Improving your sex life

It's especially common when you're tense, anxious or tired - even though you may otherwise be in good health and eat a normal diet.Several herbs and supplements have a reputation as prosexual agents. These may reduce sexual inhibition or boost desire and performance. Unfortunately, few clinical trials have been carried out to investigate their efficacy, but if your lovelife is in need of a boost, try the following three-step program:Step one Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement, providing around 100 per cent of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of as many micronutrients as possible, as well as important trace elements such as boron, chromium, copper and molybdenum. This will help to correct any nutrient deficiencies that may be linked with reduced physical or sexual energy.Step two Take evening primrose oil (500-1000mg per day) to provide essential fatty acids (EFAs) needed for synthesis and balance of sex hormones. Low sex drive is often linked with physical exhaustion, and EFA supplements showed significant beneficial effects (within three months) in 90 per cent of people suffering from chronic fatigue. EFAs may therefore prove helpful where low sex drive is associated with lack of energy.Step three Take one or more of the following supplements which have a reputation for enhancing sexual function.Korean ginseng,Damiana, 

Muira puama, Hypericum ,Oats, Ashwagandha, Fo-ti, Gingko, Schisandra

Chicken egg extracts

Tribulus terrestris

        Korean Ginseng has been used in China as a sexual balancer and revitalising tonic for over 7,000 years. It is also praised as an aphrodisiac in India.What it is Dried root containing ginsenosides, saponins, steroidal glycosides, sterols.Actions In China, ginseng is widely used as an aphrodisiac and life-enhancing tonic. It is stimulating and restorative, improving physical and mental energy, stamina, strength, alertness and concentration. Clinical trials have confirmed its ability to help the body adapt to physical or emotional stress and fatigue. It has a normalising effect on hormone imbalances and boosts metabolic rate and improves peripheral circulation, including blood flow to the genitals.Analysis has identified steroidal compounds similar to human sex hormones, and ginseng has been shown to boost sexual activity in rabbits, bulls and rats, and to stimulate ovulation in hens.Who would benefit? Those whose low sex drive is linked with stress, over-work, fatigue, convalescence or hormone imbalances.Dose: Depends on grade of root. Choose a standardised product. Start with a low dose and work up from 200-1000mg a day. Optimum dose usually around 600mg daily. It should not be taken for more than six weeks without a break. In the East, ginseng is taken in a two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off cycle.Cautions: Not advised if you have high blood pressure (may make hypertension worse), glaucoma or have an oestrogen dependent condition (eg pregnancy, breast cancer) as it contains oestrogenic compounds.Damiana (Turnera diffusa aphrodisiaca)        Damiana is a traditional aphrodisiac used by the Maya of Central America. It is one of the few herbs that may truly deserve its reputation as an aphrodisiac.What it is: dried leaves and flowers of a plant native to Mexico and the US Southwest, which contains arbutin, volatile oils, alkaloids, glycosides, resins and gums.Actions: Damiana contains volatile oils that gently irritate the urogenital tract to produce a local, stimulant effect. Its alkaloids may also boost circulation to the genital area and increase sensitivity of nerve-endings in the clitoris and penis. These combined effects are said to increase sexual desire, enhance sexual pleasure and stimulate sexual performance. Some herbalists claim the pharmacology of the alkaloids could have a testosterone-like effect, but so far, no clinical studies have been performed to support its traditional use. It also acts as a tonic, mild laxative and urinary antiseptic.Who would benefit? Those whose loss of sex drive is linked with decreased sensitivity, difficulty achieving arousal, physical weakness, nervous exhaustion, painful periods, menstrual headaches, recurrent cystitis or constipation.Dose: One to two 400mg capsules or one dropper of tincture. It's usually taken on an occasional basis when needed rather than regularly, and is often combined with other pro-sexual herbs such as ginseng, sarsaparilla, oats or muira puama.Cautions: NoneMuira puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides)        Muira puama is another herb that may deserve its reputation as a true aphrodisiac (Ref 1). It is widely used by natives of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins to enhance sexual desire and combat impotence, and is popularly known as potency wood.What it is Dried root, bark and wood of a Brazilian shrubs containing resins, lupeol, campestrol and beta-sitosterol.Actions Researchers are unsure how it works, but it is thought to stimulate sexual desire through a direct action on the central nervous system, or boost production/function of sex hormones. A clinical study of 262 patients comparing muira puama with Yohimbine - an FDA-approved treatment for impotence - found that 62 per cent of subjects complaining of lack of sexual desire (and 51 per cent with difficulty maintaining an erection) said muira puama had a dynamic effect on their sex lives, while 51 per cent who had erectile dysfunction felt it was of benefit. The researchers suggested that muira puama is one of the best herbs for treating erectile dysfunction and lack of libido.Who would benefit? Those with low sex drive; males with temporary difficulty maintaining an erection.Oats (Avena sativa)        Oat is a familiar, nutritious cereal used to make porridge and muesli. Its reputation as a prosexual herb may account for the popular saying about sowing ones wild oats.What it is: Extracts from the young, whole plant or unripe grain, also known as oat straw or wild oats. Contains saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroidal compounds, vitamins and minerals.Actions: An antidepressant, restorative nerve tonic used to treat nervous exhaustion and stress. Research in Australia found that athletes who followed an oat-based diet for three weeks showed a four per cent increase in stamina. A study involving 40 adults found that an oats and nettle supplement increased sexual desire and performance.Who would benefit? Those whose low sex drive is associated with stress, exhaustion, convalescence, poor sleep or low mood.Take careDo not take herbal supplements in pregnancy without seeking specialist advice from a medical herbalist.