Let’s face it. Everybody could use a bit of a boost in the bedroom sometimes.
Whether it’s stress, a hormone problem, or heck even just plain old life getting in the way, no one’s immune from experiencing an occasional lag in libido.
But have you ever wondered if so-called natural aphrodisiacs work?
Well, you’re not the only one. Some researchers from the University of Guelph did too so they set up a study to find out.
ED drugs do NOTHING for libido
To start with, erectile dysfunction drugs come with a slew of side effects including…
- muscle pain
- headaches
- gastrointestinal problems
- dizziness
- flushing or reddening of the skin
- congestion or a runny nose
- a painful erection that won’t go away (priapism)
- blurred vision
But just as importantly, they also fail to address the real problem, libido.
In other words, they don’t do a darn thing to help your lagging sex drive. You have to be in the mood for sex already to consider even using one of them.
The researchers reviewed hundreds of studies on natural aphrodisiacs, narrowing them down to only the ones that met their stringent clinical requirements.
Next, they examined the data from those remaining studies, looking for any substances that showed evidence of psychological and physiological sexual enhancement.
In other words, true libido boosters.
3 PROVEN herbal libido boosters
In the end, they concluded that three herbs improve sexual function:
1. Panax ginseng:
Panax ginseng is a potent herb which experts say naturally supports physical endurance and mental clarity. And as you can imagine, both of those things can give you just the boost you need in the bedroom, getting both your body and your head into the game.
In another study, 45 men with erectile dysfunction took either 900 milligrams of panax ginseng or a placebo. After eight weeks, the men taking the supplement reported feeling more improvements in their ED than those guys on the placebo did.
In a more recent animal study researchers confirmed, panax ginseng could improve erectile function. And a study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research concluded the herbal extract “improved all domains of sexual function.”
And ladies, good news. Researchers say ginseng could work for you too. Many women experience a drop in libido after menopause. But in a small study, ladies taking three capsules of ginseng had significant improvements in their sexual arousal.
Panax ginseng, sometimes called Korean ginseng, is also rich in antioxidants. Which means it helps support heart and immune health too, both of which can translate into a better bedroom experience.
2. Saffron:
Two words… blood flow. That’s key to saffron’s reported ability to help heat things back up in the bedroom.
Studies show the herb can help improve circulation. Meaning it could help boost blood flow to exactly where you want it. And in the real world, better blood flow down south translates into increased arousal and stronger erections for the men.
But saffron doesn’t just have benefits for the guys. In a study when women were asked to inhale an odorless saffron and alcohol solution or placebo solution for 20 minutes something remarkable happened.
Cortisol levels, an indicator of stress, plummeted in the ladies who received the saffron. And any woman can tell you when stress levels go down sexual desire and libido go up. The researchers also reported that levels of estrogen and feel good hormone such as serotonin jumped.
3. Yohimbine:
The herb yohimbine, or West African tree bark, can reportedly do great things to boost your sexual function too.
In one study, men who were suffering from a lack of libido or erectile dysfunction had a 62 percent boost in function in just two weeks. In another study, 34 percent of men taking the herb had improvements in their erections.
And experts say a combination of yohimbine and l-arginine improves erectile function in men with ED. But keep in mind that yohimbine is a powerful herb, so you may want to have a chat with a doctor skilled in natural medicine before you try it out.
Heating things up in YOUR bedroom
Don’t worry if your favorite libido booster isn’t on this very short list. Even the researchers had to admit that people also regularly reported increased sexual desire with other supplements and foods, including maca root, muira puama, oysters and even chocolate (yum!).
And although there wasn’t a link found between clinical sexual arousal or satisfaction and other claimed aphrodisiacs in the end if something floats your boat, and makes for good times between the sheets, there’s certainly no reason to stop using it.
But guys, one warning. You might want to avoid the frustration of alcohol. It will likely lower your inhibitions and increase your libido. But it also tends to effect sexual performance.
In other words, you’re stuck with the will but robbed of the way.
It’s been said that sex is God’s joke on human beings. So remember, don’t take it too seriously. After all, a little laughter in the bedroom can be an aphrodisiac too.
She is an advocate of self-education and is passionate about the power of group knowledge sharing, like the kind found right here on HealthierTalk.com. Alice loves to share her views on holistic and natural healing as well as her, sometimes contentious, thoughts on the profit-driven inner workings of traditional medicine.
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Boomer12k says
April 22, 2011 at 8:12 pmTwo not mentioned but very good ones are Damiana, (called Turner’s Aphrodisiac), and Schizandra Berries, (a Chinese Herb). It is not recommended to take Muira Puama with alcohol by the way, just so you know!
Damiana is generally cheap, (maybe between 1-2 dollars an ounce , and can be mixed with regular brands of tea, like Red Rose Tea. Schizandra should be fresh, still with some luster to them.
DON’T Use Spanish Fly, it is an irritant and can cause damage, I have read.
There are also Acupressure points to massage, they enhance but do not readily arouse.
Be well and happy…and sexually responsible….
Steve
Ray Mcnamee says
April 22, 2011 at 10:22 pmBe careful of the yohimbe. The side effects are not necessarily worth the risks. Pharmaceutical grade is available by prescription but most doctors recommend anything else. I’ve tried everything and have very little success with yohimbe but have “enormous” success with l-arginine, maca and zinc.
Hanif says
April 23, 2011 at 4:04 amI have had better performance since I started taking CoQ10, although it would be difficult to isolate whether other supplements I take have beneficial effects as well.