An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire, sexual attraction, sexual pleasure, or sexual behavior.
Substances range from a variety of plants, spices, foods, and synthetic chemicals.
Natural aphrodisiacs like
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternativel ...
or
cocaine are classified into plant-based and non-plant-based substances.
There are non-naturally-occurring aphrodisiacs like
MDMA and
methamphetamine. Aphrodisiacs can be classified by their type of effects (i.e., psychological or physiological).
Aphrodisiacs that contain hallucinogenic properties like
Bufotenin
Bufotenin (5-HO-DMT, bufotenine) is a tryptamine derivative - more specifically, a DMT derivative - related to the neurotransmitter serotonin. It is an alkaloid found in some species of toads (especially the skin), mushrooms and plants.
The ...
have psychological effects on a person that can increase sexual desire and sexual pleasure.
Aphrodisiacs that contain smooth muscle relaxing properties like
yohimbine have physiological effects on a person that can affect hormone levels and increase blood flow.
It is possible that the aphrodisiac effect of a substance is due to the
placebo effect.
Other substances that impede on areas that aphrodisiacs aim to enhance are classified as
anaphrodisiac
An anaphrodisiac (also antaphrodisiac or antiaphrodisiac) is a substance that quells or blunts the libido. It is the opposite of an aphrodisiac, something that enhances sexual appetite. The word ''anaphrodisiac'' comes from the Greek privative p ...
s.
Both males and females can benefit from the use of aphrodisiacs, but they are more focused on males as their properties tend to increase testosterone levels rather than estrogen levels.
This is in part due to the historical context of aphrodisiacs, which focused solely on males. Only recent attention has been paid to understanding how aphrodisiacs can aid female sexual function.
In addition, cultural influence in appropriate sexual behavior from males and females also play a part in the research gap.
History
The name comes from the
Greek ἀφροδισιακόν, ''aphrodisiakon'', i.e. "sexual, aphrodisiac", from ''aphrodisios'', i.e. "pertaining to
Aphrodite
Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols include ...
", the
Greek goddess of love. Throughout human history, food, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable. However, from a historical and scientific standpoint, the alleged results may have been mainly due to mere belief by their users that they would be effective (
placebo effect). Likewise, many medicines are reported to ''effect'' libido in inconsistent or idiopathic ways:
enhancing or diminishing overall sexual desire depending on the situation of the subject. For example, Bupropion (
Wellbutrin) is known as an
antidepressant
Antidepressants are a class of medication used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain conditions, and to help manage addictions. Common side-effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, heada ...
that can counteract other co-prescribed antidepressants having libido-diminishing effects. However, because Wellbutrin only increases the libido in the special case that it is already impaired by related medications, it is not generally classed as an aphrodisiac.
Ancient civilizations like Chinese, Indian, Egyptian, Roman, and Greek cultures believed that certain substances could provide the key to improving sexual desire, sexual pleasure, and/or sexual behavior.
This was important because some men suffered from erectile dysfunction and could not reproduce.
Men who were unable to impregnate their wives and father large families were seen as failures, whereas those who could were respected. Hence, a stimulant was needed.
Others who did not suffer from this also desired performance enhancers.
Regardless of their usage, these substances gained popularity and began to be documented with information being passed down generations.
Hindu cultures wrote poems dated back around 2000 to 1000 BC that spoke of performance enhancers, ingredients, and usage tips.
Chinese cultures wrote text dated back to 2697 to 2595 BC.
Roman and Chinese cultures documented their belief in aphrodisiac qualities in animal genitalia while Egyptian wrote tips for treating erectile dysfunction.
In
Post-classical West Africa, a volume titled ''Advising Men on Sexual Engagement with Their Women'' from the
Timbuktu Manuscripts acted as a guide on aphrodasiacs and infertility remedies. It offered advice to men on "winning back" their wives. According to Hammer, "At a time when women’s sexuality was barely acknowledged in the West, the manuscript, a kind of Baedeker to orgasm, offered tips for maximizing sexual pleasure on both sides."
Ambrien
Ambergris ( or , la, ambra grisea, fro, ambre gris), ''ambergrease'', or grey amber is a solid, waxy, flammable substance of a dull grey or blackish colour produced in the digestive system of sperm whales. Freshly produced ambergris has a mari ...
,
Bufo toad,
yohimbine,
horny goat weed,
ginseng,
alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
, and food are recorded throughout these texts as containing aphrodisiac qualities.
While numerous plants,
extract
An extract is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol, oil or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures, absolutes or in powder form.
The aromatic principles of many spices, nuts, ...
s or manufactured hormones have been proposed as aphrodisiacs, there is little high-quality
clinical evidence for the efficacy or long-term safety of using them.
There has been increasing attention in recent years surrounding the use of aphrodisiac drugs.
In 2020,
Julian Savulescu and co-editor Brian Earp published a philosophy book entitled ''Love Drugs: The Chemical Future of Relationships''. They argued that certain forms of medications can be ethically consumed as a "helpful complement" in relationships. Both to fall in love, and, to fall out of it.
Types
Ambrien
Ambrien
Ambergris ( or , la, ambra grisea, fro, ambre gris), ''ambergrease'', or grey amber is a solid, waxy, flammable substance of a dull grey or blackish colour produced in the digestive system of sperm whales. Freshly produced ambergris has a mari ...
is found in the gut of sperm whales. It is commonly used in Arab cultures as relief medication for headaches or as a performance enhancer. The chemical structure of Ambrien has shown to increase testosterone levels triggering sexual desire and sexual behavior in animal studies only. Further research is needed to know the effects on humans.
Bufotenin
Bufotenin
Bufotenin (5-HO-DMT, bufotenine) is a tryptamine derivative - more specifically, a DMT derivative - related to the neurotransmitter serotonin. It is an alkaloid found in some species of toads (especially the skin), mushrooms and plants.
The ...
is found in the skin and glands of Bufo toads. It is commonly used in West Indian and Chinese cultures. West Indian cultures use it as an aphrodisiac called 'Love Stone'. Chinese cultures use bufotenin as heart medication called ''Chan su''.
Research shows that it can have a negative effect on heart rate.
Yohimbine
Yohimbine is a substance found in the bark of yohim trees in West Africa.
It was traditionally used in West African cultures, in which the bark would be boiled and the resulting water drunk until its effects showed proven benefits in increasing sexual desire.
It is now approved by the Food and Drug Administration and can be prescribed for sexual dysfunction in the United States and Canada.
It is also found in over-the-counter health products.
The chemical structure of yohimbine is an indole alkaloid that contains an adrenergic receptor blocker. This blocker affects the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, and penile tissue and vascular smooth muscle cells that help men with physiological issues and treats psychogenic erectile dysfunction.
Known side effects include nausea, anxiety, irregular heartbeats, and restlessness.
Horny goat weed
Horny goat weed (''Epimedii herba'') is used in Chinese folk medicine.
It was thought useful for treating medical conditions and improving sexual desire, sexual pleasure, and/or sexual behavior.
Horny goat weed contains
icariin
Icariin is a chemical compound classified as a prenylated flavonol glycoside, a type of flavonoid. It is the 8-prenyl derivative of kaempferol 3,7-''O''-diglucoside. The compound has been isolated from several species of plant belonging to the ...
, a flavanol glycoside.
Alcohol
Alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
has been associated as an aphrodisiac due to its effect as a central nervous system depressant.
Depressants can increase sexual desire and sexual behavior through disinhibition.
Alcohol affects people both physiologically and psychologically, and is therefore difficult to determine exactly how people are experiencing its aphrodisiacal effects (i.e., aphrodisiac qualities or the expectancy effect).
Alcohol taken in moderate quantities can elicit a positive increase in sexual desire whereas larger quantities are associated with difficulties reaching sexual pleasure.
Chronic alcohol consumption is related to sexual dysfunction.
Marijuana
Marijuana reports are mixed with half of users claiming an increase in sexual desire and sexual pleasure while the other half reports no effect.
Consumption, individual sensitivity, and possibly marijuana strain are known factors that affect results.
Food
Many cultures have turned to food as a source of increasing sexual desire; however, significant research is lacking in the study of aphrodisiac qualities in food. Most claims can be linked to the placebo effect aforementioned.
Misconceptions revolve around the visual appearance of these foods in relation to male and female genitalia (i.e.,
carrot
The carrot (''Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, ''Daucus carota'', nati ...
s,
banana
A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...
s,
oysters, and the like).
Other beliefs arise from the thought of consuming animal genitals and absorbing their properties (i.e., cow cod soup in
Jamaica or balut in the
Philippines).
Korean bug is a popular aphrodisiac in China, Korea, and Southeast Asia either eaten alive or in gelatin form. The story of Aphrodite, who was born from the sea, is another reason why individuals believe seafood is another source of aphrodisiacs.
Foods that contain volatile oils have gained little recognition in their ability to improve sexual desire, sexual pleasure, and/or sexual behavior because they are irritants when released through the urinary tract.
Chocolate
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec civi ...
has been reported to increase sexual desire in women who consume it over those who do not. Cloves and sage have been reported to demonstrate aphrodisiac qualities but their effects are not yet specified.
Ginseng
Ginseng is the root of any member of the genus ''Panax''.
Ginseng's active ingredients are ginsenosides and saponin glycosides. There are three different ways to process ginseng. Fresh ginseng is cut at four years of growth, white ginseng is cut at four to six years of growth, and red ginseng is cut, dried, and steamed at six years of growth. Red ginseng has been reported to be the most effective aphrodisiac of the three.
Known side effects include mild gastrointestinal upset.
Maca MACA or maca can mean:
* Maca (plant)
Places
Geography
* Maca District, Peru
* Cerro Macá, stratovolcano in the Aisén Region of Chile
* Maca River, Romania
Outer space
* 5228 Máca, a minor planet
People
* Alain Maca (born 1950), Belgia ...
is a Peruvian plant sometimes called "Peruvian ginseng" (but not closely related to ''Panax''). It has been used as a tonic to improve sexual performance.
Synthetic
Popular party substances have been reported by users to consist of aphrodisiac properties because of their enhancing effects with sexual pleasure.
Ecstasy users have reported an increase in sexual desire and sexual pleasure; however, there have been reports of delays in orgasm in both sexes and erectile difficulties in men.
Poppers
Popper is a slang term given broadly to drugs of the chemical class called alkyl nitrites that are inhaled. Most widely sold products include the original isoamyl nitrite or isopentyl nitrite, and isopropyl nitrite. Isobutyl nitrite is also w ...
, an inhalant, have been linked to increased sexual pleasure. Known side effects are headaches, nausea, and temporary erectile difficulties.
Phenethylamines
Amphetamine
Amphetamine (contracted from alpha- methylphenethylamine) is a strong central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and obesity. It is also commonly used ...
,
methylphenidate, and
methamphetamine are
phenethylamine derivatives which are known to increase libido and cause frequent or prolonged erections as potential side effects, particularly at high
supratherapeutic doses where sexual hyperexcitability and hypersexuality can occur;
however, in some individuals who use these drugs, libido is reduced.
2C-B
2C-B (4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine) is a psychedelic drug of the 2C family. It was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin in 1974. In Shulgin's book '' PiHKAL'', the dosage range is listed as 12–24 mg. As a recreational drug, 2C-B is s ...
was sold commercially in 5 mg pills as a purported aphrodisiac under the trade name "Erox", which was manufactured by the German pharmaceutical company Drittewelle.
Testosterone
Libido
Libido (; colloquial: sex drive) is a person's overall sexual drive or desire for sexual activity. Libido is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Biologically, the sex hormones and associated neurotransmitters that act u ...
in males is linked to levels of sex hormones, particularly
testosterone
Testosterone is the primary sex hormone and anabolic steroid in males. In humans, testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as testes and prostate, as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristic ...
.
[ When a reduced sex drive occurs in individuals with relatively low levels of testosterone, particularly in postmenopausal women or men over age 60,] dietary supplements that are purported to increase serum
Serum may refer to:
* Serum (blood), plasma from which the clotting proteins have been removed
**Antiserum, blood serum with specific antibodies for passive immunity
* Serous fluid, any clear bodily fluid
*Truth serum, a drug that is likely to mak ...
testosterone concentrations have been used with intent to increase libido, although with limited benefit.[ Long-term therapy with synthetic oral testosterone is associated with increased risk of ]cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, hea ...
.
Risks
Solid evidence is hard to obtain as these substances come from many different environments cross-culturally and therefore affect results due to variations in its growth and extraction. The same is also true for unnatural substances as variations in consumption and individual sensitivity can affect results. Folk medicine and self-prescribed methods can be potentially harmful as side effects are not fully known and therefore are not made aware to the people searching this topic on the internet.
In popular culture
The invention of an aphrodisiac is the basis of a number of films including ''Perfume: The Story of a Murderer'', '' Spanish Fly'', ''She'll Follow You Anywhere
''She'll Follow You Anywhere'', released in the United States as ''Passion Potion'', is a 1971 British comedy film directed by David C. Rea and starring Kenneth Cope, Keith Barron and Richard Vernon. The screenplay concerns two chemists working ...
'', '' Love Potion No. 9'' and ''A Serbian Film
''A Serbian Film'' ( sr, Српски филм, translit=Srpski film) is a 2010 Serbian horror- thriller film produced and directed by Srđan Spasojević in his feature film debut. Spasojević also co-wrote the film with Aleksandar Radivojevi ...
''. The first segment of Woody Allen's '' Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)'' is called "Do Aphrodisiacs Work?", and casts Allen as a court jester
A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and ...
trying to seduce the queen. The "Despair Arc" of '' Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School'' features a class being dosed with aphrodisiacs.
See also
* Anaphrodisiac
An anaphrodisiac (also antaphrodisiac or antiaphrodisiac) is a substance that quells or blunts the libido. It is the opposite of an aphrodisiac, something that enhances sexual appetite. The word ''anaphrodisiac'' comes from the Greek privative p ...
* Date rape drug
* Empathogen–entactogen
* Food and sexuality
* '' Fork Me, Spoon Me'', 2006 book
* Phytoestrogen
A phytoestrogen is a plant-derived xenoestrogen (see estrogen) not generated within the endocrine system, but consumed by eating plants or manufactured foods. Also called a "dietary estrogen", it is a diverse group of naturally occurring nonster ...
* Phytoandrogen
Phytoandrogens are substances produced in plants which have effects similar to testosterone in animals.
Examples
* Triterpenoids from the Eucommia ulmoides tree can act as phytoandrogens.
* Drupanol is a phytoandrogen.
* ''Tribulus terrestris''
* ...
* Vyleesi
Citations
General and cited references
* Gabriele Froböse, Rolf Froböse, Michael Gross (Translator): ''Lust and Love: Is It More than Chemistry?'' Royal Society of Chemistry, 2006; .
* Michael Scott: ''Pillow Talk: A Comprehensive Guide to Erotic Hypnosis and Relyfe Programming''. Blue Deck Press, 2011; .
External links
''Aphrodisiacs and Anti-aphrodisiacs: Three Essays on the Powers of Reproduction'' by John Davenport
{{Authority control
Drug classes defined by psychological effects
Sex and drugs