Is it true that Afrodisiac products increase libido and potency?

It is believed that some food products, such as chocolate, oysters (and other seafood) or avocados, contribute to potency and enhance sexual desire. We decided to check if they have such properties.

The media tell about the miraculous exciting properties of some products (for example, "Komsomolskaya Truth","Championship", TV channel"World","Fontanka"Et al.). You can find Articles On this topic on thematic Culinary Portals, on store sites products And pharmacies, on entertaining resources. Internet users InterestedIs it really Aphrodisiac They work in services questions And answers.

Aphrodisiac - These are substances or phenomena that stimulate sexual arousal. They are named after the ancient Greek goddess of love of Aphrodite. It is customary to divide them into two main groups: psychophysiological (visual, auditory, olfactory, etc.) and internal (that is, coming with food or drinking). In this text, we will not touch the first group, as well as drugs, drugs and alcohol. We will figure out whether foods can often characterize as aphrodisiacs, have a similar effect on the human body. It is believed that they help how to increase libido (that is, sexual attraction, the desire to enter into sexual contact), and strengthen the male Potency (that is, the physical ability to perform sexual intercourse).

Exciting properties in different cultures and in different historical eras were attributed to dozens of food: from oysters (According to rumors, the most famous lover in the history of Jakomo Casanova ate dozens of these seafood before dating with women) and caviar to artichokes and chocolate. Reasons There are a lot of this. For example, some products look like genitals and therefore are considered exciting - the same oysters, the roots of ginger and ginseng, asparagus. Others are associated with the reproduction process in the animal world - caviar, eggs, animal reproductive organs. Still others cause a physiological reaction similar to excitement (for example, acute foods from which a person covers the heat). However, the list of alleged aphrodisiacs is not limited to the listed products - they are also often included in honey, avocados, watermelon, some plants and much more.

We were not able to detect authoritative studies confirming the effectiveness of products that are commonly called aphrodisiacs. For example, specialists of the Mao Clinic, one of the world's largest medical research centers, Markthat chocolate is apparently ineffective in relation to libido and potency in women and men. To the same conclusion Researchers from the University of Royal in Kingston (Canada) came in 2010. 

In 2015, scientists from the University of California in Irwin (USA) made review existing scientific papers devoted to Aphrodisiacs. They found out that the effectiveness of products that attribute the ability to stimulate potency, such as honey (with the exception of the so -called frantic honey, which we will talk about separately), oysters and chocolate, have not been proven. Also, scientists did not find reason to believe that a powder from a rhino horns has any effectiveness-due to the exciting properties attributed to him, poachers hunt for these animals. Relative to some exotic products, such as ginkgo (the leaves of this tree are widely used in Chinese traditional medicine), ginseng, poppies (a plant common in the Andes, also called Peruvian ginseng) and anchor (Tribulus Terrestris - a fruiting plant from the Mediterranean region), there are some encouraging results, but the researchers note that the data is still too small to draw certain conclusions about their effectiveness.

Moreover, many products considered aphrodisiacs are very nutritious and Contain vitamins and useful trace elements that specialists Consult use with erectile dysfunction or infertility. So, for example, according to specialists of the medical school of Jones Hopkins (USA), many men who have problems with an erection have a shortage vitamin D - He can replenish, adding seafood and egg yolks to your diet. Another trace element, influencing on the ability to erection and male fertility - zinc (It can be get From oysters, crabs and nuts). With male infertility, some effectiveness showed the use L-carnitine, which Contained In asparagus and avocado. So for people experiencing problems caused by the lack of these substances, some aphrodisiacs can really turn out to be very effective. However, those who do not have such problems will not receive any visible effect. Healthy full nutrition healthy for the heart and blood vessels directly related to potency and libido, as well as for general good health and, as a result, sexual attraction. True, we are talking about a lifestyle here rather than about emergency care before intimacy, so the inclusion of seafood, avocados or nuts in a diet will be worthless, regardless of their supposedly miraculous properties.

In addition, experts Markthat products can work as aphrodisiac due to the placebo effect, if the person who uses them is really convinced of their effectiveness.

At the same time, chocolate, despite the properties of Aphrodisiac attributed to him for centuries, may not only not increase, but even reduce sexual desire. So, in 2021, scientists from the University of California at San Diego (USA) asked More than 700 men and women over 20 years old about how often they use chocolate and how they evaluate their interest in sex on a ten -point scale. It turned out that women who ate chocolate were less interested in sexual contact. Men did not have such a significant correlation. It's funny, given that, by data The US National Confection Association, in 2023, 92% of Americans planned to give their soulmate chocolate or sweets for Valentine's Day.

American journalist Corin Miller in 2015 decided to conduct experiment: She fed all day with foods considered aphrodisiacs and recorded her impressions. Despite the honey, avocado, oysters, chocolate, watermelon and other products, on the day of the experiment, she did not feel anything but nausea caused, in her opinion, overeating. The next day, it seemed to her, Aphrodisiacs still began to work, but Miller notes that, probably, she would not have noticed the difference at all if she hadn’t followed her libido so closely (which returned us to the placebo effect). 

Some exotic substances that are traditionally used as aphrodisiacs can pose a serious danger. For example, use Frantic honeywhich we already talked about above, maybe call Nausea, dizziness and heart disorders. The reason is that it is made of rhododendron, in the pollen of which contains the poisonous substance of the granitoxin. 

Another potentially dangerous tool - Spanish fly. It is assumed that the powder from these insects, consumed for food, should enhance potency. However, cantaridine (toxic substance used by these animals as a protective mechanism) can cause nausea, bloody vomiting, irritation of urinary tract, renal dysfunction. In rare cases, patients are observed priapism - Too long an erection, not ending with the onset of orgasm. Priapism can lead to damage to tissues and the development of erectile dysfunction - this is hardly the effect that people expect from Aphrodisiac.

Another dangerous Aphrodisiac, called in China "Chan-Su" (or, more poetically, "Stone of Love"), is made on the basis of toxins of the toad of the bufo containing cardiactive steroids. The use of these substances inward can become reason heart violations and even death.

Yohimbin - A substance obtained from the bark of the Yohimbe tree also has a reputation of Aphrodisiac. At the same time, among the side effects of its use are tachycardia, chills, nausea, mania, headaches. It is also known about mortal cases.

At the moment, there are quite few scientific research on the topic of aphrodisiacs, but those that are, do not confirm the effectiveness of products such as oysters, chocolate, honey, avocados, etc. Powder from the rhino horns is apparently ineffective. Some exotic plants, such as ginkgo or ginseng, may have a similar effect, but additional studies are necessary to confirm this. A number of substances that have the glory of aphrodisiacs are completely dangerous to health. At the same time, if you adhere to a healthy diet, it in itself can have a beneficial effect on the body, including potency. With serious health problems, specialists Recommend Do not rely on mythical aphrodisiacs, but see a doctor.

Most of the untruth

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. Is it true that perfumes with pheromones can increase human attractiveness?
2. Is it true that sexual education at school leads to early sexual debuts?
3. Is it true that chocolate stimulates the brain?