katyzzzAphrodisiacs and working
September 1st 2006 22:22
aphrodisiacs
The "love" industry is booming, in case you hadn't noticed from your e-mail inbox lately. Spammers have hit on aphrodisiacs as a prime seller, and nutritional-supplement manufacturers are getting in on the action as well. What's usually missing is the clinical research to prove these “aphrodisiacs” work.
Can certain foods, drugs and scents really increase sexual desire? Millions of people swear they can, but the scientific evidence is still in question.
The Basic Idea :
By definition, aphrodisiacs are elements that evoke or stimulate sexual desire. Companies that produce drugs or concoctions that claim to enhance your sex life often mislabel these supplements as aphrodisiacs; in order to be a true aphrodisiac, they have to create desire -- not improve performance and ability. Viagra, for example, is not an aphrodisiac.
The Chemistry of Sexual Desire :
Before we can determine if something works, we have to understand what it would have to do in order to work. In the case of aphrodisiacs: What happens in the body and brain when we are sexually excited? For both men and women, it all boils down to hormones -- specifically testosterone.
What Aphrodisiacs Do :
Unexpected Side Effects From Drugs
Aphrodisiacs with the most probable effects are those that have been discovered because people reported increased sexual activity as a side effect of a prescribed drug. Many drug companies are using this unexpected side effect to develop drugs that address the lack of sexual desire some people experience.
Experts say that aphrodisiacs can work in two ways: There are those that create sexual desire by working on the mind, and there are those that create desire by affecting parts of the body. For example, something that increases blood flow in the sex organs might simulate the feelings of sexual intercourse and have the effect of creating desire. Likewise, there are things that can make our bodies produce more of the chemicals associated with sexual desire. Something that lowers inhibitions in the mind, such as alcohol or marijuana, might also create (or allow) the desire to have sex. Sometimes, just thinking something is an aphrodisiac makes it appear to work as one.
There are also things that quell desire. These are called anaphrodisiacs.
Aphrodisiac Supplements and What They Claim to Do :
Like the aphrodisiac foods listed on the previous page, some of the aphrodisiac ingredients often found in supplements may have some research to back their claims, but most do not.
Arginine
Arginine is an amino acid found in meat, nuts, eggs, coconut milk and cheese. It forms nitric oxide in the body, which increases blood flow to the genitals. Arginine, when combined with other supplements, is said to enhance sexual desire in women.
Epimedium
According to pharmacognosist Albert Leung, Ph.D., and Arkansas herbalist Steven Foster, the epimedium herb has been proven to improve the sexual function of male animals in experiments. It acts somewhat as an androgen (sex hormone) and might stimulate sexual desire in women who are androgen-deficient.
Fennel
Fennel is reported to increase the libido of both male and female rats. Fennel has compounds that mimic the female hormone estrogen. However, in doses greater than about a teaspoon, it can be toxic!
Ginseng
Ginseng is another long-touted aphrodisiac. Recently, the Journal of Urology reported, "the Mean International Index of Erectile Function scores were significantly higher in patients treated with Korean red ginseng than in those who received placebo." In animal studies, ingesting ginseng doesn't appear to have an immediate effect on testosterone levels, but the ginseng may trigger other mechanisms that lead to increased performance and libido.
Rhino horn
Rhino horn is primarily fibrous tissue with fairly large amounts of calcium and phosphorus. Since low levels of these minerals can lead to weakness and general fatigue, taking large doses of these elements could increase stamina if levels were low to begin with. It's understandable, then, how it could have historically appeared to be an aphrodisiac (in addition to its resemblance to an erect penis). People who didn't have deficiencies of those minerals wouldn't have seen the same affect
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