There are many over the counter sexual enhancement supplements for use by both men and women. The question is, do they work and are they safe?
Four things to look for include:
1.The amount of the key ingredient (Is the product mislabeled?)
2.Are there unlisted ingredients (If you recall from prior blogs, some “natural supplements” actually contain Viagra)
3.Some products may contain lead, which is toxic!
4.Look for tablet quality. The quicker the pill disintegrates too slowly, you will not absorb enough of it in your body.
 
 
 
Ingredients with moderate clinical evidence for sexual enhancement (please note scientific studies were not peer reviewed and may not be safe at the doses tested)
1.One of the more popular supplement ingredients for sexual dysfunction is the amino acid L-arginine, also referred to as arginine
2.Yohimbe is made from the bark of the Pausinystalia johimbe tree found in Africa
3.The herb Panax ginseng has a traditional reputation for enhancing sexual function in men.
4.The herb maca is widely sold as an aphrodisiac.
5.Proprietary Combination of Epimedium (Horny goat weed or Epimedium grandiflorum) maca, dopa bean (Mucuna pruriens or velvet bean) and polypody (Polypodium vulgare)
6.According to a small double-blind study performed in Thailand, the herb Butea superba may enhance erectile function.
7.OPCs (oligomeric proanthocyanidins), substances found in grape seed and pine bark, have shown some promise for erectile dysfunction in preliminary trials.
 
 
Ingredients with little or no clinical evidence for sexual enhancement:
1.Case reports and open trials had suggested that Ginkgo biloba may be an effective treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in both men and women. However, the two properly designed double-blind studies on the subject failed to find ginkgo more effective than placebo.
2.An uncontrolled study found that use of the herb St. John's wort improved sexual function in post-menopausal women; these are essentially meaningless results, however, as placebo can also be expected to improve sexual function.
3.One study failed to find deer velvet antler more effective than placebo for enhancing male sexual function.
4.The herb Tribulus terrestris (tribulus) is said to increase DHEA levels, so it has been proposed as a treatment for sexual dysfunction. However, one well-designed study of tribulus found that it didn't increase sex hormones in young men, and there is no evidence that it affects human sexual function. 5.Extracts of Eurycoma longifolia (Long Jack or Tongkat Ali) have been shown in animal models to stimulate sexual activity, and there is some evidence that it may have testosterone-like effect, although there are no human clinical studies. Animal tests have also shown toxicity with a certain types of extract, although not with others. 6.Other proposed herbs and supplements for sexual dysfunction in men or women that lack meaningful clinical evidence for efficacy include Eurycoma longifolia, Pimpinella pruacen, Muira puama and damiana, saw palmetto, codonopsis, schizandra, royal jelly, Pygeum africanus, catuaba bark, chuchuhuasi bark, abuta, androstenedione, ashwaghanda, zinc, lipoic acid, gamma-linolenic acid.
 
Neither the FDA nor any other federal or state agency routinely tests supplements for quality prior to sale. In order to help consumers make informed decisions and identify products of better quality, ConsumerLab.com tested sexual enhancement products containing yohimbe, epimedium (horny goat weed), and/or L-arginine in the laboratory to see if they met the quality standards
 
Can any of these products actually help?
Only four products passed all phases of testing. Swanson Superior Herbs Yohimbe, BodyTech LongJax MHT with Arginine, Magna-RX+, and Natrol L-Arginine. In addition to containing the ingredients for which they were tested, none were contaminated with lead and all were free of sexual enhancement drugs and known analogues. But whether these or any other natural product can actually help anyone dealing with sexual dysfunction remains an open question.
 
Once again it is buyer beware.
Source: www.comsumerlab.com