With today being Valentine’s Day, when many peoples’ attention turns to love and romance, what better way to mark the occasion than by discussing 10 natural supplements, herbs, and/or nutrients that might provide romance-related health benefits to mark the occasion?
Although we are unable to package a bouquet of flowers or box of chocolates to go with this blog, we trust these natural remedies will fill the bill for you in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Granted, it is too close to Valentine’s Day (or it is already here or passed as your read this) for you to fully reap the health benefits listed below. However, if you treat Valentine’s Day as a year-round occasion to celebrate, you are in luck, especially if in love. In alphabetical order, here you go, A to Z, as you will see:
Ashwagandha: Whether your idea of a romantic Valentine’s Day means mutually-demonstrated affection and cuddling or more intimate physical activity, we can all agree that romance works best when couples are relaxed, without stress, and in an anxiety-free zone. Ashwagandha is an herb that has for hundreds of years been a staple of traditional Ayurvedic medicine and delivers the goods when it comes to giving the boot to stress and anxiety. A 2021 systematic review identified seven studies of ashwagandha that bears this out. These involved nearly 500 adults randomly given either ashwagandha or a placebo for six to eight weeks, with the former group showing significantly diminished stress and anxiety.
Damiana: Medically known as Turnera diffusa, damiana is a wild shrub found in several parts of the world, including Mexico. Its active medical substance is sourced from the plant’s leaf and stem, acting as an aphrodisiac agent that could bolster sexual arousal for both men and women by providing a heightened level of oxygen to the genital area.
Vitamin E (with Ginseng): On its own, ginseng, an herb central to traditional Asian medicine, has shown a knack for enhancing immunity and focus while also regulating blood-sugar levels. Use it in tandem with vitamin E, and ginseng adds another notch to its belt with its apparent ability to ramp up a person’s libido. This was borne out in a six-week trial involving 62 females who reported an improvement in sexual desire when dosed with a combination of vitamin E and Korean ginseng.
Fenugreek: Like several other natural remedies included in this list, fenugreek is an herb found in several regions of the world, in its case including the Mediterranean. Fenugreek not only has shown evidence of boosting libido and helping with erectile function, but it also includes saponins that are believed to elevate testosterone levels.
Ginkgo biloba: Colloquially known as “Viagra for females,” this herb, best known for helping to improve cognitive function, goes for a doubleheader sweep with its apparent capacity to also improve sexual function by increasing blood flow and stimulating nitric acid production.
Horny goat weed: Don’t laugh – this stuff can apparently deliver the goods thanks to its provision of phytoestrogen, which is believed to bolster estrogen levels, effectively easing menopausal symptoms such as the kind of vaginal dryness that makes sexual intercourse painful.
L-arginine: Also found in different foods such as red meat and pineapple, L-arginine is an amino acid that assists with several body processes such as maintaining healthy blood-sugar levels, circulation and . . . drum roll, please . . . sexual desire and pleasure. A study with 77 women showed that supplements with L-arginine not only reduced vaginal dryness in women but boosted sexual desire, orgasm, and clitoral sensation.
L-citrulline: This is formally categorized as a non-essential amino acid, but for any male who has benefitted from its ability to bolster L-arginine (see previous list item) and therefore ramp up nitric oxide production, L-citrulline is plenty essential. For the record, nitric oxide assists in the relaxation of blood vessels, easing blood flow throughout the body and thus helping guys overcome erectile dysfunction.
Tribulus terrestris: This alliterative-sounding herb has tantalizing potential in its demonstrated success, via some research, to act as a sexual stimulant by increasing desire in women beset with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Tribulus terrestris has a substance that appears to positively affect the female reproductive hormones follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), among others.
Zinc: We are familiar with zinc’s popular penchant for bolstering immunity and metabolism. Evidently, zinc can also play a role in elevating sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, satisfaction and vaginal moisture during intercourse as found in a small study of more than 100 women.
As always, if you see something here you want to consider adding to your daily regimen, please be sure to discuss it first with your physician or other healthcare professional to make sure it is safe and suitable for your use, especially if you are already taking any prescription medications. Also, results as described are not guaranteed.