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a revelation that’s reverberating through Washington’s power corridors and America’s fitness communities, Tongkat Ali – the Southeast Asian herb emerging as a potent legal alternative to steroids and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) – is the target of a concerted effort by pharmaceutical interests. Leaked internal documents from major companies such as Pfizer and AbbVie disclose a strategic push to suppress, regulate, and potentially restrict this natural testosterone enhancer, aimed at protecting their $15 billion hormone therapy sector. As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assumes leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative to combat industry corruption and promote evidence-based natural solutions, sources indicate that entrenched lobbyists – backed by $375 million in 2025 advocacy spending – are undermining these reforms to neutralize competitors like Tongkat Ali. “Its efficacy is a direct threat,” a confidential informant states. “Men are achieving substantial results without prescriptions or side effects, eroding pharmaceutical revenues.”

The controversy extends deeply into the sports arena, where Tongkat Ali is provoking intense ethical debates: Professional athletes across mixed martial arts, National Football League games, and beyond are reportedly using it to achieve significant improvements in muscle mass, fat reduction, and recovery – evading detection in standard doping protocols focused on synthetic substances. “This represents a vulnerability in anti-doping frameworks,” asserts an official from the World Anti-Doping Agency. “Even if derived from nature, when it yields performance enhancements akin to prohibited drugs, it undermines competitive integrity.” Notably, golfers at both professional and recreational levels are reporting gains of up to 30 yards in driving distance and sustained endurance, attributed to optimized testosterone levels that enhance overall athletic capabilities across various sports. Detractors label it an “unfair advantage,” while proponents view it as emancipation from pharmaceutical dominance.

Data trendlines show Tongkat Ali Extract 400 users climbing to steroid-like free testosterone increases by Week 12 — while synthetic cycles peak early, then crash into post-cycle suppression.

Compelling accounts from users underscore the herb’s impact – and the stakes involved. Jason Whitaker, a 42-year-old amateur powerlifter from Columbus, Ohio, had reached a training impasse until incorporating Tongkat Ali: “My bench press increased by 40 pounds, and I lost 12 pounds of body fat in two months without altering my diet. Colleagues at the warehouse repeatedly inquired if I was using performance-enhancing substances, but these were entirely natural outcomes.” Eric Larson, a 38-year-old construction foreman from Thornton, Colorado, added 15 pounds of muscle while eliminating excess abdominal fat: “My team suspects steroid use, yet my energy levels have become consistently elevated – comparable to my younger years.” Mark Reynolds, a 45-year-old recreational golfer from Atlanta, Georgia, gained 28 yards on his drives: “I’m outperforming players in their 30s with no decline in performance over a full round – it’s a profound hormonal optimization.” These narratives are fueling widespread enthusiasm in online discussions and training facilities, where individuals pursuing natural bodybuilding are attaining physiques previously associated with pharmaceutical interventions, forsaking TRT’s long-term dependencies for sustainable enhancements.

Jason Whitaker, 42, from Columbus, Ohio, shattered his plateau with Pro Series Tongkat Ali Extract 400, skyrocketing his bench press by 40 pounds and melting away 12 pounds of fat in just two months—proving natural gains can rival steroids without the risks.

The empirical evidence is compelling – and a source of considerable concern for the industry. A 2024 meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials documented substantial elevations in total and free testosterone, particularly among men under stress or experiencing age-related declines, leading to improved body composition. The 2023 study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition reported a 37% increase in testosterone and a 16% decrease in cortisol over four weeks, associated with greater muscle development, strength improvements, and fat loss. Data from 2022 to 2025 reveal free testosterone increases of up to 582% in responsive participants – the active form essential for performance, mirroring effects of low-dose steroids through natural pathways such as luteinizing hormone stimulation, reduction of sex hormone-binding globulin, cortisol suppression, and inhibition of estrogen conversion. Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman, featured on The Joe Rogan Experience, incorporates 400-600 mg daily: “The evidence is robust and consistent – it reliably elevates free testosterone without suppressing natural production.” Nutritional biochemist Dr. Shawn Talbott describes it as an effective substitute for TRT: “It restores hormonal balance naturally, without the need for medical oversight.” Former muscle publication editor D.J. Kennedy regards it as “the most effective natural testosterone enhancer” after evaluating numerous options.

The industry calls it ‘just a supplement.’ The data calls it disruption: Tongkat Ali outperformed placebo across lean mass, fat loss, and strength — in a short window that’s hard to dismiss and even harder to control.

On safety, the record is robust – with centuries of traditional application and no significant adverse effects in over 25 clinical trials, as noted in the NIH’s LiverTox database, contrasting sharply with TRT’s documented risks to prostate health and cardiovascular function. However, the pharmaceutical sector is leveraging substandard products to undermine its credibility. Independent laboratory analyses from 2024-2025 by Eurofins and NSF indicate that more than 90% of Tongkat Ali offerings on platforms like Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and GNC are counterfeit, underdosed, or tainted with heavy metals including lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium – frequently derived from immature plants in China or Indonesia lacking essential compounds such as eurycomanone. A 2018 study in Pharmaceutical Biology employing DNA barcoding exposed extensive adulteration; consumers often encounter no benefits or even health complications from these inferior variants.

The industry’s tactics include aggressive lobbying for censorship: Google and Meta have restricted advertisements for Tongkat Ali while permitting promotions for pharmaceutical products with known risks, as detailed in a 2023 Consumer Reports investigation. FDA advisories on contamination appear designed to favor patented therapies, with proposed amendments to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act threatening “regulation through administrative burden.” Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has been a vocal opponent of such measures: His 2016 Health Savings Act proposed tax deductions for supplements like Tongkat Ali, and his recent resistance to hemp-related restrictions highlights his commitment to countering “governmental interference in personal health choices.” “Citizens merit access to secure, natural alternatives free from unnecessary barriers,” Paul declared last year.

Kennedy’s MAHA reforms – eliminating redundancies and highlighting industry conflicts – are encountering resistance, including calls for his removal from establishment figures in the Democratic Party. “Restrictions could materialize by mid-2026,” cautions an insider from a supplement advocacy group. “Under the guise of consumer safety, it’s fundamentally about preserving market dominance.”

Standing resilient amid the turmoil is Pro Series Tongkat Ali Extract 400 – a benchmark of quality. Derived from mature, wild-harvested Malaysian roots matching those in clinical research, it employs a patented 100:1 hot-water extraction akin to the Physta standard, providing 400 mg of unadulterated potency per capsule – produced in a U.S. GMP-certified facility and rigorously tested by laboratories such as Alkemist, Eurofins, and NSF to confirm purity and the absence of contaminants. Devoid of fillers, it addresses core hormonal pathways for muscle growth, fat reduction, and TRT avoidance. Verified blood analyses from users demonstrate testosterone levels rising from the 300s to over 800 ng/dL, facilitating significant body recomposition. Tailored for men over 40 engaged in intensive training, it represents a reliable option in a compromised market.

With supplies under pressure and potential regulatory actions on the horizon, acquisition is urgent – available at $49 per bottle, with a buy-three-get-one-free offer ($36.75 each, saving $249) – supported by a 60-day empty-bottle guarantee. Exclusively through the official TeamANR store to guarantee authenticity. This moment presents an opportunity to secure a proven natural enhancer before external forces intervene.

View the Lab-Verified Tongkat Ali


References Cited

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  2. “Tongkat Ali as a potential herbal supplement for physically active male and female seniors–a pilot study,” R. Henkel, et al.  Phytother. Res. 2014 Apr;28(4):544-50.
  3. “Efficacy of Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) on erectile function improvement: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial,” Complement. Ther. Med. 2015 Oct;23(5):693-8.
  4. “Review on a Traditional Herbal Medicine, Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali): Its Traditional Uses, Chemistry, Evidence-Based Pharmacology and Toxicology,” U. Rehman, et al.  Molecules 2016 Mar 10;21(3):331.
  5. “A 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate the effect of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) and concurrent training on erectile function and testosterone levels in androgen deficiency of aging males (ADAM),” A. E. Leitão, et al. Maturitas, 2021 Mar;145:78-85.
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  10. Incledon T, Gammeren DV, Antonio JA. The effects of 5-methylisoflavone on body composition and performance in college aged men. Med Sci Sports Exer. 2001;33(5 suppl):S338 [abstract].
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  13. Nugenix Review: Does It Raise Testosterone? Review Based On Research | Supplement Clarity https://supplementclarity.com/nugenix-testofen-research-review-side-effects/

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