Foods And Herbs That Increase Libido and Others That Kill It

There are times that one just is not in the mood but did you know there are foods and herbs that can increase your libido and those that can decrease it? Well, there are and I imagine that you will be surprised with the list.

Those that increase libido

Saffron

Believe it or not that yellow spice that is part of the Crocus can help increase desire in both men and women. Now there is another part to this story and that is one must also suffer from depression. This spice has been used for years to reduce stress, enhance mood, and treat depression. Studies have been done on the connection between saffron and the use of antidepressants. Men who were on antidepressants and took saffron found that they were more aroused compared to men who did not take saffron. Women, who followed the same treatment, were more easily aroused and produced more natural lubrication.

Giving individuals saffron who were not on antidepressants showed mixed results.

Red Ginseng

While ginseng has been used as a treatment for many ailments, red ginseng is preferred when you are talking about arousal. Both men and women who took red ginseng saw their libido increase. This was especially true with menopausal women. Results are promising but there is one problem with this herb and that comes from its interaction with blood-thinning medications and treatments for hormonal sensitive cancers. Individuals using either of these treatments should not use red ginseng.

Fenugreek

The seed from this annual plant seems to have components that help make sex hormones in both men and women. Both men and women who consumed this spice felt more aroused and men noted that they had more orgasms.

But do not take if you are receiving treatment for hormonal sensitive cancer and/or on a blood thinner.

Pistachio Nuts

Pistachio nuts are a healthy snack that is good for your heart and lowers blood pressure. Improving blood flow to the lower region of a man improves the giddy-up and go of that region, which means an increase in sexual arousal.

Currently, there are no studies including women but ladies can still enjoy this delicious nut and improve their health.

Ginkgo biloba

You may be familiar with using Ginkgo biloba as a supplement to help with memory but did you know it can also be used to increase your libido? Well, the reason it works on improving memory is the same reason why it is used to improve libido.

What is this secret? Well, it increases blood flow by helping relax blood vessels. Now since it increases blood flow, you may not want to take this herb if you are on a blood thinner.

Maca

The common name for this sweet vegetable is “Peruvian Viagra.” It is believed that eating this vegetable will help with fertility issues. Maca has also shown promise to those who take an antidepressant and suffer from a low libido caused by this class of drugs. More studies still need to be conducted by those who were on antidepressants and consumed maca felt their libido had increased compared to just taking the drug.

Tribulus

This herb is an annual plant whose common name is bindii. While the study has been small, it has shown that both males and females show an increase in libido. It is believed that the reason for this result is two-fold. One, it has been shown to increase the level of testosterone, and two, it increases sexual function.

More studies still need to be performed to prove that it truly improves libido.

Those that decrease libido

Valerian

This herb is used as a sleeping aid and pain reliever by calming down the nervous system. Women have also used it to treat premenstrual syndrome. Those women using this herb noted that their sexual drive was decreased.

There is no clinical evidence to the reduction in sexual desire but it makes sense when you consider it is used to calm the nervous system.

Hops

Oh, who does not like a glass or bottle of beer but did you know that it can cause some sexual issues?

When it comes to women, hops cause vaginal dryness. On the other hand, men will have a hard time getting an erection.

Skullcap

Skullcap is in a plant family that is known to lower the libido of men by working on the nervous system to lower blood pressure.

Many men who take this herb find that it becomes more difficult to get and/or maintain an erection.

Chasteberry

In the old days, those in the church would take chasteberry to keep their desires at bay. It has also been used to treat gynecological conditions and breast problems. When it comes to men, the story is a bit different. It is believed that this herb works to lower libido by decreasing prolactin levels. More studies need to be done on the role of chasteberry and its ability to lower the libido of men.

Beets

Beets are delicious, nutritious, and just about the sweetest vegetable, there is. Like many other root vegetables, they contain compounds to support healthy estrogen levels in your body. That’s great when your testosterone levels aren’t depleted, but if you have an existing hormonal imbalance, you could be exacerbating things by eating too many.

Soy

Soy is a plant that contains phytoestrogens. They mimic the same female hormone produced by women to cause the development of secondary sex characteristics.

Eating too many of these phytoestrogens could disrupt hormone balance in both men and women, depressing libido across the board. High levels of soy are found in soy milk, edamame, tofu snacks, and most vegetarian meat alternatives.

Sugar

This stuff is everywhere, so don’t think that you’re safe just because you don’t spoon it into your coffee. Sugar increases levels of the hormone insulin, which can cause you to store belly fat, lose muscle mass, and causing your testosterone levels to drop. In men, belly fat raises estrogen levels, which can result in low libido and erectile dysfunction; Sugar creates leptin resistance in the body; which in turn leads to a decrease in sex drive.

Conclusion:

The truth is that both testosterone and estrogen play vitally important roles in the bodies of both sexes and—unless we have a good ratio of one to the other—all sorts of things can get wonky. An imbalance of testosterone and estrogen can increase or decrease libido. And a surprising amount of research has gone into figuring out which foods can increase or decrease our T and E levels.

When it comes to boosting sex drive, the list of foods with potential aphrodisiac properties is very long. However, only a small proportion of these supposed aphrodisiacs are actually backed by science.

If you’re interested in giving the science-backed options a try, you may want to start with small amounts and increase the dosage based on your personal tolerance.

Also, it’s important to note that natural aphrodisiacs may interact with some medications.

If you’re currently taking medication, make sure to check with your healthcare provider before giving these foods and herbs a try.

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