Yohimbine
yohimbe bark extract
Sold freely in United States and banned in European Union. Same substance, same evidence, different decisions.
A West African tree-bark stimulant sold for fat loss and libido.
Yohimbine sits on the line between fat-burner supplement and cardiovascular drug. In the US it is a common ingredient in pre-workout and "fat-burner" blends; in France, Germany and several other EU states the purified form (yohimbine hydrochloride) is a prescription medicine, reflecting concern about its effects on blood pressure and heart rate.
Where it stands, jurisdiction by jurisdiction
United States
Open, sold freelyDecided on: Contested
Two products must be distinguished. Purified yohimbine hydrochloride is a prescription drug, once FDA-approved for erectile dysfunction and now rarely prescribed since more effective medicines exist. Separately, yohimbe bark is sold over the counter in fat-burner and sexual-health supplement blends, a legal gray area. FDA and NIH flag that most such supplements do not state how much yohimbine they contain, that measured amounts vary widely, and that marketing an over-the-counter yohimbine product to treat erectile dysfunction without FDA approval is illegal.
European Union
Banned, bannedDecided on: Precaution
Yohimbe bark and its preparations are prohibited in food, including food supplements, across the EU. After EFSA's 2013 safety opinion found the data inadequate to conclude on safety, yohimbe was placed under Union scrutiny in Part C of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 by Regulation (EU) 2015/403. When no safety data was submitted within the deadline, Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/650 moved yohimbe and its preparations to Part A of that Annex, the prohibited list, so use in food is banned. Separately, purified yohimbine hydrochloride remains a prescription medicine in some member states, including France and Germany.
Regulatory positions change, sometimes quickly. Check the date on a source before relying on it.