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Yohimbe is a type of tree native to the central eastern coast of Africa, used by herbalists for a number of conditions. Despite its use for symptoms of sexual dysfunction, exhaustion, chest pain and diabetes, yohimbe poses a risk for side effects in some patients.
Side Effects
Side effects of yohimbe include nausea, vomiting, insomnia, anxiety, hypertension, rapid heartbeat, dizziness and stomach upset, reports RxList.
Significance
A 2008 study by biotechnology company Amgen and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and published in the Journal of Medical Toxicology analyzed 2006 poison control center calls. The study found that 18 percent of calls from supplements users involved adverse reactions to yohimbe.
Drug Interactions
Do not take yohimbe and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) taken for depression, such as phenelzine and tranylcypromine, cautions Rxlist. Other medications may cause adverse reactions as well.
Risks
Yohimbe poses a risk for hallucinations and kidney failure, warns Salisbury University. Dangerously low blood pressure and heart problems are possible and may prove fatal, explains RxList.
Considerations
Yohimbe is not safe pregnant women or children. If you have a history of schizophrenia, prostate problems, kidney or liver disease, chest pain, heart disease or anxiety/depression, yohimbe may not be safe for you, cautions RxList.
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