A friend of mine takes two food supplements: one is full of fibers for his bowel movement problem, the other is tongkat ali for his libido problem. Jocularly, I call these as things to make the hard soft and the soft hard.
Of course he is not alone, libido-wise. I once thought myself unique until I started talking to a friend about it and, lo, I was and still is, in a tribe of men having the same problem.
Sexual desire is very much a part of life, just like eating, drinking, sleeping, etc. Regardless of what others may say, men, more so women, entertain sexual fantasies at some points in their waking, and sleeping, hours.
Whereas everybody can fantasize to the point of sexual desire, testosterone-rich guys can easily translate that desire into explosive realities. Those in my tribe need a crutch.
What are they?
Aphrodisiac is a word derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. They cover a wide range of natural and man-made “widgets” intended to excite one’s sexual desires. Sexual desires, however, are often frustrated by erectile dysfunction.
So let’s take a look at the most popular aphrodisiacs and what the “experts” say about them.
1. Rhino Horn:
If anything, the quest for rhino horn has driven the rhinoceros to the brink of extinction. Other than for its shape symbolizing an erect penis, it has no sexual power at all. Unless of course if someone can prove that phosphorous, which it is rich of, can drive somebody wild with sexual desire.
2. Spanish Fly:
Never heard of this until now. Probably because it is neither a fly nor from Spain but a ground-up blister beetle common to Europe. This beetle contains cantharidin, an acid-like juice that causes a burning and swelling sensation in the urinary tract mistaken as sexual stimulation. And cantharidin is highly toxic.
3. Alcohol:
I read somewhere that “alcohol increases the urge but decreases the performance.” That is because, according to Karen Boyle, director of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery unit at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, alcohol and similar substances affect blood flow in the arteries and veins, negatively impacting on testosterone levels, thus libido.”
Definitely alcohol lowers inhibitions, making one bolder and raises the level of one’s irrationality resulting to false claims the morning after.
4. Chocolate:
Aside from its strong come-on appeal, chocolate has phenylethylamine and serotonin, two chemicals that light up the pleasure areas of the brain. Just like sex, it can make us fell good but it does not drive one to a feverish level of sexual desire. Neither can it take care of erectile dysfunction. But it is a good thing to take one’s mind off his/her sexual frustrations.
5. Oysters:
Am no fan of oysters and it might just be well and good as far as sexual desire is concerned.
Aside from its resemblance to a vagina, the only thing it has that is concerned with libido is that it is high in D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate, which have proven to increase the testosterone levels of male rats.
Which reminds of a father who asked his future son-in-law the night before the wedding whether “he would be a man and do it tonight or be a mouse and do it tomorrow night?” Sheepishly the bridegroom-to-be said, “well I guess I am a rat because I did it the other night.”
Oysters are high in zinc, which is necessary for sperm production and an excellent appetizer which is a good part of the entire sex process.
6. Traditional Herbs:
There can be thousands of these but the most popular are the yohimbe, tribulus and maca. Take these with extreme caution. Pulverized and capsulated, they are probably made in some kitchen, without tests and certification from credible accreditation agencies.
Yohimbe, for example, is taken from the bark of West African evergreen tree, and can kill if taken at higher doses.
The Chinese are unbeatable when it comes to making “aphrodisiacs” which probably explains how prolific they are in making babies.
7. Sildenafil Drugs:
Viagra is one. So is Levitra, Andros and the new kid in the block, Erefil. Not an aphrodisiac per se but a great crutch for erectile dysfunction. True Hero, Tiger Ginseng, Tongkat Ali are alternatives from Chinese home labs. They have the same side effects - flushing, reddening of the eyes, runny nose and tightening of the face muscles. But without a sexual partner to stimulate one’s appetite, they can well be expensive aspirins.
A word of caution from my urologist. Sildenafil drugs are not supposed to be taken by those taking nitrate-based drugs for heart problems.
The core of the issue:
I have never taken any of these aphrodisiacs because I don’t believe in them. Nothing beats a really good and attractive woman to stimulate my sexual desires. And sildenafils have become handy in arriving at a really satisfying climax for those desires.
Tags: aphrodisiacs, erectily dysfunction, oysters, sexual desire
