Special Report
Damiana… elixir for lovers

For hundreds of years the exotic herb Damiana (Turnera diffusa) has been used as an aphrodisiac. These days, Damiana's reported effects on male libido are thought to be due to its excellent ability to calm nervousness, anxiety and excitement.

What causes flagging libido?

Many factors affect libido, including your state of mind and diet. Low sexual desire can be a result of psychological problems or physical conditions. In order to find an effective solution, it is important to identify what has triggered it. Possible causes include:

Age. As you get older, many changes in the body occur that can affect sexual desire.
Anxiety and stress. If you suffer from either of these conditions, it may cause temporary or more long-term decrease in sex drive, depending on the amount of stress or anxiety being experienced. This often leads to increased alcohol and tobacco consumption, both will also have a negative effect on libido.
Medications. Certain medications, such as antihistamines, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, tranquillizers and appetite suppressants, may affect your sexual desire.
Health conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson's disease, endocrine or neurological disorders and chronic pain, can also affect libido.
Insomnia or inadequate amounts of sleep cause fatigue and reduced sexual desire.

It is important to understand the underlying cause of low libido. Sometimes there is a direct emotional cause which needs treatment and Damiana is excellent in this regard. Sometimes the physical cause is simply exhaustion or adrenal tiredness and in these instances herbs such as ginseng can assist. Of course whatever the cause maintaining a healthy diet is vital – plenty of nuts, seeds, brown grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Traditional use

Damiana is a small shrub that produces yellow flowers and grows throughout South America . It has been used for centuries by traditional native healers as a sexual enhancer and antidepressant. The Mexican Indians used it to support the nervous system and promote healthy sexual function. The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia cites indications for the use of Damiana for ‘anxiety neurosis with a predominant sexual factor, depression, nervous dyspepsia, atonic constipation, and coital inadequacy.'

Damiana has also been known to help balance hormones in females, rejuvenating sexual weakness. Modern Mexicans drink an alcoholic beverage made of Damiana, popularly known as ‘the liquor for lovers'.

It is also frequently prescribed by herbalists as a nerve tonic.

How does it work?

It's hardly surprising that the plant is linked to such a wide range of therapeutic actions considering the numerous active ingredients it contains, these include flavonoids, resins and tannin, which help stimulate many of your body's biological processes.

Damiana works to improve sexual dysfunction in men in a similar way to Viagra. It relaxes the small muscles within the artery walls of the penis and allows more blood to pass through the arteries, which is what causes an erection. A study by Argentinian scientists, reported in the journal of Phytomedicine in November 2003, found that Damiana relaxed the arteries of the penis by 90 per cent on average, whereas Viagra caused only a moderate degree of relaxation – barely reaching 46 per cent.

Laboratory studies suggest Damiana may interfere with blood sugar levels, so if you have a blood sugar condition, seek the advice of your healthcare professional before taking the herb.

A Nobel Prize winning factor

While many products claim to boost libido by increasing testosterone levels, this is not generally the problem with poor libido. Scientists earned a Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1998 when they discovered the relationship between nitric oxide and blood vessels, low nitric oxide being the more likely cause of low libido. Nitric oxide is produced in response to messages from the brain, they trigger the release of nitric acid, which causes the smooth muscles of the spongy tissues inside the penis to relax and fill with blood, making an erection possible.

Many men who are experiencing erectile dysfunction do not need to take prescription drugs; they simply need to increase their production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is produced in various areas of the body, with one important area being in the walls of the arteries. Build up of plaque in the arteries can slow down the production of nitric oxide and also contribute to blocking the flow of blood to the sexual organs.

Other herbs for boosting sex drive

Sex can be a diminishing aspect in people's lives, due to demanding lifestyles, stress and age. Herbal solutions may not address all the problems, however they can start the process and, at the very least, may help boost your energy levels. Two of the best herbs for increasing nitric oxide levels are Korean ginseng and Ginkgo biloba. They also act as overall body tonics and combat fatigue and stress, two of the most well-known passion killers.

Korean ginseng: This has been used in China as a sexual tonic for over 7000 years and is the world's most popular herbal supplement. Ginseng is taken for its ability to boost energy and sex drive. It does this by combating fatigue and physical and emotional stress. It also acts as a general blood tonic to improve blood flow. In double-blind clinical trials, 60 per cent of men with erectile dysfunction experienced improvements after taking a ginseng extract for just eight to twelve weeks. Scientists have identified active constituents, especially ginsenosides, which may be responsible for some of ginseng's anti-oxidant and health preserving properties. Ginsenosides have been shown in laboratory studies to increase the release of nitric oxide in erectile tissue.

Ginkgo biloba: Ginkgo is used to improve blood flow around the body, including blood flow to the penis. In Chinese medicine it is frequently prescribed for low sex drive and has now become popular worldwide. It has many other benefits, but in terms of improving libido, its main function is the help it gives to blood flow.