Aphrodisiacs are a prime seller in the sexual health industry, with customers eager to have the best sex of their lives. Even manufacturers of wellness products, such as nutritional supplements, are getting in on this booming market but the question remains; do aphrodisiacs really do anything for your wellbeing. While the products are all there, the research certainly isn’t, and you really don’t have any proof that these aphrodisiacs work. However, even though the scientific evidence is still in question, millions of people swear by certain foods, drugs and scents for increasing their sexual desire. So, let’s investigate, shall we?
The basic idea behind aphrodisiacs is that they are elements used for evoking or stimulating your sexual desire. Drugs or products that are labelled as aphrodisiacs are often mislabelled by the companies that manufacture them, as the products actually aim to enhance your sexual performance or ability (such as Viagra). In order to be a true aphrodisiac, the food, smell or whatever it is has to create desire. Creating desire is a tricky process, which is why you first have to understand what happens in your body and brain when you are sexually excited. For both sexes, sexual desire all comes down to your hormones, and testosterone specifically. If the balance of your hormones is off, and you don’t have as much testosterone as you should, your sex drive won’t function as it should. When the balance is right, everything falls into place.
When you encounter something sexually stimulating – be it through sights, sounds, feelings, touches, smells or thoughts – a chain reaction begins in your body:
1. The limbic lobe of your brain sends signals to your pelvic region via the nervous system.
2. These signals tell your blood vessels to dilate.
3. This dilation creates an erection. This occurs in both men and women, albeit not with the same outward results. In women, your erectile tissues can be found in your clitoris and the region around your vaginal entrance.
4. The vessels then close so as to keep these erectile tissues erect. This erection is accompanied by rapid heart rate.
5. At the same time as this is going on, your brain releases neurotransmitters called norepinephrine and dopamine. These tell your body that what’s going on is good and pleasurable.
So where do aphrodisiacs come in? According to the experts, aphrodisiacs can work in one of three ways:
- Working on the mind: Some aphrodisiacs create sexual desire by targeting your brain, which will then kick-start the chain reaction of desire. This includes something that lowers your brain’s inhibitions, such as alcohol or marijuana.
- Working on the body: Instead of beginning at the beginning, some aphrodisiacs bypass the brain and head straight for the body parts that are affected at the end of the chain reaction. An aphrodisiac might increase blood flow in your sexual organs, for example, which aims to simulate the feelings of sexual intercourse and have the effect of creating desire.
- Placebo: Sometimes, just thinking something is an aphrodisiac makes it appear to work as one.
As we’ve already covered, the research proving the effectiveness of aphrodisiacs is scarce. However, scientists are beginning to discover that some foods, herbs and other supplements do stimulate production of hormones or other chemicals that affect your libido. The problem is that the researchers are still trying to work out whether or not those chemicals are produced in a high enough quantity for you to really notice the difference. Libido is a somewhat difficult thing to study and, as such, there isn’t much hard research in the area. Many people swear by the effects of certain foods, herbs or minerals, be it the placebo effect or a real process. However, according to the FDA, aphrodisiacs have no scientific basis and are simply myth. Still, whatever works for you, go for it!
Comments are closed.