Words: Lisette Hilton

Herbalism—the use of plants for medicinal purposes—dates back thousands of years. Here is a quick guide to six sexy supplements known to boost sociability, diminish anxiety and rev up your sexuality.

Ancient cultures have long turned to herbs to address what ails us still today: stress, anxiety, tiredness and a dulled sexuality.

We interviewed Master Herbalist Trina Shore Sims, owner of Texas-based GreenStar Herbs, about six herbal supplements that offer a much-needed gentle jolt for those who want more energy and less stress. The dietary supplements she and other experts describe have long-standing traditional uses and are considered safe. “You can pick and choose among these to balance what you would like to achieve,” Sims says.

1. Finding Fertility

Common name: Maca.
Latin name: Lepidium meyenii.

Maca is a tuberous root that grows high in the Andes Mountains of Peru. “We’re talking 8,000 to 14,000 [and more] feet above sea level, where it is cold, and the land is sparse. There, it is a staple food crop… like potatoes or rice,” Sims explains.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified maca as safe, and research backing the herb’s gentle powers as an aphrodisiac and sexual potency enhancer is well-documented. Studies have shown that maca increases male sperm counts and male fertility. Women can benefit, as well, with what Sims cites as endocrine-stimulating and balancing effects.

In the U.S. maca is most commonly found as a powder, ideal for adding to a smoothie. Sims also recommends taking it in liquid form, from a reputable herbalist. There are no known safety concerns with ingesting maca, according to Sims.

2. No Worries, Fewer Inhibitions

Common name: Damiana.
Latin name: Turnera diffusa or Turnera aphrodisiaca.

Common in Mexico and parts of Southwest Texas, damiana is a small shrub with a pretty yellow flower. It has an appealing strawberry scent. “We use its leaves to remove anxiety and lift mood, without making someone jittery,” Sims says.

Herbalists consider damiana to be anxiety-reducing, or anxiolytic. Some studies have shown the herb’s activity as a central nervous system depressant, which manifests more to alleviate anxiety than to promote sleep, another of its purported benefits. “You know, when you go through the day and there’s that slight stressful current or thread of tension? That calls for damiana,” she says.

It works, according to Sims, by dampening cortisol, which is the hormone associated with fear, anxiety, dread and chronic stress. An animal study also suggested the herb had a positive effect on sexual dysfunction and impotence. U.S. patents have been awarded for supplements that contain damiana, used to overcome inhibitors of human sexual response, as well as to relieve anxiety, depression, exhaustion and premenstrual syndrome in women.

People usually take damiana as a tea or as a liquid extract, according to Sims. “The best way to take a liquid extract is under the tongue,” she says. Here it’s absorbed more efficiently.

Damiana is considered safe, but, because it has somewhat of a stimulating effect, Sims says that women should be careful about taking it late in pregnancy. “No drug interactions with damiana have been shown, but it does have a mild hypoglycemic, or blood sugar lowering, effect in animal studies. So, people who are careful about their blood sugar levels should keep that in mind,” she advises.

3. Social Stimulation

Common name: Kava kava.
Latin name: Piper methysticum.

Kava kava is a root, in the same family as black pepper. People have adopted its use from the Pacific Islanders and cultures in Pacific Rim countries.

“Traditionally, it was used by the men in the tribe for social situations…. The women in the tribe would take the peeled root—you can’t use the leaves or the stem because those appear to be dangerous to the liver—and they would chew pieces of that root. Once well masticated, they would spit the mush into a communal bowl,” she says. “The men would then… eat it to enhance their sociability.

Described by herbalists as an anxiolytic, kava kava removes jitteriness without making one sleepy—although it can be used as part of a sedative blend.

“Research shows that it results in mild sedation, vivid dreams, improves cognitive performance and promotes a cheerful mood,” says Sims.

Used correctly (peeled root only), kava kava is safe in liquid extract form from a reputable herbalist, according to Sims.

4. Sense & Sexuality

Common name: Ginkgo.
Latin name: Ginkgo biloba.

Ginkgo trees are native to China. Sims says gingko trees are known for their longevity, growing thousands of years old.

Researchers have shown that ginkgo improves microcirculation to the brain and throughout the tissues. Microcirculation, according to Sims, is vital to our senses and sexuality.

“I’ve used it in my own clinical practice with great success to help people whose libido has been affected by antidepressant medications,” Sims says. “Ginkgo has been shown to help sexual dysfunction in women and antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction.”

It has not, however, been shown to help slow the degeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Most take ginkgo in its liquid extract form. Ginkgo can interact with some medications; notably, anticoagulants, or blood thinners, as well as antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

5. Some Like it Hot

Common names: Cinnamon, Ginger, Cayenne.
Latin names: Cinnamomum aromaticum or zeylanicum; Zingiber officinale; and Capsicum minimum.

These common food spices work similarly, offering a thermogenic (or body-warming) effect and improved circulation. “They all increase the general juicy-ness of the body, which includes saliva and vaginal secretions—even moister skin. They raise body temperature and get the blood flowing. We get pink; we get warm; our lips get a little redder and fuller. We’re infused with blood, just like when we’re sexually excited,” Sim says.

When it comes to cinnamon, Sims notes that consumers should look for either the Latin names Cinnamomum aromaticum or zeylanicum; not Cinnamomum cassia. “Cinnamomum cassia is sold as cinnamon but is a… different plant. Since cassia is cheaper… that’s what we often get in the spice aisle,” she says.

Cinnamon bark enhances the bioavailability of other herbs and helps warm the body, especially in cold and damp months, which makes it a great addition to herbal tea to soothe colds, according to Alana Kessler, RD, a registered dietitian and founder of Sangha Yoga Shala in New York City.

“Its oil is also used to pacify headaches and keep joints healthy,” Kessler says. Of course, any hot pepper will do in the Cayenne category, including all those chili peppers that bite us when we bite them.

“Cayenne is wonderful for helping digestion and prevention of stomach bloating after a meal. At the same time, it stops blood from clotting and preserves heart health,” says Shane Ellison, M.S., author of “Over-the-Counter Natural Cures.”

The three herbs are safe and studied, according to the herbalist. Ginger, for example, is one of the most widely used herbs in the world to relieve upset stomachs. They are good alone or in combination, in a tea, for example.

“Ginger should be consumed before lunch and dinner to enhance digestion because when it whets the appetite it improves assimilation and transportation of nutrients to targeted body tissues and clears the circulation channels in the body,” Kessler says.

6. Firming Up

Common name: Muira Puama.
Latin name: Ptychopetalum olacoides.

Another herb that flourishes in South America, Muira Puama translates in English to potency wood. This little tree bears nutrients that have been shown in studies to help people with
potency issues, according to Sims.

The Brazilian government lists Muira Puama as an approved drug for male and female impotence. It is also an approved herb in Great Britain and elsewhere in Europe, she says. “If you use it to enhance libido and potency, it has to be used at least partially as an alcoholic extraction, in a good commercially made liquid extract,” Sims says.

While there are no widely known drug interactions or contraindications when taking Muira Puama, Sims’ patients have reported stomach upset if they take too much. As with all therapies, it is recommended that you consult with and are monitored by a knowledgable physician when considering herbal therapy.

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