Men aren’t the only ones who want to improve their sex lives

Move Over, Men

“I am so tired of hearing about men and their sex problems!

“Their problems get fixed but their wives and girlfriends get nothing. Most women have more problems than men and what can we do to fix our sex problems? We all want answers.”

I get a lot of e-mails like that one, which comes from an HSI member named Irene. Here’s another from a member named Dena…

“Not meaning to sound sarcastic, but what about something for women? Someone really needs to talk to several OB-GYN’s and see the complaints that they are hearing from women wanting/needing help with this issue.”

For Dena, Irene, and many other women I have one word: testosterone.

If you think of testosterone as a male hormone, you’ll probably be surprised to find that it plays a key role in stimulating the female libido. But simply adding testosterone appears to be risky. The FDA declined approval of a testosterone patch for women because the product was ineffective and prompted adverse side effects, including liver dysfunction, acne and unwanted hair growth.

Gentle hormonal coaxing appears to be a safer way to go.

You can start with vitamin D. New evidence shows that when your D level is high your testosterone level is probably higher as well.

A number of botanicals have also been shown to enhance female sexual drive and enjoyment by helping maintain balanced hormone levels.

For instance, saw palmetto (commonly used to promote prostate health) has been prescribed for centuries as a sexual stimulant for both women and men. The ancient Mayans used an herb called damiana to energize sexual vitality. Siberian ginseng has long had a reputation for arousing sexuality and enhancing stamina in women. And the herb Nettle has been used as an aphrodisiac for centuries.

Down the Amazon

For women who aren’t experiencing the hormonal imbalance of menopause, but still need some oomph in their sex drive, a botanical from the Amazon might provide a jumpstart.

As I’ve mentioned before, clavo huasca is a vine that grows wild in the Amazon rainforest and is traditionally used as a treatment for…shall we say…frigidity.

Leslie Taylor, an HSI Panelist and board-certified naturopath who has spent years investigating herbal medications with shamans throughout Peru, used the vine bark to formulate a highly concentrated extract.

When Ms. Taylor provided HSI with a supply of her Clavo Huasca product, we conducted an informal trial with 38 volunteers, all over the age of 50, who had no known hormonal imbalance. (Clavo has been shown to have little effect on women with low libido due to hormonal imbalance.)

Each of the subjects used Clavo Huasca for one month, while keeping a journal and submitting weekly reports. The final responses were split: 19 women experienced no changes, while 19 reported benefits. In the latter group, six said the benefits were slight, while 13 felt the formula significantly improved their sexual relations.

Aside from the sexual benefits, a number of women reported that even when they didn’t experience a change in libido, they slept better, had a better attitude, and felt more energetic. And none reported any adverse side effects.

For more information about Clavo Huasca, you can visit the website for Raintree Nutrition, Inc., at rain-tree.com.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson

Source:
“Help for Low Libidos” Barbara Kantrowitz and Pat Wingert, Newsweek, 9/30/05, msnbc.msn.com