Marty Lobdell
Staff Writer

Humans have long searched for a substance that produces feelings of lust and desire. Aphrodisiacs are substances that are claimed to create sexual desire. Regrettably, no true aphrodisiac has been found.

Some of the more interesting substances that are claimed to be aphrodisiacs are: bull testicles, powdered rhino horns, ground-up elk or deer antlers, clams, tigers’ blood, bear paws or gall bladders, tomatoes, and mandrake root, to name a few. There is no evidence that any animal part or plant is a true aphrodisiac. For example, cantharides (aka Spanish fly), which comes from the shell of blister beetles, will cause a sensation of burning in the genitals but it does not impact desire. Cantharides are also highly toxic. Keep in mind the placebo effect (if you think it will work, then you experience a change) can account for many of the claims of heightened desire.

There is one plant, damiana, which comes close to being an aphrodisiac. Ingestion of the plant can cause a warm, and some say sexual, feeling in the genitals. Women tend to report a greater effect from damiana than most men. Damiana is a legal herbal; however, I recommend a careful search of the literature before taking any herbal.

Probably the oddest attempt to find an aphrodisiac was carried out by a French physician in the late 1800s. Dr. Brown-Sequard pulverized dog testicles and then injected the material into his body. It didn’t work. Pundits claimed that he was barking up the wrong tree.

What about drugs? Ogden Nash wrote, “candy’s dandy, but liquor’s quicker.” Many believe that alcohol is an aphrodisiac. In moderate amounts, alcohol is a disinhibitor that suppresses higher order functioning, which may allow one to become a wild and crazy guy or gal. In higher amounts, alcohol deadens the senses and totally inhibits sexual performance.

Several drugs, for example, cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, marijuana, and amyl nitrite (poppers) may enhance the sex act for some people but, alas, they do not increase desire. Prescription drugs such as Viagra, Cialis, etc. can help a man attain and maintain an erection but they do not generate desire.

One prescription drug that comes close to being a true aphrodisiac is testosterone. Low testosterone can erode sexual desire in men and women. Testosterone supplements can restore earlier levels resulting in increased desire. However, if you are young and have normal levels of testosterone the impact of testosterone treatments is minimal or non-existent. Heightened testosterone may also increase the proclivity toward physical aggression. Increased testosterone can enlarge the prostate, exacerbate some cancers, enlarge the breasts (in males), masculinize females and cause the testicles to shrink.

A few years ago, medical people thought they discovered a true aphrodisiac. Doctors were giving a drug, L-dopa, to men suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Not only did many of the Parkinsonian symptoms improve but many patients became horny. Further research concluded that L-dopa was not a true aphrodisiac but a drug that allowed one to function sexually. It seems some of the patients had a lot of pent-up sexual desire that came forth once they improved.

Although there is no true aphrodisiac, there are many things that can kill desire (anaphrodisiacs). A number of prescription drugs can impact libido. Prozac is well known to help many with depression but it often curbs desire. Relational problems are known assassins of desire. Fatigue, depression, anxiety, guilt, shame, and PTSD can also send desire into a deep freeze.

If there were an effective and safe aphrodisiac, we would all be bombarded with advertisements in the popular media. You might wonder, what can a person do to enhance arousal? The answer for most people is to be physically and emotionally healthy, and have a partner who is attractive, emotionally supportive and responsive to one’s moves.