Label literacy
What Extract Ratios Mean on a Label: 100:1, 10:1 and "Equivalent To"
An extract ratio such as 100:1 means about 100 parts of dry plant were used to make 1 part of extract. The "equivalent to" number on a label is that starting plant, not what you swallow. Vapofil's 10 mg of tongkat ali came from about 1,000 mg of root, but trials weighed extract, at 100 to 600 mg a day.
Written by the Vapofil editorial teamUpdated · 8 min read
The basics
What does an extract ratio like 100:1 mean?
An extract ratio describes how much plant went in, not how much comes out. At 100:1, about 100 grams of dried plant were processed into 1 gram of extract.
The Vapofil label has two of these lines. Tongkat ali is 10 mg "From 100:1 extract, equivalent to approximately 1000mg of dry Tongkat Ali powder." Horny goat weed is 8 mg "From 10:1 extract, equivalent to approximately 80mg of dry Horny Goat Weed powder." See the full label.
See it
How do Vapofil's two extract ratios work out?
Each grey square is one part of dry plant. Switch between the two extracts.
- On the label10 mg of a 100:1 extractEach grey square is one part of dry plant; it takes 100 of them to make one blue square of extract.
- "Equivalent to"about 1,000 mg of dry root powderThe amount of raw plant used to make your 10 mg. It is not what you swallow.
- The trials100-200 mg of extract a day in the largest trialThat is 10 to 20 of the blue extract squares, or 1,000 to 2,000 of the grey powder squares. (LiverTox, Tongkat ali)
- On the label8 mg of a 10:1 extractEach grey square is one part of dry plant; it takes 10 of them to make one blue square of extract.
- "Equivalent to"about 80 mg of dry herbThe amount of raw plant used to make your 8 mg. It is not what you swallow.
- The researchNo proven dose; products are 250-500 mgMost evidence comes from lab and animal studies. (MSKCC, Epimedium) (LiverTox, Horny goat weed)
What the ratio tells you
- Roughly how much dry plant went into the extract.
- That the extract is a concentrate, not plain ground root.
What it does not tell you
- How much of the active compounds (such as eurycomanone or icariin) is inside.
- That you get the effect of 1,000 mg. Trials weighed extract, so compare extract with extract.
- That the ratio was tested. No lab result or standard is given.
Federal label rules say an extract is listed by the weight of the dried extract (21 CFR 101.36, Supplement labels), which is why 10 mg is the number to compare. In one review, only 11 of 41 tongkat ali products met the recommended level of eurycomanone (Leisegang 2022, Tongkat ali meta-analysis).
The rules
What do federal label rules say about extracts?
| Rule | What it says | On the Vapofil label |
|---|---|---|
| Weight of an extract | For an extract with the solvent removed, the weight listed is the weight of the dried extract | Tongkat ali 10 mg and horny goat weed 8 mg are extract weights |
| Plant part | A botanical listing must name the part of the plant used | Berry, root, root and leaf are named for four lines; the tongkat ali and horny goat weed lines give the species but no plant part |
| No Daily Value | Ingredients without a Daily Value carry a symbol and "Daily Value not established" | All seven lines carry the dagger |
The first rule is the key one. Because the law weighs the dried extract, 10 mg is the amount of tongkat ali in your two capsules. The "equivalent to" figure is extra wording from the brand.
Tongkat ali in numbers
Which tongkat ali numbers should you compare?
Trial doses and product testing from a 2022 review (Leisegang 2022, Tongkat ali meta-analysis).
The trap
Why is the "equivalent to" number the wrong one to compare?
Because the studies weighed extract too. A 2022 review of tongkat ali trials found doses of 100 to 600 mg of extract a day (Leisegang 2022, Tongkat ali meta-analysis). The largest trial gave 100 or 200 mg a day to men aged 50 to 70 with low testosterone (LiverTox, Tongkat ali).
Compare like with like. Vapofil's 10 mg of extract against at least 100 mg of extract is about one tenth of the lowest studied dose. Setting 1,000 mg of root beside trial doses of extract would be a false comparison.
On any label, find the milligram number right after the ingredient name. That is what you swallow. Treat the "equivalent to" figure as background, never as the dose.
The same logic applies to horny goat weed. Its 8 mg came from about 80 mg of herb, while products on the market are sold as 250 or 500 mg capsules (LiverTox, Horny goat weed). More examples are in the Vapofil dose guide.
The limits
What doesn't an extract ratio tell you?
A ratio is a recipe note, not a quality test.
- How much active compound is inside. Tongkat ali research tracks eurycomanone; horny goat weed research tracks icariin (MSKCC, Epimedium). The Vapofil label states neither.
- Whether the product matches the claim. In one review, only 11 of 41 tongkat ali products met the recommended eurycomanone level (Leisegang 2022, Tongkat ali meta-analysis). Other testing found mercury above the legal limit in some tongkat ali products (Science.gov, Tongkat ali mercury).
- Whether the extract was ever tested in people. Most tongkat ali trials used one specific water extract (Leisegang 2022, Tongkat ali meta-analysis). Horny goat weed evidence is mostly lab and animal work (MSKCC, Epimedium).
Each ingredient has its own profile: tongkat ali and horny goat weed.
Checklist
How do you read any extract line on a label?
Find the extract weight
The number right after the name is the dried extract, by law. That is your dose.
Note the ratio and plant part
The ratio shows how concentrated it is. The plant part should be named, as in root or leaf.
Look up the trial dose in extract
Compare extract with extract. Ignore the "equivalent to" figure for this step.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist
Bring the label. ED can be an early sign of heart disease or diabetes, so erection problems need a checkup first.
FAQ
Extract ratio FAQ
How do you read a 100:1 extract ratio?
It means about 100 parts of dried plant were used to make 1 part of extract. So 10 mg of a 100:1 extract started as roughly 1,000 mg of plant. The ratio describes the recipe. The amount you actually swallow is the extract weight, which is the 10 mg.
Why do labels say "equivalent to" a larger amount?
The "equivalent to" line converts the extract back into the amount of raw plant used to make it. Federal label rules list an extract by the weight of the dried extract, so that smaller number is the dose. The bigger figure describes the starting plant only.
How much tongkat ali extract did studies use?
A 2022 review found trials used 100 to 600 mg of extract a day, mostly of one water extract. The largest trial, in 105 men aged 50 to 70 with low testosterone, gave 100 or 200 mg a day for 12 weeks. Effects showed mainly in men with low levels.
What is a 10:1 horny goat weed extract?
It is a concentrate made from about 10 parts of dried horny goat weed for every 1 part of extract. Vapofil lists 8 mg, made from about 80 mg of herb. Products on the market are sold as 250 or 500 mg capsules, and the evidence is mostly from lab and animal studies.
Does an extract ratio show how much active ingredient is inside?
No. A ratio says how much plant went in, not how much eurycomanone, icariin or any other active compound came out. In one review, only 11 of 41 tongkat ali products met the recommended eurycomanone level. Only a stated compound amount or an independent lab test can answer that.
Do supplement labels have to name the part of the plant used?
Yes. Federal rules say a botanical listing must specify the part of the plant the ingredient comes from, such as root, leaf or berry. On the Vapofil label, four lines name the part, while the tongkat ali and horny goat weed lines give the species name but not the plant part.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the label, the sales page and linked public health sources.
Last updated . Our editorial standards explain how we check reviews. This website is run by Vapofildaily, a U.S. stocking partner for Vapofil, not by the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. Purchases through our order links earn us a commission.
Keep reading
More about Vapofil
Dose guide
Each Vapofil amount next to the dose used in research, plus what the label's extract ratios do and do not tell you.
Read moreTongkat ali
10 mg of tongkat ali extract, the 100:1 ratio decoded, the trials and the product quality problems.
Read moreHorny goat weed
8 mg of a 10:1 extract, the smallest line on the label, backed mostly by lab and animal work on icariin.
Read moreU.S. stocking partner for Vapofil
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