Do Aphrodisiacs Exist at All?

Question: Do aphrodisiacs exist at all?

Answer: Of course they do, but not in the sense of something you drop in a cup of tea to create a sex maniac. But if we are talking about something that inclines a person to be more interested in sex, more approachable, and likely to perform and enjoy it better, then aphrodisiacs most certainly do exist.

The snag is, that in earlier times everyone believed in aphrodisiacs and love potions. Then with the birth of science everything had to be proven to be credible, and aphrodisiacs don't work in that predictable and scientific way. As a result, over recent decades there has been an almost official denial. Doctors learned nothing of them so they usually agreed that there were no such things. Even nowadays most doctors will tell you, quite seriously, that there are no such things as aphrodisiacs.

This is, quite simply, not the truth! Aphrodisiacs exist alright. There are many things all around us which, correctly used, can increase sexual desire, reduce sexual inhibitions and improve performance and staying power. Don't be fooled by ill-informed 'official' propaganda.

All kinds of things have been tried, some medicinal, some psychological, some designed to stimulate, others to reduce inhibitions. One of the best known is Spanish Fly, more correctly called cantharides. It is very poisonous and causes irritation of the genitals. Sexual response is rare. Nausea, vomiting and death are not.

Because the horn of the white rhinoceros sticks up so obviously the theory is that ground to powder and consumed it is aphrodisiac. It has no physiological effect but it is consequently so rare that if you are offered some it is probably only powdered dog bones. Shellfish are also said to increase potency.

Medically speaking all the above should be avoided. None work except perhaps psychologically, but that is just the point. Even if a thing only works 'in the mind' it is nonetheless working. A man, believing he has given his partner something that will make them sexy, is likely to be bolder, more persistent in his approach, and therefore successful. That applies to women too.

There is only one accepted aphrodisiac, alcohol. The fact is that the vast majority of men and women are fundamentally sexual by nature. It is confused training that has created the artificial inhibitions which suppress natural sexuality. The effect of alcohol is to remove those inhibitions so that underlying sexual urges are liberated. To get the best effect from alcohol it must be used in small quantities and its blood level kept low. If you want a party to end quickly, stiffen the drinks; if you want it to last excitingly, water them.

Absinthe, an aniseed flavoured drink not unlike Pernod, is now illegal in some because of the sexually stimulating effects of one of its components, wormwood. Perfectly legal however is the herb-flavoured liqueur, Green Chartreuse. The contents are a trade secret. It is rare for men to be sexually affected but a significant proportion of women are.

Remember, as with many aphrodisiacs, the effects of alcohol are not always consistent. What may make one person happy, carefree, cuddly and willing, will make another go to sleep or become noisy and aggressive.

One substance used medically as an aphrodisiac is yohimbine. Extracted from a cultivated plant it can be given by injection, drops or tablets. But perhaps the most exploited substances have been the sex hormones. Curiously, sexuality in both the male and the female depends on male hormones. Giving a woman a male preparation, such as testosterone, may well make her feel sexually more responsive but more than tiny amounts have dangerous side-effects. Testosterone for a man is far less effective. It can give a brief boost to performance, but in large doses causes a reduced production of the man's own hormones.

For many people a very effective aphrodisiac is marijuana. This can be used as tea, tincture, baked into cakes or rolled into joints. More advanced European societies have legalised its use for years without ill-effect. Its effect is to make most users become rather mellow, receptive and romantically philosophical. Tensions are eased and sexual contact follows easily and naturally.

There are other safe and abundant aphrodisiac-containing items in our everyday world, if only one had the details of how to find and use them safely. Examples include banana skins, chestnut blossoms, bactrian camel fat, male orchid tubers, animal testicles, avocado, marshmallow, ginseng and steak tartare. Even the humble broad-bean contains powerful aphrodisiacs. There are several books on how to find and use them, including 'The Human Aphrodisiac' by Dr.Steven Roles MD.

But one word of warning. A nasty trick in the promotion for sale of alleged (and totally ineffective) so-called aphrodisiacs has turned up of late. You might see something called 'Placebo Aphrodisiac' advertised. Now, the word 'placebo' is a word which few use and understand but which, medically speaking, simply means something that has no effect whatsoever. A similar con trick is to sell something described as a 'spurious' aphrodisiac (e.g. 'Spurious Spanish Fly'). The word 'spurious' means false or imitation, which is just what the product is. The tricked purchaser spends good money buying worthless rubbish about which he is then too embarrassed to complain.

Our overall advice is, enjoy real and safe aphrodisiacs by all means, don't break the law with illegal substances, but don't get conned either.