aphrodisiac foods...

Read our report and learn more about aphrodisiacs

You might think that aphrodisiacs are just ancient folklore and unsubstantiated claims about substances from Nature rumored to make you feel sexually frisky. Think again! Up until the 1980s, few plants and herbs with reputed sexual benefits, either from China, India or tribal cultures, had ever been tested by Western medical science laboratories to evaluate their effectiveness.

That situation has since changed --in a dramatic way-- and so has the perspective of medical researchers. To learn more about natural aphrodisiacs and topics such as natural solutions for treating male impotence, aphrodisiac foods, review of Arginmax, safety concerns and more, read our report.

Aphrodisiac Defined - On these pages we will use a broad and general definition for natural aphrodisiacs:

1. Natural aphrodisiacs come direct from Nature, not from a laboratory that manufactures synthetic chemicals.
2. Some plant aphrodisiacs stimulate desire by helping to create a mood and feelings that make sexual intimacy easier to achieve.
3. Other plant aphrodisiacs actually play the role of sexual performance enhancers, giving women more genital and orgasmic sensitivity, and men a greater flow of blood to their genitals.

How Natural Aphrodisiacs were Discovered:

Have you ever wondered where the word 'horny' comes from? It came from the ancient belief that ingesting powdered animal horns would give the user sexual vitality. That is just one of dozens of beliefs about aphrodisiacs passed down to us through the generations. Other than possibly being due to a placebo effect -the belief that something will be effective and that belief makes it seem to work-there is no medical evidence that animal horns contain anything that will automatically make you feel horny or sexually desirable.

Discoveries that some natural aphrodisiacs are actually effective in making people feel horny or sexually potent were made through trial and error over many generations, by many cultures. These cultures were experimenting with plants and observing their effects on both humans and animals.

Traditional Chinese medicine and the Ayurvedic medicine tradition of India have prescribed plant aphrodisiacs for many thousands of years based on trial and error, and much observation. Horny goat weed and ginseng are two of the more famous aphrodisiacs from China. Nutmeg and clove are ancient natural remedies from India. Catuaba bark, muira puama and damiana were passed down to us from the pre-European tribal cultures of Mexico and South America.

Are Natural Aphrodisiacs Safer than Synthetic?

In general, if we measure safety by the number and severity of symptoms associated with use, the answer is yes, natural aphrodisiacs are safer than synthetics produced in pharmaceutical laboratories.

You probably have seen the television advertisements for Viagra and similar drugs in which a long list of reported side effects are listed.Viagra, for example, has side effects that include impaired eyesight and a flushing sensation in the face. Viagra isn't recommended for men who have heart conditions or low blood pressure.

By contrast, none of the major herbal aphrodisiacs that have been tested in laboratories exhibit such symptoms or have generated comparable cautions about their use.

How Clinical Trials for Aphrodisiacs Work:

You may have heard the term 'double-blind placebo-controlled' as applied to experiments testing whether something is effective or safe for human consumption. This is medical science's 'gold standard' or seal of approval, especially when the original experiment's results are replicated by subsequent experiments.

In general, what 'double-blind placebo controlled' means is that the study volunteers are given either a placebo (a sugar pill) or the drug or herb being tested. Neither the volunteers nor the researchers know who is given what until the experiment is over. That is the double blind and placebo part. Usually the results are then published in a peer-reviewed medical or science journal (peer reviewed means by experts in the fields.)

Which Natural Aphrodisiacs are Clinically Proven?

You will find that some reputed natural aphrodisiacs have been well tested in human and animal laboratory studies. Consider this list of examples:

1. Horny Goat Weed

A 2008 study by a research team at the University of Milan (Italy) and published in the Journal of Natural Products found that a compound inside horny goat weed called icariin acts in the same way that Viagra's active compound, sildenafil, does to promote male erections.

2. Watermelon

Researchers at the Texas A&M University Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center released findings in 2008 showing that watermelon contains Viagra-like chemicals that can help increase libido. A natural chemical in watermelon called citrulline is converted in the human body into arginine, an amino acid that enhances the circulatory system. Arginine boosts nitric oxide levels in the body in the same way that Viagra does, which can help men suffering from erectile dysfunction.

3. Nutmeg

A 2005 study in the British medical journal, BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine, examined the effects of nutmeg, an ancient libido remedy from India, on male and female rats. After a week of ingesting nutmeg there was "a significant and sustained increase in the sexual activity" of the rodents. Whether this effect on libido translates into human sexuality remains to be studied, but anecdotal evidence indicates that the human libido is also stimulated by nutmeg.

4. Clove

This ancient treatment from India for male sexual disorders was tested in a 2004 study published in the BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine. A group of male rats were fed cloves for a week and that diet "produced a significant and sustained increase in the sexual activity of normal male rats." Once again, this study is suggestive but awaits replication in clinical trial with human beings.

5. Korean Red Ginseng

Two major studies in the medical science journals International Journal of Impotence Research (1995) and The Journal of Urology (2002) found this herb to be effective in treating erectile dysfunction. Both were double-blind placebo-controlled studies. Not only was penile rigidity and girth increased among the volunteers using the herb, they experienced a more active libido, confirming the ancient stories about the herb's medicinal properties.

Is there a Safe Natural Aphrodisiac for both Men and Women?

Four major independent peer-reviewed double-blind placebo-controlled medical studies, all done within the past decade, have found Arginmax to be effective in improving the overall sex lives of both women and men. These studies were published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, the Journal of Women's Health, and The Journal of the Hawaii Medical Association. Learn more about Arginmax.

Aphrodisiac Foods: Which Foods Provide Aphrodisiac Effects for the User?

The richest natural source of zinc to build up testosterone levels for sexual performance in both men and women is mung bean sprouts, which are known as Chinese bean sprouts, according to Dr. Brian Clement, a nutritionist and Director of the Hippocrates Health Institute.

Also nutrient rich are pumpkin seeds, preferably soaked and sprouted. These have the full spectrum of supportive zinc that enhances the DHT, which fosters testosterone development.

Shitake mushrooms, wheat grass juice, along with wheat sprouts, also are helpful in the process of developing and maintaining testosterone. (It's important to note that while women's bodies contain about one-third the level of testosterone as men, women also require an adequate supply of this hormone for sexual desire.)

Here are 19 foods that nutritionists such as Dr. Clement say can enhance your libido:

1. Apricots and Apricot Seeds:

These contain abscisic acid (B-17) which invigorates sexual hormones. Consume up to 15 apricot seeds several hours before sexual contact.
2. Black Raspberry (Fruit and Seeds):

This food enhances both libido and sexual endurance. Consume 10 black raspberries, or one tablespoon of the seeds, about two hours before sexual intimacy.
3. Dill:

For women, this herb helps to increase egg production and the desire for intimacy. Consume a half-ounce of sunflower green sprouts a few hours before sexual intercourse.
4. Figs:

Considered excellent stimulants of fertility, figs also enhance the secretion of pheromones. Eat up to five figs before intimacy.
5. Flower Pollen:

This is a white blood cell strengthener with aphrodisiac qualities. Take one tablespoon of it every morning.
6. Hibiscus:

A gland stimulator, sip tea made from this flower before engaging in intimacy.
7. Jerusalem Artichoke:

An energy vegetable, but without the sugars, take four ounces on the morning of any planned sexual intimacy.
8. Lentil Sprouts:

Minerals and vitamins in these sprouts help to stimulate hormones. Consume about three to five ounces an hour before intimate contact.
9. Lettuce:

An energy vegetable, but without the sugars, take four ounces on the morning of any planned sexual intimacy.
10. Mulberries:

Long valued as an aphrodisiac food, consume one or two handfuls just before foreplay.
11. Nutmeg:

Known for its effects on a woman's hormones, consume two to three ounces an hour before intimate contact
12. Oat Sprouts:

The expression 'sow your wild oats' comes from their reputation as an aphrodisiac that stimulates sexual vitality. Eat three to four ounces of uncooked oat sprouts about four hours before sex.
13. Pea Greens:

Contain high levels of amino acids and enhances red blood cell production, which can sexually arouse males. Juice and drink two to four ounces an hour before intimacy.
14. Radicchio:

Mineral and trace mineral content helps to confer sexual endurance in both men and women. Eat two ounces about eight hours before sex.
15. Spelt Sprouts:

These protein-rich grains contain high levels of vitamins and amino acids; try eating one cup two to four hours before intimacy to increase sexual endurance.
16. Tomato Seeds:

Sun-dried organic tomato seeds invigorate the sex hormones. Consume two to three ounces about an hour before sex.
17. Watermelon Seed Sprouts:

White blood cells counts are increased by these complete proteins, which in turn enhances sexual vitality. Juice and drink six ounces before intimacy.
18. Yams:

Both men and women experience elevated hormone levels from consuming raw yams, either in grated or sprouted form. Take three to six ounces about two hours before contact.
19. Zucchini:

By using it either juiced or raw, these roots of the summer squash enhance blood circulation and helps with both desire and performance. Eat about three ounces three hours before your anticipated sexual encounter.

What does the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Say about Safety?

You should be aware that some aphrodisiac folk remedies are a definite danger to public health. In New York City, at least a half-dozen deaths have occurred in the past few years as a result of people ingesting toad venom from China, marketed as an aphrodisiac under such names as Piedra, Chinese Rock, or Love Stone.

A series of health alerts have been issued to consumers by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration based on FDA lab analyses of some supplements sold as sex enhancers over the counter and on the Internet.

Most of these products contained unlabeled prescription ingredients used in Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, which could kill men with heart disease or who take certain medications that could interact with these hidden ingredients. Here are the examples taken from the U.S. FDA website.

1. Manufacturers of Vinarol and Viga tablets, which were promoted as increasing desire, confidence and sexual performance, had to recall those products in 2003 when the FDA testing found sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra.
2. Manufacturers of Sigra, Stamina Rx, and Stamina Rx for Women, Y-Y Spontane ES, and Uroprin, were forced to recall those brands later in 2003 because the FDA found they contained unlabeled tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis.
3. Manufacturers of Zimaxx, Libidus, Neophase, Nasutra, Vigor-25, Actra-Rx, and 4Everon, all were cited in 2006 by the FDA for marketing illegal drugs with the unlabeled and undeclared ingredients sildenafil or vardenafil, the active ingredient in Levitra.
4. The manufacturer of Liviro3, Ebek, Inc. of Los Angeles, conducted a voluntary recall in 2007 after an FDA lab analysis found tadalafil in their product.
5. Confidence, Inc. of Port Washington, New York recalled its supplement called Long Weekend, marketed under the American Best Nutrition label, after undeclared tadalafil was found to be an ingredient during 2007 testing.
6. Jen-On Herbal Science International of Industry, California withdrew its HS Joy of Love product after vardenafil was found in it, and America True Man Health, Inc. was forced to recall its True Man Sexual Energy Nutrient Capsules and Energy Max Energy Supplement Men's Formula Capsules after sildenafil was found in them during FDA lab testing.
7. Finally, be wary of any aphrodisiac described as "Spanish Fly." This is a powder made from a species of Mediterranean beetle. When it is swallowed, it irritates the lining of the bladder and urethra, resulting in an inflamed clitoris in women. Adverse reactions can go well beyond inflammation. Just a few milligrams of Spanish Fly can permanently damage your kidneys, and heavier doses can produce coma or death.