Herbs + Supplements for Sexual Health ❤❤

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and if you’re planning to spend it with a special someone you might be thinking about ways to encourage a healthy libido and sexual function. As a holistic pharmacy, we want to share some of our best tips during this season of love. There are numerous herbs and supplements that can support this, but here are a few of our favorites that we carry here in the store.

 

The Superstar: Maca

Let’s start out with one of the most widely touted herbs for sexual health and energy, Maca (Lepidium meyenii). There’s a reason why this Peruvian root has skyrocketed in popularity - because it works! Maca is known as an adaptogenic herb, meaning it helps to increase resilience and balance mental, physical, and emotional stress. It does this by working with the nervous and endocrine systems, and in particular the HPA axis, which together act to regulate stress and hormone levels. Maca is also super rich in antioxidants and greatly helps improve overall energy, stamina, and vitality.

Maca root has been shown to have a balancing effect on both male and female sex hormones, making this a wonderful fertility and aphrodisiac tonic that everyone can use. Active compounds include aromatic isothiocyanates, prostaglandins, and glucosinolates, among others. In addition to increasing energy and stamina, Maca boosts libido and sexual function in both men and women. For women of childbearing years, we recommend trying FemmenessencePRo's Maca Harmony for hormone-balancing and support with menstrual and reproductive health. 

Women going through perimenopause and postmenopause will find this works well to help reduce helping reduce irritability, night sweats, and hot flashes. FemmenessencePro's Perimenopause and Post Menopause capsules have garnered a strong following among our customers, with no surprise! In clinical trials, 72-84% of post-menopausal women using FemmenessencePRO PERI experienced a highly statistically significant reduction in menopausal symptoms within 2 days to 8 weeks, with an average of 3 weeks. 

Tribulus

Tribulus is a small herbaceous plant commonly known as goat’s head or puncturevine. There has been fairly extensive research conducted on Tribulus terrstris and how it affects hormone levels, sex drive, and fertility. As far as sex drive goes, the research shows time and time again that this plant boosts sex drive for both men and women.

Tribulus is indeed classified as an aphrodisiac and antioxidant-rich herb, containing a myriad of active compounds including flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, and glycosides among others. Significant evidence indicates that Tribulus increases arousal, desire, orgasm, and satisfaction. You can find Tribulus in our Male Virility Extract, Testosterone Formula, and Libido-M Formula. 

 

Natural Lubrication for Women

You’ve probably heard of Sea Buckthorn oil as a popular ingredient in skincare and cosmetic products. This herb contains large amounts of omega-7 and omega-6 fatty acids, which gives skin a beautiful glow and a healthy, youthful appearance. It helps to regenerate and repair skin by improving blood circulation and oxygenation, whether taken internally or applied topically. 

When it comes to sexual health, these very same properties of Sea Buckthorn oil encourage natural lubrication in women. The omega-7 fatty acids in particular, are thought to support the integrity of the vaginal mucosal lining while also increasing lubrication. We carry New Chapter's Omega-7 Sea Buckthorn Blend which we like for its quality and potency. 

 

L-Arginine for ED

When consumed, the amino acid L-Arginine converts to nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide (NO) is a vasodilator that causes blood vessels to relax and open up. Food sources of NO include leafy greens, especially kale, spinach, and arugula. 

NO improves overall circulation, lowers blood pressure, and can stop erectile dysfunction! As blood vessels dilate this allows for more blood flow to travel where it's needed, when it’s needed. For the greatest benefit and effectiveness, daily supplementation is recommended. Additional research has also shown that taking L-Arginine alongside french maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) increases effectiveness.

 

Mood

And often times, a lot can be caused by a case of the nerves! We all know the feeling of too many butterflies in the stomach-- especially around someone special. Even something as simple as Lavender essential oil has been clinically shown to significantly reduce acute anxiety before a task or event. Give our clinical-grade lavender capsules a try and see how you feel. The goal isn't to feel too relaxed, but to feel grounded enough to be present with your partner :) 

 

Where to Buy

If you enjoyed this article and are interested in trying any of these natural remedies, come by the pharmacy where we have a wide selection of high-quality natural products to choose from! Everything mentioned is available here at the shop, so come on by if you have any questions or feel like one of these could help you. If you absolutely loved learning just a little bit about hormones, then please join us for a free workshop with Dr. April Segal and Dr. Elizabeth Winter. We’ll sip wine together and learn all about hormone health and balancing our natural cycles. We wish you all a romantic and fun-filled Valentine’s Day!