Aphrodisiacs- do they work?

 All across history throughout many ancient civilizations, people have used aphrodisiacs to enhance sexual performance. In those days, aphrodisiacs usually involved odd mixtures typically including some phallic symbol and pretty vile ingredients. The Ancient Egyptians believed that applying a mixture of crocodile heart on the penis worked, while the Sardinians believed that eating a rotting cheese containing maggots, called casu marzu, had its benefits (Tzvi, 2021). While these ideas may sound outdated and unbelievable, people today still believe in the power of aphrodisiacs. 

Some of the aphrodisiacs that are more common in today’s modern world include oysters, chocolates, chili peppers, maca power, and in many Asian countries, red ginseng (Tzvi, 2021). There are a few possibilities that could explain why some of these aphrodisiacs work. They could be addressing an issue of erectile dysfunction or addressing a problem with sperm quality (Shah, 2002).

Studies have found that oysters have properties that could make it an aphrodisiac. Since they have high amounts of zinc, which has been shown to be an essential element of sexual maturation and a key component of sperm development, oysters actually could help with virility (Wagner et al., 1985). When consumed raw they can aid in increasing levels of NMDA and D-aspartic acid which studies have shown help men with erectile dysfunction increase their levels of testosterone (Roshanzamir & Safayi, 2017).  Animal studies have shown that capsaicin, spice element of chili peppers, reduced the amount of time of breaks between sexual encounters in rats, but did decrease their ejaculatory threshold, meaning a shorter sexual encounter as well (Tzvi, 2021). 

While both oysters and chili peppers address male sexual performance, red ginseng and maca powder could both address the female aspect. Red ginseng seems to improve sexual functioning in pre and post-menopausal women and maca powder has shown to increase libido in even those with sexual dysfunction (Chung et al., 2021; Dording et al., 2008). Unfortunately studies on the effect of chocolate have shown no evidence, so stick to oysters, red ginseng and maca powder on your next date night for some scientifically backed enhancement. 

Chung, Y. S., Lee, I. O., Lee, J.-Y., Nam, E. J., Kim, S. W., Kim, Y. T., & Kim, S. (2021). Effects of Korean red ginseng (panax ginseng C.A. meyer) on menopausal symptoms in premenopausal women after gynecologic cancer surgery: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 27(1), 66–72. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2019.0429 

Dording, C. M., Fisher, L., Papakostas, G., Farabaugh, A., Sonawalla, S., Fava, M., & Mischoulon, D. (2008). A double-blind, randomized, pilot dose-finding study of Maca Root (L. meyenii) for the management of SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, 14(3), 182–191. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-5949.2008.00052.x 

Roshanzamir, F., & Safavi, S. M. (2017). The putative effects of D-Aspartic acid on blood           testosterone levels: A systematic review. International journal of reproductive            biomedicine, 15(1), 1–10.

Shah, J. (2002). Erectile dysfunction through the ages. BJU International, 90(4), 433–441. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1464-410x.2002.02911.x 

Tzvi Doron, D. O. (2021, May 25). The strange science behind why (some) aphrodisiacs work. Roman HealthGuide. Retrieved November 28, 2021, from https://www.getroman.com/health-guide/the-strange-science-behind-why-some-aphrodisiacs-work/. 

Wagner PA, Bailey LB, Christakis GJ, Dinning JS. Serum zinc concentrations in adolescents as   related to sexual maturation. Human nutrition. Clinical Nutrition. 1985 Nov;39(6):459-       462. PMID: 4077582.