Herbs For Horses Articles & Resources

Given the limited information available--and always with your doctor's approval--you and your partner may wish to investigate the following natural tonics and alternatives to prescription drugs. You might find they stimulate more than the imagination.

chocolate

COCOA AND CHOCOLATE promote the release of endorphins in the brain. "Endorphins are pleasure messengers that signal feelings of well-being and happiness--and may help you become more receptive to sex," says Hank Wuh, ., author of Sexual Fitness.

Chocolate's components include caffeine; L-arginine, an amino acid involved in sexual responsiveness; and phenylethylamine. The latter, a natural anti-depressant and stimulant, is the "molecule of love," according to Theresa Crenshaw, ., author of The Alchemy of Love and Lust. Feelings of love or lust increase blood levels of phenylethylamine, but after a heartbreak, levels plummet--which may help explain those post-breakup bonbon binges.

"Cocoa and chocolate are not great sex enhancers, but they recreate the brain chemistry of being in love," says Chris Kilham, an ethnobotanist at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and author of Hot Plants: Nature's Proven Sex Boosters for Men and Women. "If being in love makes you feel more sexual, then cocoa and chocolate might do that, too."

DOSE AND SAFETY: Chocolate is high in calories, and its small levels of caffeine may bother those with sensitivities. It may also cause heartburn, migraine headaches, and allergic reactions.

coffee

IF YOUR THOUGHTS turn to dreamland as your partner's turn to dallying, a cup of coffee might help keep you alert. But caffeine does more than shoo away the sandman. In one investigation, University of Michigan researchers surveyed 744 older married couples, and discovered that women who were daffy coffee drinkers were more likely to call themselves sexually active--62 percent versus 38 percent--than those who abstained from coffee. In addition, 59 percent of the coffee-free male subjects reported erectile dysfunction, compared with 36 percent of the java drinkers.

It's possible that the caffeine buzz from coffee (or, to a lesser extent, tea) boosts sexual energy, though the exact correlation has yet to be established. "Caffeine is a powerful central nervous system stimulant," Blumenthal explains. "When people get a caffeine buzz, some can feel a sexual buzz as well."

DOSE AND SAFETY: Coffee may cause insomnia, jitters, and irritability. Some reports have linked coffee to more serious ailments, but the most authoritative studies show that one to two cups per day do not increase the risk for heart disease or cancer.

damiana

APHRODISIACA IS ONE of the scientific names for this small green shrub, used by the ancient Mayans as a sex booster. To date, only a single animal study has investigated the plant's sexual effects. According to a report published in the journal Psychopharmacology, damiana "improves the copulatory performance of sexually sluggish or impotent rats. These results seem to support damiana's folk reputation as a sex stimulant."

Or maybe not. One animal study isn't much, and a pharmacological analysis of this plant in Review of Natural Products concluded: "No substantive data are available to support its aphrodisiac effects." Wuh says damiana is a mild stimulant that can cause tingling in the urethra and genitals, sensations that can be experienced as sexual. "It needs to be more thoroughly researched," adds Blumenthal.

DOSE AND SAFETY: The typical dose is 3 to 4 grams of powdered leaf in tablets or capsules, taken twice a day. No significant adverse effects have been reported. "At this point," Blumenthal says, "all we can say about damiana is that it has a long history of use for sexually oriented conditions and that it's safe."

ginkgo

GINKGO HAS no historical reputation as an aphrodisiac, but since the 1980s, studies have shown that it improves blood flow in the brain, slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease. It also boosts blood flow into the genitals. At the University of California at San Francisco, researchers gave ginkgo to 63 men and women suffering sexual side effects resulting from taking anti-depressants, such as low libido, erectile dysfunction, reduced vaginal lubrication, and loss of orgasm. After two years, the herb had helped 76 percent of the men and 91 percent of the women.

While no placebo group was used in the study, the results were about two to three times higher than normally reported in most control populations, suggesting real benefit. In two similar studies, ginkgo provided no benefit from anti-depressant-induced sex problems, but those investigations were comparatively brief, lasting only a month or two. Apparently, it takes a while longer for ginkgo's sexual benefits to appear.

"There is no question that ginkgo dilates blood vessels and improves blood flow," says Blumenthal. "The research so far is intriguing but thin."

DOSE AND SAFETY: Participants in the UCSF study took 60 milligrams of ginkgo extract four times a day or 120 mg twice a day. Possible side effects include stomach upset, headache, jitters, rashes, dizziness, and heart palpitations. Ginkgo is also an anti-coagulant that may increase bruising and prolong bleeding.

ginseng

ASIANS HAVE LONG considered ginseng a tonic, meaning that it subtly strengthens the entire body. According to Linda B. White, ., coauthor of The Herbal Drugstore, practitioners of Chinese medicine use ginseng to enhance overall vitality and increase resistance to stress. "People who feel more vital are generally more interested in sex," she says.

A recent review at Yale University suggests that ginseng increases the body's production of nitric oxide, a compound essential for erection. In a study published in the Journal of Urology, Korean researchers gave 45 men with erectile problems either a placebo or ginseng; after eight weeks, the ginseng group experienced significant improvement. Another study conducted at the Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul showed similar results. "Ginseng provides an unquestionable boost for libido and men's erections," says Kilham. (For more news on ginseng, see our Health & Healing section, starting on page 99.)

DOSE AND SAFETY: "The problem with ginseng is that people don't take enough of it," Kilham notes. "You have to use what the Korean study used--around 900 mg three times a day. "There are few reports of serious problems, though possible side effects include caffeine-like reactions and lowered blood sugar.

maca

WHEN THE SPANIARDS brought their horses and livestock to the high altitudes of the Andes, the fertility of the animals declined. The Incas showed them a cure, a local ground cover called maca. Nearly 500 years later, Peruvian researchers at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima demonstrated that maca does indeed prevent altitude-induced decreases in the sperm count in animals.

These observations have not gone unnoticed. "Peruvian doctors routinely give it to male patients who complain of having erection problems," says Kilham. "I think maca is one of the two or three best sex-enhancing plants on the planet."

In the one human trial performed thus far, researchers at the same university in Lima gave men a daily placebo or maca; after eight weeks, the men who took the herb reported greater sexual desire.

"Maca has a long history of use as a food, so I'm persuaded it's safe," Blumenthal says. "As for its sexual effects, scientifically speaking, the jury is still out."

DOSE AND SAFETY: It's not clear what dose should be taken. "If you're using ground-up maca, you may need tablespoons of it. If you're using standardized maca extract, then about 500 mg or more per day will get you aroused," says Kilham. In the clinical trial, the men took either 1,500 or 3,000 mg per day; other sources call for an even higher intake. No serious side effects have been reported, but this herb has not been well researched.

muira puama

KNOWN AS "potency wood," this shrub is a traditional aphrodisiac among many native peoples throughout the Amazon, says Kilham.

In one study, researchers in Paris surveyed the sexuality of 202 healthy women complaining of low libido, then gave them a combination of muira puama and ginkgo. Two-thirds reported improved sexual function: greater libido, more frequent intercourse, increased likelihood of orgasm, more intense orgasms, and greater sexual satisfaction.

"Often when a plant gets a name like 'potency wood,' there's something to that claim," says Blumenthal.

DOSE AND SAFETY: The typical dose is 1 to 2 milliliters of muira puama extract in water two to three times a day. No serious side effects have been reported, but this herb has not been well researched.

tribulus terrestris

IN INDIA, this is an age-old treatment for sexual problems. It contains protodioscine, a compound that the body converts into the male sex hormone dehydroepiandosterone; it also increases the production of nitric oxide, a vasodilator. To date, no human trials have investigated its sexual effects, but in two animal studies, the herb increased erection firmness and sexual frequency.

"Animal studies don't always translate into human effects," Blumenthal notes. "We need human trials. But tribulus increases nitric oxide production ... so I wouldn't be surprised if it improves sexual function."

DOSE AND SAFETY: The typical dose ranges from 250 to 750 mg a day. No serious side effects have been reported, but this herb has not been well researched.

yohimbe

FOR CENTURIES, the bark of the West African yohimbe tree was reputed to restore faltering erections. Scientists scoffed--until the 1980s, that is, when several investigations showed that yohimbine, a chemical in the bark, increases blood flow into the penis. More recent studies have confirmed yohimbine's benefits, and the Food and Drug Administration has approved it as a prescription treatment for erection problems under the brand names Yocon and Aphrodyne.

Recently, researchers at the University of Texas gave a combination of yohimbine and L-arginine to women with arousal difficulties, and then showed them erotic videos. Compared to a placebo group, those taking the combination reported greater sexual response.

DOSE AND SAFETY: Sexual benefits have been produced using 6 mg to 18 mg. Yohimbe is available over the counter, but an analysis by the FDA found that some products may contain only traces of the active ingredient. Therefore, you may want to talk to your doctor about prescription yohimbine. Possible side effects include increased heart rate and blood pressure, nervousness, irritability, headache, dizziness, and flushing.

beyond herbs: 9 MORE NATURAL SEX ENHANCERS

Mention aphrodisiacs, and most people think of pills and potions. But these take a back seat to how couples live their lives. Want to heat things up? Try the following:

exercise vigorously University of California researchers enrolled sedentary men in one of two exercise programs--vigorous aerobics or walking. While even mild exercise has a long list of benefits, the aerobics group experienced substantially greater sexual enhancement, which was closely linked to individual improvements in fitness. Exercise also improves women's sexual satisfaction, according to a five-year study at the University of Vermont.

manage stress "Research shows that stress throws a wet blanket over the libido," says Linda B. White, . "Plus, a stressed-out person has little sex appeal Getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet are simple measures that reduce the stress load."

stay trim Brown University researchers enrolled 32 overweight women in a weight-loss program. After shedding pounds, the women reported "significant increases in frequency of sexual activity."

don't smoke Smoking constricts the arteries, reducing blood flow into the genitals. Men who smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke double their risk of impotence, according to a study published in Preventive Medicine.

drink responsibly Shakespeare wrote that alcohol "provokes the desire, but takes away the performance." Methinks it's true: Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that writs erections and impairs women's sexual responsiveness.

use a lubricant After age 35, most women notice some peri-menopausal vaginal dryness. Poorly lubricated sex is uncomfortable--and a turn-off. The solution is a commercial sex lubricant like K-Y or Astroglide, available at drugstores and erotic boutiques.

prioritize sex if you wait until the kids are fed, the dog is walked, and the bills are paid, sex isn't going to happen. "To maintain an active sex life," says therapist Louanne Weston, ., "make sex dates for times when you both have the energy."

break your rut "The most neglected aspect of great sex is the context," Weston says. "The romantic setting is usually the first thing to go. Instead of a ski chalet with a magnificent view, it's a dark bedroom on musty sheets when you're exhausted. Be provocative: Try scented candles, soft music, massage lotion, or a non-bedroom setting."

work as a team When it comes to sex, two heads and hearts are always better than one. "Sexual quality is something lovers create together," says Palo Alto, Calif., sex therapist Marty Klein, . "Creative lovemaking is a powerful turn-on.".