Yohimbine for Stubborn Fat: What the Evidence Shows

Yohimbine has a reputation as the “stubborn fat” supplement. There is real physiology behind the idea, but the evidence is thin and the side effects are frequent. Here is what is known.

The stubborn fat theory

Fat cells have two kinds of adrenergic receptors. Beta receptors speed up fat release; alpha-2 receptors slow it down. Lower belly, hip and thigh fat, especially in women, tends to have more alpha-2 receptors, which is one reason it is the last to go when dieting. Yohimbine blocks alpha-2 receptors, releasing the brake. It also raises adrenaline levels.

What the evidence shows

The study most often cited was published in 2006 in Research in Sports Medicine. Twenty professional soccer players took yohimbine (20 mg a day split into two doses) or placebo for 21 days. The yohimbine group lost about 2% more body fat than placebo, with no change in body weight or performance. It was a small study in lean athletes, and it has not been well replicated.

Because insulin counters yohimbine’s effect, research and user reports point to taking it on an empty stomach, often before morning cardio.

Side effects

• Anxiety, nervousness and panic attacks
• Fast heart rate and palpitations
• Raised blood pressure (sometimes lowered in sensitive people)
• Sweating, flushing and chills
• Headache and nausea
• Insomnia, especially if taken later in the day
• Frequent urination

Who should avoid it

• Anyone with an anxiety or panic disorder, bipolar disorder or PTSD
• Anyone with heart disease, high or low blood pressure
• Anyone with kidney or liver disease
• Anyone taking antidepressants, stimulants or blood pressure medicines
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women

Supplements and “yohimbe bark”

Yohimbe bark supplements contain variable and often unknown amounts of yohimbine; studies of US supplements found many labels were inaccurate. Yohimbine hydrochloride in measured tablets is more predictable. In Canada, yohimbine is regulated as a drug, and Health Canada has issued advisories about unauthorised products containing it.

Where yohimbine fits

Stubborn fat responds to the same things as all fat: a sustained calorie deficit and time. Yohimbine may slightly speed up loss from resistant areas in people who are already lean, but it does not replace a deficit, and spot reduction through exercise does not work either. See why spot reduction fails, fasted cardio and fat-loss supplements in Canada.

Who it may suit, and who it does not

Where yohimbine has any role, it is for people who are already lean, have a stable calorie deficit, and are trying to lose the last few kilograms from resistant areas. For anyone with more fat to lose, the stubborn-fat effect is irrelevant: the fat that comes off first comes off regardless, and the anxiety and heart rate side effects simply make dieting harder. Women, who more often carry fat in alpha-2-rich areas like the hips and thighs, are often the target of yohimbine marketing, but they are also more likely to notice its anxiety effects. A trial at a low amount, on a day without other stimulants, shows how someone responds before anything else is considered.

Anyone who drinks a lot of coffee or uses pre-workout products should account for that caffeine too. Combined stimulants are the most common reason people end up with palpitations or panic symptoms.

Combinations to avoid

Yohimbine is often stacked with caffeine, clenbuterol or other stimulants. Each adds to heart rate and blood pressure. See clenbuterol and caffeine.

Products

We carry Genetix Yohimbine HCL 5 mg for research, with batch lab results on the product page. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before using any product containing yohimbine.

Frequently asked questions

Photo: Healthy Living, StockSnap (public domain).

General information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before using yohimbine.