The Facts About Aphrodisiacs

Aphrodisiacs

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WHAT IS AN APHRODISIAC?

In the pursuit of sexual success and fertility, the moon, and everything under it, has been touted as a sexual stimulant by some person or culture. Love potion peddlers stop at nothing to sell their sexual wares.

An aphrodisiac is a food, drink, drug, scent, or device that, promoters claim, can arouse or increase sexual desire, or libido. A broader definition includes products that improve sexual performance.

Named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty, the list of supposed sexual stimulants includes anchovies and adrenaline, licorice and lard, scallops and Spanish fly, and hundreds of other items.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the reputed sexual effects of so-called aphrodisiac s are based in folklore, not fact. In 1989, the agency declared that there is no scientific proof that any over-the counter aphrodisiac works to treat sexual dysfunction.

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COUNTERING CULTURAL VIEWS

FDA's findings clash with a 5,000 year tradition of pursuing sexual betterment through use of plants, drugs and magic. Despite FDA's determination that over the counter aphrodsiacs are ineffective - and sometimes even dangerous - people continue the optimistic quest for drug induced sexual success.

Several principles help demystify some cultural views about aphrodisiacs. Sometimes the reason for an item's legendary reputation is obvious. It's easy to imagine how the sex organs of animals such as goats and rabbits, known for their procreativeness, have achieved their esteemed status as love aids in some cultures.

Chilies, curries, and other spicy foods have been viewed as aphrodsiacs because their physiological effects - a raised heart rate and sometimes sweating - are similar to the physical reactions experienced during sex. And some foods were glorified as aphrodsiacs based on their rarity and mystery.

While chocolate was once considered the ultimate aphrodisiac, the reputation wore off as it became commonly available.

GINSENG, RHINO HORN AND OYSTERS

Many ancient peoples believed in the so called "law of similarity," reasoning that an object resembling genitalia may possess sexual powers. Ginseng, rhinoceros horn, and oysters are three classical examples.

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The word ginseng means "man root" and the plant's reputation as an aphrodisiac probably arises from its marked similarity to the human body. Ginseng has been looked on as an invigorating and rejuvenating agent for centuries in China, Tibet, Korea, Indochina, and India. The root may have a mild stimulant action, like coffee. There have been some experiments reporting a sexual response in animals treated with ginseng, but there is no evidence that ginseng has an effect on human sexuality.

The similarity of the shape of the rhinoceros horn to the penis is credited for its worldwide reputation as a libido enhancer. The horn contains significant amounts of calcium and phosphorus. The addition of the food to a deficient diet could improve general physical vigor and possibly lead to an increased sexual interest. But in most Americans' diets, which are usually not lacking calcium or phosphorus, the small quantities usually consumed would not affect physical performance.

Because Aphrodite was said to be born from the sea, many types of seafood have reputations as aphrodsiacs. Oysters are particularly esteemed as sex aids, possibly gaining their reputation at a time when their contribution of zinc to the nutritionally deficient diets of the day could improve overall health and so lead to an increased sex drive.

SHORTAGE OF STUDIES

There is no proof that ginseng, rhinoceros horn, or oysters have an effect on human sexual reaction. But might some foods and over the counter drugs eventually be proven to affect sexual appetite? Some big obstacles exist to answering this question. The placebo effect is one scientific stumbling block.

"The mind is the most potent aphrodisiac there is," says John Renner, founder of the Consumer Health Information Research Institute (CHIRI). "It's very difficult to evaluate something someone is taking because if you tell them it's an aphrodisiac, the hope of a certain response might actually lead to an additional sexual reaction."

YOHIMBINE

Because the psychological complications are absent in animals, some studies have been done on the effect of certain drugs on animals' sexual activity. One substance that was tested extensively in animals is yohimbine. Obtained from the bark of an African tree, yohimbine has been used for centuries in Africa and West India for its supposed aphrodisiac properties.

It supposedly works by stimulating the nerve centers in the spine that control erection. FDA called the results of preliminary animal studies "encouraging," but animal studies cannot be relied on to show the effectiveness of the drug in humans.

In people, the only available evidence is anecdotal and subjective. To scientifically measure sexual stimulation, a valid human study would have to be performed in the laboratory, comparing a placebo (an inert pill with no active ingredients) to the test aphrodisiac.

Preferably, neither the researchers nor the patients would know who was getting the test substance. Because of cultural taboos, few such studies have been undertaken.

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ALCOHOL

A second obstacle to obtaining proof of aphrodisiac effects is that some drugs may not actually have specific sexual effects, but may change a person's mood and therefore seem to be an aphrodisiac. For example, alcohol has been called a " social lubricant."

People drink for many reasons, including to relax, reduce anxiety, gain self confidence, and overcome depression. Because sexual problems can be caused or worsened by psychological stress, moderate drinking might seem like a sexual enhancer. In fact, it merely lessens inhibitions.

Alcohol is actually a depressant, and so, as the porter in Shakespeare's Macbeth observed, it "provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance." And drinking too much actually decreases desire.

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NO QUICK FIX

Despite the lack of scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness, the fraudulent over the counter love potion industry thrives to this day. Marketers use a "blatant snake-oil approach," according to CHIRI's Renner. He estimates that the aphrodisiac selers, who do much of their business by mail-order, take in revenues in the hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

FDA sends warning letters to companies that make aphrodisiac claims, stating that the agency may take further regulatory action if the violations continue. "In the health fraud area, when they get a warning letter, most people take their profits and run," says Joel Aronson, director of FDA's division of nontraditional drugs. "They don't want to get into a legal battle with the agency because it could involve protracted, expensive litigation."

SPANISH FLY

Aphrodsiac experimentation isn't just a rip-off, it can be deadly. Spanish fly, or cantharides, is probably the most legendary aphrodisiac - and the most dangerous. Made from dried beetle remains, the reported sexual excitement from Spanish fly comes from the irritation to the urogenital tract and a resultant rush of blood to the sex organs. But Spanish fly is a poison that burns the mouth and throat and can lead to genitourinary infections, scarring of the urethra, and even death.

SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP

To avoid being taken for their money or their lives, individuals with sexual problems should seek a physician's advice. A lack of sexual energy or ability in men or women could be caused by something as simple as stress or a medication one is taking, or as serious as an underlying condition like diabetes or high blood pressure.

A doctor can diagnose a sexual problem and recommend treatment. If necessary, a doctor can prescribe a drug or treat sexual dysfunction.

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"People will continue to have false hopes of finding easy ways of resolving their problems," says Aronson. And so the hunt for the elusive love drug persists. A universal aphrodisiac may never be found, but experts agree that what's good for your overall health is probably good for youe sex life too.

A good diet and a regular exercise program are a more dependable path to better sex than are goats' eyes, deer sperm, and frogs' legs. A good mental state is equally important.

Maybe the wishful search for a cure-all drug should be abandoned in favor of an easier, more reliable mechanism: the erotic stimulation of one's own imagination. To quote renowned sex expert "Dr.Ruth" Westheimer,Ed.D.: "The most important sex organ lies between the ears."

Tamar Nordenberg, the author of this article, is a lawyer with the Office of the Director in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

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